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NASCAR Notebook: Earnhardt, others trying to lure Patrick from IRL
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Published: November 7, 2009
■ Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Danica Patrick would be good for NASCAR, but there's nothing new to report on the IRL star joining his team.
Earnhardt said yesterday that other teams were still in the mix for Patrick's services. He said the talks were still in their early stages.
His comments came after ESPN reported that a deal could be in place soon between Patrick and Earnhardt's Nationwide Series team, JR Motorsports. Patrick would run a partial Nationwide schedule while running full-time in the IRL.
Kasey Kahne and Carl Edwards echoed Earnhardt's thoughts that Patrick coming over to NASCAR would be good for the sport.
■ NASCAR will honor the fallen soldiers at Fort Hood during a race weekend that is 170 miles from the site of the massacre that left 13 people dead.
Texas Motor Speedway officials were planning to paint a logo on the infield grass to honor the victims.
Sprint Cup driver Ryan Newman is sponsored by the Army. He switched gears in the middle of his first question yesterday to mention Thursday's shooting at the sprawling Army post in central Texas.
Newman said he didn't know anyone directly involved in the shooting.
■ Newman is still sore and frustrated from Talladega.
What frustrates Newman more than anything after his harrowing crash with five laps remaining last weekend is that it's the same kind of situation he was concerned about after the last race at Talladega six months earlier.
"It's a very ironic situation ... living out the things I was frustrated about firsthand six months later," Newman said yesterday. "I want it to be safer because I plan on being there in the spring, racing just the same, trying to win that race."
On the last lap of the previous race at Talladega in April, Edwards was trying to block Brad Keselowski when their cars made contact. Edwards then spun into Newman's path, and the second hit sent Edwards' car soaring over Newman's hood into the air and the safety fence. The battered car returned to the track while debris injured seven fans in the stands.
Last week, Newman was left upside down in the grass and was trapped inside the car for almost 15 minutes before safety workers were able to cut him free.
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