FYI WIRZ: Danica Patrick Is Hottest Among NASCAR's Power Pack of Weekly Topics

Danica Patrick announced her switch from the IZOD IndyCar Series to the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) next year with sponsor Go Daddy.com executive Bob Parsons at her side.

This 34th week of 2011 spawned busy news— the earth moved in the Northeast with a rare earthquake. Big winds blew into North Carolina and parts north as potent Hurricane Irene churned up the Atlantic Ocean. And the worst kept secret in motorsports went public.

Her decision involves a JR Motorsports full schedule ride in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with limited events in the Sprint Cup Series in a Stewart-Haas Racing stock car. SHR expressed their plans to have Patrick on a third car for their race team in 2013.

That move came as no surprise, but believe it or not Patrick was not the only NASCAR news this week. 

Kyle Busch went to court, crew chief Jerry Baxter got fined and Texas Motor Speedway announced it’s 2012 event schedule. 

Episode 1: Danica Patrick confirms her move to NASCAR

Select quotes on Danica Patrick by NASCAR dignitaries are worth comparing. Check what Brian France, Tony Stewart, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds, Mike Joy and Jeff Hammond had to say.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France:

“We are pleased Danica Patrick has chosen to race full time in NASCAR in 2012,” France said. “She has demonstrated a strong desire to compete and NASCAR provides the best opportunity to race against the top drivers in the world with the largest and most loyal fan base in motorsports on a week-to-week basis. Danica has shown solid improvement in NASCAR and we believe her decision to run full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, with additional races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will be exciting for our fans and a great challenge for her.”

Tony Stewart:

“We’re very excited to have Danica Patrick and Go Daddy join Stewart-Haas Racing in 2012 for a limited NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule with the intention of us running her full-time in Sprint Cup in 2013,” Stewart said. “The thing you see in Danica right away is how determined she is to be good at what she does. She’s very dedicated to taking the time and effort to make the transition from Indy cars to stock cars. She has talent, she has the right mindset and she has the proper drive and determination”

FOX TV commentators had quick thoughts about Patrick’s decision. 

Darrell Waltrip:

“She is a very focused driver and now without the distractions of another series she can put all her efforts into it,” Waltrip said. “In a very short period of time and with very limited experience, she has shown me she has the talent to be very successful in NASCAR. Can she win? You bet you.

Larry McReynolds:

“There’s no question it’s not only big for NASCAR, it’s big for sports in general,” McReynolds said. “The Nationwide Series deal with JR Motorsports is top-notch equipment.

“What she’s tried to do the last year and a half - run a full Indycar schedule, run NASCAR periodically - would’ve been hard for anyone to have done. It would’ve been hard for Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart. She’s got talent and as long as she keeps the right attitude, she should be competitive.”

Mike Joy:

“It’s been a while since NASCAR had a capable woman racer in the sport's top ranks, and none have brought Danica's level of racing experience or her marketing clout, Joy said. “She will certainly be good for the ratings, and hopefully, good for the competition.”

Jeff Hammond:

She’s really impressed me with the improvements she’s made,” Hammond said “Her crew chief Tony Eury Jr., spoke very highly of her and that meant a lot to me.. She genuinely likes driving stock cars and I think she is representing the future of female racing with a lot of style.”

Episode 2: NASCAR Penalizes Crew Chief Jerry Baxter
Courtesy of NASCAR:

NASCAR has penalized Jerry Baxter, crew chief for the No. 99 car that competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event Aug. 20 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, for his actions following the completion of the race.

Baxter has been fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31 for violating Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing – involved in an altercation on pit road after the completion of the race).

Episode 3: Kyle Busch loses street license over speeding incident

Kyle Busch can still race on NASCAR tracks but he has no street license for 45 days after pleading guilty to driving 128 mph in a 45 mph zone in North Carolina.

The judge also set a $1,000 fine, 30 hours community service, one-year probation, and a suspended 30-day jail sentence. 

Busch can surely afford the fine, but the jail sentence could have been very costly–like maybe the Sprint Cup championship. 

Busch has already paid for 300 students to attend B.R.A.K.E.S, a driving safety program for teens, establish by drag racer Doug Herbert after he lost two teenage sons in a North Carolina crash. Busch will also speak to students about safety. 

Episode 4: Texas Motor Speedway announces dates for next season.
Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway:

TMS set 2012 schedule during Fan Extravaganza at Gilley’s Texas

1. Samsung Mobile 500 Marks First Saturday Night Race Of Sprint Cup Season On April 14

2. Firestone Twin 275s Will Be Only Dual Races During The Same Night In IndyCar Series On June 9

3. AAA Texas 500 Remains Eighth Race Of Chase On Nov. 4

4. Season Tickets Begin As Low As $270 For 10 Days Of Racing Action

FYI WIRZ is the select presentation of motorsports topics by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com. 

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained from official release materials provided by NASCAR and team representatives.

Photo credit: Dwight Drum at Racetake.com.