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NOTEBOOK: Danica adds the 600 to her Cup schedule
Charlotte in, Indy out
CHARLOTTE – Danica Patrick announced – fittingly since the Sprint Media Tour is hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway – that this year’s Coca-Cola 600 will be one of 10 Sprint Cup races she will run in a Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy.
An obvious side note is that Patrick, who competed full-time in Indy cars prior to this season, will not be competing in the Indianapolis 500 on May 27. She will compete for the championship of NASCAR’s Nationwide Series after running a partial schedule in 2010-11.
Tony Stewart, who competed in both races in 1999 and 2001, said it was Patrick’s decision, calling it “a sign of her dedication” to NASCAR.
Fusion of ideas -- Ford Motor Company expressed interest last year in racing a Mustang in the Sprint Cup Series, but the 2013 model it will unveil on Tuesday is a Fusion.
Ford Racing director Jamie Allison and designer Garen Nicoghosain will be on hand for the unveiling at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Ford will become the first manufacturer to show its model for the 2013 season, when NASCAR is redesigning the Cup model. A release called it a joint project between the Ford Design Center and Ford Racing.
Let the record note that NASCAR officials also participated in the “project.”
Joey the motivator -- Joey Logano will, at age 21, compete in his 112th Sprint Cup race next month, said his toughest adjustment to the big time was becoming a leader.
“What caught me off guard was dealing with people and learning how to motivate them in a positive way,” Logano said. “It’s been a learning experience from the very beginning and probably will be for some time to come. You never stop learning stuff.”
Tough sell -- Darian Grubb, who led Stewart’s crew to the 2012 championship, now works with Denny Hamlin. He said the hardest adjustment was getting his 3-year-old son to say Hamlin is now his favorite driver.
Monte Dutton; 704-869-1841; twitter.com/montedutton
