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Sports

Patrick making Sprint Cup debut in 2012 Daytona 500

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Fort Worth, TX – Danica Patrick's much-anticipated Sprint Cup Series debut will take place in the February 26 Daytona 500.

Patrick and Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart revealed Patrick's limited schedule in Sprint Cup next year during a press conference held at Texas Motor Speedway, the site of this weekend's races in all three NASCAR national touring series.

The former IndyCar driver will compete in at least 10 races next season, with two of them to be decided at a later date. She will drive the No.10 Chevrolet for SHR, with GoDaddy.com sponsoring her efforts.

After the Daytona 500, Patrick is scheduled to race at Darlington (May 12), Bristol (August 25), Atlanta (September 2), Chicagoland (Sept. 16), Dover (Sept. 30), Texas (November 4) and Phoenix (Nov. 11).

Patrick is also running a full-time schedule in the Nationwide Series next year, driving the No.7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. She is competing in the final three Nationwide races this season -- Texas, Phoenix and Homestead.

"I'm excited," Patrick said. "There's a lot that I'm worried about, but on the other hand, as I've felt with my Nationwide races so far, it's that expectation levels at some times are not quite as high. You have the ability to make mistakes. There's going to be mistakes, and there's going to be learning curves. It's about making the most complete future possible with the limited schedule of experience."

Prior to the start of his NASCAR career in 1998, Stewart captured four USAC championships and the 1997 IndyCar Series title. He is a two-time Sprint Cup champion (2002 and '05) and has claimed 42 career race wins, with his most recent victory last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. Stewart is currently second in the championship Chase standings, eight points behind leader Carl Edwards.

"It's been a fun journey for me, and I think that what's going to make such a fun journey for Danica, knowing the things that she's going to be experiencing from the Indy cars to the Cup cars, the same thing that I had to go through, too," Stewart said. "It's a nice feeling for me knowing that when she talks about something I'm going to understand it, from first-hand experience."

SHR is currently looking for a crew chief for Patrick.

Whether or not Patrick will compete in next year's Indianapolis 500 has yet to be determined.

Stewart is hopeful Patrick's limited schedule next year will prepare her for a full-time effort in NASCAR's premier series in 2013.

"I'm just worried about how far into this 10-race deal it's going to be before she absolutely hates me, because of where I'm sending her," Stewart quipped.