Update on Danica Patrick's Daytona 500 Ride & How She Got Those Owner Points

As was previously mentioned, Danica Patrick is locked into the Daytona 500 on Sprint Cup Series Owners points... but it turns out that it's not with Stewart-Haas Racing, but rather, with Tommy Baldwin Racing.  Wha???

What's up with that is that TBR will be fielding the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevy for all of Patrick's Sprint Cup races in 2012 and is made possible with a collaborative partnership between SHR and TBR.

The points are from the No. 36 car that Dave Blaney drove last year, and the No. 36 car will become the No. 10 GoDaddy car through this agreement.

Patrick will be driving the No. 10 Sprint Cup Series car for 10 races, and when she's not behind the wheel of that Chevy, David Reutimann will be fielding the car.

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And yes, Dave Blaney will have to drive his butt off to get into the Daytona 500 and other events.

PS:  Just because I've typed this, does not, in any way, mean I actually get it.  All I know is that NASCAR, and an alliance between Stewart-Haas Racing & Tommy Baldwin Racing have come to some agreement that will let one of the biggest media points of the sport, Danica Patrick, to participate in the 2012 Daytona 500.

So contrary to what I thought was going to happen, and Patrick drive for Stewart, she's technically going to drive for Baldwin when she's competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

I hope you get it, because I'm sure I sort of get it!

[Autoweek: How Danica Patrick Got Owners Points]

Emily Maynard Back for More Fame on TV's Bachelorette

Did you know that Emily Maynard is coming back to ABC's dating adventure game show, The Bachelorette?

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(Yes, this is way off topic, but it's in regards to one of our own from within the NASCAR family, so to speak.)

When Emily Maynard was on The Bachelor, it confused me.  Almost every woman that goes on that show as a game-show contestant is usually very desperate or ego-centric and looking for fame.  Regardless of their real inner aspirations, they almost always become a collection of emotional misfits crying at every turn of the road.

But when Emily Maynard came on The Bachelor, her apparent southern charm was in complete contrast to what one would expect and it took me by surprise.  Not to mention her sad story related to Ricky Hendrick.  (R.I.P. good sir.)

Then again, we all think that Ben Flajnik is a pretty decent guy too, right?  (Well, except for that pesky, NSFW video he made and the trend of who he seems to be gravitating to in this most recent season of The Bachelor that is.  I'm referring to the puffy upper-lipped Courtney, who seems to be getting more screen time than any other person in the show.)

Any hoo, back to Emily Maynard:

Danica Patrick Is Locked Into the Daytona 500

I know you might find this "surprising" but Danica Patrick, NASCAR's newest golden child of media attention, has locked herself into the Daytona 500...

No, it does not seem that NASCAR made any special "one time only" deal for the potential new driving star of the sport.  I don't think.

Check this out:

Stewart-Haas Racing "obtained" the points from Tommy Baldwin Racing, whose No. 36 car was inside the top-35 in Owners Points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

This means that Patrick will not have to race her way into the 500 through the 150-miler duel qualifers.

But...

Now that TBR transferred their points to SHR, Dave Blaney, whose points they were, will have to race his way into the 500 and I'm guessing, in each subsequent event for the first few races of the season.

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Is it me, or did transferring points used to be a big deal between teams?  I have a vague recollection of many hoops some folk had to go through when they bought teams, to be able to use those team's points.

But with Patrick, it seemed to be a no-brainer.  It's not a complaint, but still...  something to ponder.

[NASCAR: Patrick has Owner Points]

Miller Re-Upped With Penske and Brad Keselowski

In case you had not heard, Miller Lite renewed its partnership with Penske Racing and will continue to be the season-long primary sponsor of Penske’s No. 2 Dodge driven by Brad Keselowski.

Which is pretty awesome, being that this particular alliance started way back in 1991 and seemingly through thick and thin, has remained with the team.

Also, Coors Light has decided to continue it's relationship with NASCAR and has ponied up to continue to be the Official Beer of NASCAR!

The Coors Light partnership with NASCAR includes the Coors Light Pole Award for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

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NASCAR Negotiates Digital Rights Back from Turner

In case you had not heard the news, NASCAR snagged back control (actually, finally obtained) control over it's own digital content starting in 2013.


This means they would now have control over their own content of their digital realm of NASCAR news and such, aka, NASCAR.com and other such goodies.


What NASCAR did was restructure their agreement with Turner Sports that will now see them having a working relationship through to the end of 2016, where Turner will still oversee advertising sales and sponsorships across all of NASCAR's digital media.


The good news is that this means that we could be in for a treat.  I'd bet bottom dollar we'll see the site revamped while we may also start seeing (well, hearing) more streaming content from NASCAR's SiriusXM content station.