By Sam Atwell

The debut of Danica Patrick in the Nationwide Series is just hours away.  The impact that Danica has had on Daytona is already measurable.  Her prescence in the ARCA race last week led to the highest ratings ever for an ARCA race.  The attention she has drawn from the media all week long has put a bigger spotlight on the Nationwide Series race this weekend.  The one question that remains, in my mind, is are the expectations set too high for Danica?   The answer depends on who you ask.  Her car owner hasn’t set expectations too high, consistent runs, competitive and staying out of trouble.  Danica voices the same expectations as her owner, but I have to believe that in her mind her expectations are higher than that. 

With 13 races on her schedule I would consider her first year a success if she can finish the 13 races with an average finish somewhere in the top 20.   I think that there may be a couple of top ten finishes anything more than that will be a bonus.  Top fives and wins, in my mind, are out of the question.  The lack of wins and top fives are not because of a lack of talent, but because all but one of her races will be run with several Sprint Cup drivers in the field.  With the exception of the race on October 23, 2010 at Gateway International Raceway all of her races are companion events with the Sprint Cup Series.  At companion events you have a larger number of cup drivers racing in the Nationwide Series.  When the cup regulars fill the field in companion events they dominate the top ten.  With those top tens spots filled it will bump Danica down to a finish in the low teens, maybe even high twenties.  If Danica were to race strictly against Nationwide Series drivers then I could see her with some top five finishes. 

Even if the unthinkable happens and she is a complete failure it is still a pleasure to have her in NASCAR and to see a renewed interest in the Nationwide Series.   

Tags: , Danica Patrick, NASCAR, Nationwide Series