Patrick Flips the Switch

IndyCar star Danica Patrick makes the switch to stock cars in 2010, and like many of her other open-wheel peers, will make her NASCAR debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Patrick is scheduled to run up to 13 NASCAR Nationwide races. In December, she announced that her first race would be Feb. 20 at Auto Club Speedway, although the door was left open for a possible debut at Daytona on Feb. 13.

During the last two years, open-wheel drivers such as Juan Pablo Montoya and Sam Hornish made their NASCAR debuts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Montoya’s first national series win was in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2007 at Mexico City.

New Year, New Car

The NASCAR Nationwide Series new car will make its on-track debut this year at four races, before being targeted for full-season integration into the series in 2011.

The new car – which will feature three new manufacturer models with the Chevrolet Impala, the Dodge Challenger and the Ford Mustang in addition to the standard but sporty Toyota Camry – will run its first race at Daytona International Speedway on July 2. Other races for the new car will be Aug. 14 at Michigan International Speedway, Sept. 10 at Richmond International Raceway and Oct. 15 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Nationwide Welcome Mat Is Out

Danica Patrick is only one of a number of new drivers in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010. Many of her new opponents will compete full-time, like Trevor Bayne, Colin Braun (pronounced “Brown”), James Buescher (pronounced “Bush – er”), Brian Scott and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

That quintet already has some series experience – and success. Each driver started at least one race last year with Bayne (15), Scott and Stenhouse Jr. (seven each) leading the way. Bayne (ORP) and Stenhouse (Iowa) captured their first series poles in 2009, while Braun (Mexico City) and Buescher (Memphis) won their first series poles in 2008. Braun and Scott won their first NASCAR national series race last year in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Braun won the 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year award in the trucks, while Scott was the runner-up for the honor last year.

With apologies to the 1993 Michigan Wolverine basketball team, this edition of the “Fab Five” will compete for 2010 Raybestos Rookie of the Year, which should shape up to be perhaps the best battle in the 20-year history of the award.

“Regular” Guys Ready For Title Run

Eight series-only regulars finished in the top 10 in the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship final standings, the most since 2005 when eight drivers also did so. Five of those drivers are back this year in a full-time capacity.

Jason Leffler (fourth in the 2009 standings), Justin Allgaier (fifth), the 2009 Raybestos Rookie of the Year, Steve Wallace (seventh) and his Rusty Wallace Racing teammate Brendan Gaughan (ninth) along with second-year driver Michael Annett (10th) lead the return of series-only regulars eying a legitimate shot at challenging a stout group of double-duty drivers for the 2010 title.

Playing Favorites

Kyle Busch has yet to announce if he will turn his partial schedule into a full-time effort this year in order to defend his 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship. Two-time series champion – and NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver of the Decade as voted by the media – Kevin Harvick, also was contemplating making a full-time run in his No. 33 KHI Chevrolet instead of a limited schedule. Should those two drivers decide to compete full-time this year, they’d certainly carry the designation of favorite in the run for the 2010 title.

Carl Edwards (the 2007 series champion and a full-time driver in each of his five double-duty seasons), Brad Keselowski (running his first full-time double-duty season) and Paul Menard (back full-time in the series for the first time since 2006) are those drivers who have tossed their full-time double-duty hats into the ring for 2010. Keselowski, this year in his first season with Penske Racing, challenged Edwards until the final race of the season for the runner-up spot in the 2009 series championship. He’ll form a strong team along with Justin Allgaier. Menard will compete for what’s shaping up to be a Roush Fenway Racing powerhouse on the NASCAR Nationwide side, with him, Edwards, Colin Braun and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

On the Road Again

NASCAR will continue its 17-year streak of racing on a national-series level in Wisconsin with the addition of the historic Road America course to its 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule.

The Road America 200 at the 4.048-mile, 14-turn track located in Elkhart Lake, Wis., replaces the event previously scheduled at the Milwaukee Mile and will be run on Saturday, June 19.

While Road America is new to the NASCAR Nationwide Series, it’s not the first time NASCAR has raced there. On Aug. 12, 1956, Tim Flock won the only other NASCAR national series race, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, at the then one-year-old track. In 2001, Eau Claire, Wis. Native Paul Menard won there in the former NASCAR Re/Max Challenge Series.

In addition to Road America, the series also will race at Watkins Glen International and at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. As recently as 2007-08, the NASCAR Nationwide Series also had three road courses on its schedule, racing at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City in addition to The Glen and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.