Danica Patrick returns for the STP 300 night time race at Chicagoland Speedway this Saturday evening, for the next appearance on her limited Nationwide schedule fitting around her
IndyCar season commitments.
Danica has been experiencing some highs and lows of late, with the lowest point definitely being the moment that it looked like Bump Day qualifying at
Indianapolis might be rained out before she'd had the chance to make the 33-car starting grid for the centennial event last Sunday.
Fortunately for
IndyCar she did and she even ran ten laps in the lead toward the end until forced to pit for fuel. The weekend once again proved what a powerful asset her invaluable star power is for the series.
But everywhere she went at Indianapolis, she was besieged with questions about whether she was about to announce a switch to a full-time
NASCAR drive in 2012. Many media experts even suggest that an announcement of a switch is imminent and could even be made at this week's Nationwide event at Chicago.
The intense media furore wasn't helped when the CEO of her main personal sponsor, GoDaddy.com, weighed in with some pretty unequivocal advice for her on the matter.
"She hasn't told me she will, but I believe she will and we'll be ready," Bob Parsons told ESPN at the weekend. "Here's the fact: She loves it, it's much more exciting than
IndyCar with all due respect, and the TV audience for
NASCAR is off the hook.
"The races she's in now in Nationwide, whether in front or in the back, it's still fantastic for us. I've had people tell me, 'I'm going to start watching
NASCAR to see Danica.' She is the one person that America roots for. America loves her ... She's edgy like we are, and a little inappropriate like we are."
Parsons said that the company he runs and which he founded would always support Danica no matter what she decided to do. "I tell you what, she doesn't exactly work for minimum wage!" he said. "But I've told her I would sponsor her if she started ice skating."
Even Indy?
"I think you know the answer to that," Parsons replied: "Sure we will."
Asked about Parson's comments, Danica herself continued to insist that no decisions about her 2012 direction had been made yet.