<div><p>Danica Patrick, who became the first woman to win a major open-wheel race last year in Japan, announced Tuesday she would compete in a second-tier US stock car racing series starting in February.</p><p>The 27-year-old American who signed a three-year IndyCar contract extension with Michael Andretti's team last week will serve as a part-time driver for JR Motorsports in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).</p><p>Patrick, who unveiled a green and orange Chevrolet bearing number seven here on Tuesday, will drive in her first stock car event on February 6 at Daytona International Speedway in the ARCA Series.</p><p>"It's going to be a lot to learn," Patrick said. "That's the real key part."</p><p>While Patrick did not say how many stock car events she plans to race in next year, she would have approval to race in the Nationwide series, a level below the top NASCAR racers, as well as the truck racing series.</p><p>Patrick has committed to running a full IndyCar season for Andretti but will drive in as many events as possible for the stock car team owned by racer Dale Earnhardt Jnr and Rick Hendrick.</p><p>"When the idea came about a few years ago to run some NASCAR stuff, I wasn't as prepared mentally as I am now," Patrick said. "I'm finally ready. The schedule doesn't intimidate me as much it used to."</p><p>The 17-race IndyCar schedule opens March 14 at Sao Paulo, Brazil, and concludes October 2 at Miami, with Patrick saying she expects to run most of her NASCAR races before and after the IndyCar campaign.</p><p>Patrick, a career-best fifth in the IndyCar drivers standings this year, won her only title in five IndyCar seasons last year at Japan.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=65030422&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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