NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick put more fuel on the Danica-Patrick-to-NASCAR rumors Thursday, acknowledging in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that he is interested in pursuing the IndyCar Series star, although he admitted that he had not met Patrick and didn't know her level of interest in a stock car career.
"Right now we're talking [with Patrick] and we've got to do some tests," Hendrick, in California for this weekend's NASCAR events at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, told the Times. "We've got to see what her interest level is. I think Danica could help our sport. She's got a tremendous following. She's got talent."
Patrick has been linked with a potential deal with JR Motorsports – co-owned by Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. – for a limited series of NASCAR Nationwide and ARCA RE/MAX Series events next year, although Michael Waltrip says he is also interested in doing a deal with Patrick.
Patrick is believed to have signed a new three-year contract with Andretti Green Racing to remain in IndyCars, although it is speculated that part of the deal includes allowing her to fit stock car races into her schedule that do not conflict with IndyCar events.