JR Motorsports Announces 2010 Schedule for Danica Patrick

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 28, 2010) – Danica Patrick will compete in 12 NASCAR Nationwide Series races with the possibility of 13 in her debut season with JR Motorsports, co-owner and general manager Kelley Earnhardt announced today.

The only event uncertain on Patrick’s schedule is the Feb. 13 season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet is entered in the event, but its driver will not be determined until after Patrick’s race in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) event on Feb. 6. Patrick will compete in the Daytona ARCA race in a JR Motorsports-prepared No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet.

Beyond Daytona, Patrick’s 2010 campaign is confirmed starting with the Feb. 20 race at Auto Club Speedway and the Feb. 27 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Following Vegas, Patrick will take a four-month hiatus to focus on her IndyCar Series responsibilities before returning to drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevy in the Nationwide Series June 26 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The remainder of her schedule includes Nationwide races at Chicagoland Speedway (July 9), Michigan International Speedway (Aug. 14), Dover International Speedway (Sept. 25), Auto Club Speedway (Oct. 9), Charlotte Motor Speedway (Oct. 15), Gateway International Raceway (Oct. 23), Texas Motor Speedway (Nov. 6), Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 13), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 20).

“I’m thrilled to announce our 2010 Nationwide Series schedule,” said Patrick. “Like I’ve said before, we just want to be smart and calculative about this process. The tracks we’ve selected not only compliment the IndyCar schedule, but will give me quality seat time at a variety of facilities.”

While Patrick’s participation in the Daytona race is to be determined, JR Motorsports will still field two cars for the Nationwide Series season opener. Due to sponsorship reallocation for the upcoming season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet in place of Kelly Bires in what is the first of two scheduled races for the JRM co-owner. Bires will return to the seat of the No. 88 Chevy the following week at Auto Club Speedway and could be called upon to drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet at Daytona should Patrick not compete in that event.

“We want to give Danica the best opportunity to compete at Daytona, and that includes making sure she is 100 percent comfortable in that driver’s seat,” Kelley Earnhardt said. “The Nationwide race there is perhaps the most competitive race of the year. Once the ARCA race is complete, we will get with Danica and make a decision based on the best interests of her, the team, and our sponsor Go Daddy. I’m extremely pleased with the working relationship between Danica and (crew chief) Tony Eury Jr. They are communicating well and working extremely hard in preparing for this season.”

Danica Patrick’s 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Schedule

2/13 Daytona International Speedway (TBD)
2/20 Auto Club Speedway
2/27 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
6/26 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
7/9 Chicagoland Speedway
8/14 Michigan International Speedway
9/25 Dover International Speedway
10/9 Auto Club Speedway
10/15 Charlotte Motor Speedway
10/23 Gateway International Raceway
11/6 Texas Motor Speedway
11/13 Phoenix International Speedway
11/20 Homestead-Miami Speedway

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24/7 JIMMIE JOHNSON: RACE TO DAYTONA
Debuts January 26 at 10 p.m. ET

The first episode of 24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona debuts Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 10 p.m. ET on HBO. The all-access show follows reigning four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, giving viewers an inside look at the driver and his race team as they prepare and compete in the Daytona 500, the sports premiere event.
Other episodes of 24/7 JIMMIE JOHNSON: RACE TO DAYTONA debut on subsequent Tuesdays – Feb. 2, 9 and 16 – in prime time at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The Feb. 16 series finale debuts two days after the race, with cameras tracking all the drama and excitement surrounding Johnson and his team on race day. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand.

This is HBO Sports’ first non-boxing series with the “24/7” franchise. The executive producers of 24/7 JIMMIE JOHNSON: RACE TO DAYTONA are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; coordinating producer, Scott Boggins; writer, Peter Nelson. Liev Schreiber narrates.

Concord, N.C. – RAB Racing has announced that Scott Riggs will pilot the No. 09 Ford in the NASCAR Nationwide Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 13.

“We are thrilled to have Scott in our car at Daytona,” stated Robby Benton, Co-owner and General Manager of RAB Racing with Brack Maggard. “Scott’s experience in all three levels of competition in this sport and the solid foundation of this team will produce a great combination for success. We’re on track to deliver great results for the 2010 season opener at Daytona and hope to build the partnership between RAB Racing and Scott Riggs to run a full 2010 schedule.”

Riggs, the 2002 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, will be making his 81st NASCAR Nationwide start and his fifth series start at Daytona International Speedway. The Bahama, N.C. native has an impressive four wins, 19 top fives and three poles to his series resume, and in just four starts at “The World Center of Racing,” has two top-10 finishes.

“I’m really looking forward to making my debut with RAB Racing at Daytona,” stated Riggs, “I’ve been out of the Nationwide Series for two years now and I honestly don’t think there is a better team for me to be involved with. RAB Racing is an independent team of dedicated individuals that have the same goals and have invested themselves in what it takes to win. It’s an honor to be partnering with such a driven team for such a prestigious race.”

Denny Hamlin tore his ACL ligament in his left knee on Friday while playing basketball.  Seeing as this is his left knee which is used for his clutch,  he does plan to race the full season with the injury and have it repaired next off season.  Denny had minor surgery this past December on his right knee.  The NASCAR season starts in just two weeks with the Bud Shootout.