Will Junior or Danica draw bigger spotlight?
There will be a lot of key story lines in NASCAR in 2010, but two of the ones earning the most interest will be the performances of two high-profile athletes: newcomer Danica Patrick, who is debuting in the Nationwide Series, and her team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is looking to rally from a dismal 2009 Sprint Cup season.
It's hard to tell which one will draw more of a spotlight, rightly or wrongly, in the coming season.
Patrick has yet to even confirm the total number of races she will run, or if she is competing in the season-opening Nationwide race at Daytona International Speedway. Yet, the Izod IndyCar Series race winner, who finished fifth in that series' 2009 standings and plans to run the full season there in 2010, will be greeted by a potentially unmatched amount of coverage each time she visits the track. Her successes and setbacks will be heavily documented as she attempts to learn the nuances of stock-car racing.
Earnhardt Jr. will also generate his share of headlines, no matter what type of season he has.
Right now, the Hendrick Motorsports organization is working hard to make sure that Earnhardt Jr. doesn't endure another year in which he fails to win a race and finishes 25th in the standings, both of which he did in 2009. Not only is Earnhardt Jr. the seven-time fan-voted most popular driver in the sport, but he's also a driver with 18 career wins to his credit and one competing with one of the premier organizations in the sport. Many thought his 2008 move to Hendrick would boost him to a level among the sport's elite.
Instead, he has only one win with the organization.
Now, entering his first full season with crew chief Lance McGrew, who joined the team in 2009, Earnhardt Jr. is focused on returning to victory lane and improving his Cup performance. At the same time, he'll also be working as a team co-owner of one of the highest-profile athletes to join NASCAR this season.
So Earnhardt Jr. fans, while they wait to see whether the driver is able to improve his performance this season, can be certain of one thing: There will be no shortage of media coverage of him, both as a driver and an owner, in 2010.
