IndyCar star Danica Patrick set for jump to NASCAR

IndyCar star Danica Patrick and her plans to depart the series for the US stock car circuit were the talk of the track as racers gathered for today’s IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Patrick became the first woman to win a major open-wheel race in 2008 when she captured the IndyCar event at Japan’s Twin Ring Motegi oval. She will move to NASCAR in 2012 after finishing the current IndyCar campaign.

The American is finishing her fifth season with Andretti Autosport, having become one of IndyCar’s signature drivers but also having taken time to drive in select stock car events in recent years.

“I’m excited for what lies ahead in the coming year,” Patrick said.

“If it was about money, I would have gone a long time ago. I just go where my heart tells me, where my gut tells me to go, where I’m enjoying my life the most, where I feel like I can have the most success.

“I’ve truly enjoyed my experience in NASCAR. I thought about it and now I want to do it full-time.”

Patrick’s departure comes as a blow to IndyCar more from a marketing standpoint than a competition angle, although she became the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 thanks to a refuel strategy in 2005 and reached the Indy 500 podium in 2009 with a third-place showing.