Should Danica Switch to NASCAR?

Danica Patrick had a great season in 2008, including her first win in the Indy Racing League. This year she's in her fifth season in the IndyCar Series, and her third for Andretti Green Racing. As the series passes its half way point, she ranks fifth in points, following an eleventh place finish at Watkins Glen. And she's one of three drivers with four top-five finishes in the season's first six races.

There has been more speculation than ever that she might be considering switching from the open wheel cars to NASCAR's full bodied stock cars.

Danica recently said she has not ruled anything out for her future.

"For me," she said, "the most important thing is performing and having the ability and having the resources to get there faster. So, yeah, when it's a top team calling, it makes it more attractive. I think one thing is as drivers is we like to challenge ourselves. If we've done something well, can we do the next thing well? So I think it's the opportunity to show your ability.

She see's the business side of racing and recognizes all that it takes to be successful in the sport.

"NASCAR has so many viewers and so many partners," she stated. "There are just lots of options both inside and outside the car. So there's reasons, and it looks like fun. There are 40-odd guys that do it every year. I'm not sure how many the number is this year. But, obviously, it's a good time. Oval racing is always fun. It's you racing against everyone else, it's very competitive. It's kind of like the Indy 500 every weekend. That's a lot of fun as a driver to be part of something important, and something people want to watch."

There is no question she would arrive in NASCAR with amazing star power and lots of attention, but how would she fare in a completely different type of race car and style of racing? Some of the top NASCAR drivers shared their thoughts.

Current Sprint Cup Series point leader Tony Stewart said, "Nobody knows whether she can do it until she gets out and tries. I don't think she's ever been in anything but an open-wheel type car or Formula 1 type car. I don't know that she's ever driven a heavy race car. The only way to find out is to get in it and do it. If it's something she wants to do, she has to make the commitment to do it."

Stewart made a highly publicized switch from Indy Cars to NASCAR over ten years ago, and went on to be very successful.

"This is not a sport and a series, and especially with the three touring series, you aren't just going to show up once in a while and be good," Stewart said. "That's what happened with me in '96 and '97. In '98 when I ran 22 Busch races, I started getting it. But I was in the car just about every week to start learning that feel. And it was hard to bounce back and forth and be good in both."

"Obviously she's gotten where she is because she has a ton of talent," Stewart continued. "You don't back into winning races and getting to the upper levels of racing by not having talent. Nobody knows for sure what level of talent she's got as far as a stock car until she actually just gets in one. If she's serious about it, I don't know if she needs to get in a Late Model first and run some laps and then try to get back to a radial-tired car. Only time will tell. If she's really serious, it's kind of a crossroad for her. I know it's been a topic of discussion but if it's something she really wants too, she has to be committed to it. It's not something that you can kind of sneak up on. You've either got to do it or not do it."

Another NASCAR driver that came from the Indy Car ranks is Juan Pablo Montoya.

"I think she's got the talent to do it, the ability to do it - it's a hard challenge," said Montoya. "Are people going to be patient enough for her to struggle - that's the million dollar question. If she decided to come and somebody decides to hire her - are they willing to know that she is going to struggle sometimes. She might have some great weeks that she feels comfortable in the car and there are going to be weeks where she is going to run horrible. I think if people are willing to accept that she doesn't finish fifth - it's very different. Open-wheel to this is very different. When you say she had a top-five in an Indy car race against a top-five here - it's very different. A top-five here is like three wins in Indy car or something like that."

When looking at the NASCAR possibility, there are also driver that have tried to make the switch and haven't had much success, guys like Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario's Franchitti been through some tough times in NASCAR.

"I think what it shows is it is difficult," Danica said about Franchitti and Hornish. "You do need as much help as possible. But as credit to them, they haven't been driving for the best teams in NASCAR either. So how can you really hold them accountable for not doing extremely well in the very beginning when they just don't have the resources. Now they're getting the hang of it. And Sam's doing much better, and Juan's (Pablo Montoya) doing better. I think that things are moving -- they're doing better overall. But, they don't drive for Hendrick or Roush or any of the top teams. So I think it's a tough one."

NASCAR star Jeff Burton chimed in on the topic as well, and offered his thoughts on helping her decide..

"I don't know if she can do it. I think Danica (Patrick) can only answer that question and if she decides that she wants to look at this then what she needs to do is drive one of these things. She needs to go to a race track somewhere that you can test, Pikes Peak or wherever, just go somewhere and sit in one of these things and drive it. Until you do that, you can't make a determination whether or not number one, you like it and number two, you think you can be effective at it. She could do that under the cloche of darkness and no one would ever know about it. If she didn't want anybodyto know about it, she could make that happen. She's run really well this year, she has silenced some of her critics because of the way she's run this year. She is certainly a much sought after driver due to the attention that she draws. She could demand some things from car owners and make it happen. One of the things, if I was her and what I would be looking at is if I'm going to consider it then I better get all the information. The only way to get information is to get in the seat and go out and drive the car. It doesn't matter if you drove a Nationwide car five years ago - you need to drive one of these things and see what it's like. Until she's done that she doesn't know if she can do it. I don't know if I could drive an IRL car. I have no idea, I would have to sit in it and number one, see if I liked it and number two, see if I could be effective at it. If she's going to come here, that's what she needs to do. If she's even going to consider coming here, that's what she needs to do."

Ultimately, she will be the one to decide, but for now, its all just food for thought.

"I don't think anyone's trying to push me," Danica said. "They really want to just know what my thoughts are and what I want to do. At this point, I just want to know what my options are. So that's the point at which we're at right now is just collecting data and figuring out what our options really are - who is really serious. So, that's just the point we're at."

And who are the teams that would like to have her driving for them in NASCAR next year?

"I'm not sure," she said. "That's not for me to handle. That's what I leave up to my agents, and as they tell me, which is the best thing, 'All I have to do is go out there and perform and they'll take care of the rest,' so that's what I'm going to do."