Just a little over one week after announcing that she would race for JR Motorsports in select ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events in 2010, Danica Patrick made an appearance at the JR Motorsports headquarters in Mooresville, NC for a team press conference.

Members of the media and some very lucky Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans were treated to an event which began with an initial Q & A session with Patrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports’ Vice President and General Manager Kelley Earnhardt, crew chiefs Tony Eury Sr. and Tony Eury Jr. plus, Kelly Bires, the new driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for the team.

The only substantial announcement made during the event was regarding Patrick’s schedule for the upcoming season. She will run up to 13 races and will make her ARCA debut in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway in February but will hold-off on her first Nationwide race until Fontana or Las Vegas.

Patrick said the reason for the delayed debut in the Nationwide Series is so that she can get as much seat time in beforehand as possible.

“(I) don’t want to over-commit and under-deliver,” she said.

Patrick participated in a test session at Walt Disney World Speedway recently and her new crew chief Tony Eury Jr. said she “did awesome”. He mentioned that their only real struggle was with a difference in terminology.

“It’s just a matter of lingo,” he said.

While Patrick uses her familiar IndyCar vernacular with words like ‘under-steer’ and ‘over-steer’, Eury Jr. is used to the stock-car terms ‘tight’ and ‘loose’. Not a large issue considering the many problems that would be expected with such a transition.

Patrick did seem quite proud of a new phrase she had already picked up, however.

“I said ya’ll”, she admitted with a laugh.

In addition to the many questions surrounding this new venture with Patrick, other questions involving sponsorship issues and the addition of Bires to the team following former driver Brad Keselowski’s departure were also discussed.

Kelley Earnhardt made it clear that despite the team’s struggles to secure funding for the No. 88, they are “committed to running the 88 full-time”. Bires’ painted up ride on display for the event had the yellow and blue colors of Hellmann’s.

While considering the multitude of challenges he faces as a car owner and driver, Earnhardt Jr. gave a little insight into which job is the most demanding.

“(Being a) driver is more stressful than (being a) car owner,” he said, before adding, “(but) being a driver is what I feel like I was born to be.”

The 2010 season will be a challenging, yet rewarding one for everyone at JR Motorsports and hardcore race fans are in for a real treat.

 MORE NASCAR NEWS