Danica Patrick announced last Friday that she was looking for a car to race in the 2013 Indy 500. Next year is also the year that she will be racing in NASCAR a full season. This creates an opportunity for Patrick to race in both the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the race she's schedule to race in already, and the Indy 500, if she can get the right team. This actually used to happen regularly from 1995-2004.
It is referred to as double duty, and each year one driver would accept the challenge of racing both events. The last person to attempt double duty was Robby Gordon in 2003. He finished 22nd in the Indy 500 after dropping out due to a gearbox problem. He was 17th when the Coca Cola 600 was called due to rain. Gordon has attempted double duty five times, coming up one lap short of completing the 1,100 miles in 2002. Tony Stewart is the only driver to complete all 1,100 miles, doing so in 2001. It was Stewart's second attempt, and he finished 6th in Indy and 3rd in Charlotte. Double duty hasn't been attempted in recent years due to the Indy 500 being pushed back to a 1 PM start time. However, it was moved back to Noon in 2011, which is why Patrick and others could attempt it in 2013.
Patrick will be part of the Stewart-Haas team next year for NASCAR as she makes the switch from IndyCar full time. In recent years she has split her time between NASCAR and IndyCar. This year was the first year she raced a full Nationwide Series schedule. She will not be part of any team in IndyCar in 2013, which is why she is looking for a ride for the Indy 500. Getting a car for Indy could be very easy for Patrick as she is trying the feat early in her NASCAR career. Gordon and Stewart's attempts were also early on in their NASCAR careers. Having Patrick attempt double duty could create a media frenzy as well as she would be the first woman to attempt the feat. Knowing this, an Indy team might make room for her.
Patrick began her Indy career in 2005 with Rahal Letterman Racing. She obtained Rookie of the Year status that season for both the Indy 500 and IndyCar Series season. She switched to Andretti Green Racing in 2007. Andretti Green Racing became Andretti Autosport in 2010, and Patrick raced with them up until this year. Both Andretti Autosport and Rahal Letterman Racing (now Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) are still involved in IndyCar and could potentially provide a car for their former driver. When Stewart raced in both events in 2001, Chip Ganassi Racing gave him a car to race in the Indy 500. They too still have teams in IndyCar, and they could potentially give Patrick a ride for the 500 as well.
I am predicting that someone will give Danica Patrick a car to race in the Indy 500. Before she left for NASCAR, she was one of the best IndyCar drivers out there, consistently finishing high in the standings. There is also just too much history to pass up on. Patrick would be the first woman to win the Indy 500, and could be the first woman to win a NASCAR race if she or another woman doesn't do so before Memorial Day next year. She would also be the first female driver to attempt double duty. History-making moments mean media attention, and one race team will not be able to resist the media attention that allowing Danica Patrick to attempt double duty will provide. Yes, folks, start preparing for the first double duty attempt since 2004 because Danica Patrick will be racing in the Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600 in 2013.
References
http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/story/_/id/8348830/danica-patrick-says-looking-indianapolis-500-ride
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Duty_(auto_racing)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Stewart
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danica_Patrick#IRL_IndyCar_Series
"she was one of the best IndyCar drivers out there"
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