Danica Patrick gets advice from Juan Pablo Montoya, starts 12th in Daytona ARCA race
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s Juan Pablo Montoya said Thursday that Danica Patrick shouldn’t be shy about talking to other drivers about how to drive her JR Motorsports car.
Montoya went a step further, talking to Patrick about the transition from the IndyCar Series to NASCAR. The 27-year-old Patrick will make her stock-car debut as she starts 12th in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 Automobile Racing Club of America race Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.
“He was just helping me out with the way the drafting works out there with the cars,” Patrick said Friday. “We were laughing about his driving and we were laughing about giving it back to the drivers if they give it to you.
“It was really nice. I’ve never spoken to Juan before. He’s a really nice guy. I liked talking to him and he offered up his help. I’ve got a lot to learn from Juan.”
Patrick’s JR Motorsports team has had to work on her car to get it competitive for the race Saturday.
“It wasn’t right,” Patrick said. “Tony has done a great job. He told me what to do – pretty straightforward, run around the top, drop down low and run around the [yellow] line. I’m sure it will be much harder at other tracks.”
She might drop to the back early if she needs to get a feel for her car during the 80-lap event.
“It really comes as the result of experience and not knowing the limit of the car and my tendency as a driver is to make sure I can learn and finish the race and make sure I get the most out of my car,” Patrick said. “If I’m not sure where that limit is, I’m not going to overstep my bounds. I make no progress if I go out there and loop it on the first lap.”
After the race Saturday, Patrick will decide whether she will make her NASCAR debut in the Nationwide Series race Feb. 13 at Daytona. If she opts not to run at Daytona, she will make her Nationwide debut Feb. 20 at Auto Club Speedway in California.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Patrick said. “I don’t think it’s going to be easy, but I think it’s going to be fun. I like the car. I think it is going to run really well in the race.”
On the pole for the ARCA race will be Phoenix Racing’s James Buescher, the defending race winner. Buescher is driving a full Nationwide Series schedule for the team this year.
Among other notable drivers or drivers with NASCAR ties qualifying for the field included Penske Racing's Dakoda Armstrong (fourth), former Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr. (seventh), Richard Childress Racing's John Wes Townley (ninth), Turner Motorsports' Ricky Carmichael (14th), and RCR's Tim George Jr. (34th).
Patrick will be one of six women in the field along with Alli Owens (19th), Leilani Munter (25th), Jill George (38th), Milka Duno (41st) and Jennifer Jo Cobb (42nd). Cobb is running the full Truck Series season.
