Fisher eager to drive 'anything with fenders'

Former IRL driver begins stock car career under RCR tutelage

LEXINGTON, N.C. -- The eyes sparkled. The smile shined.

A driver stood before a phalanx of microphones and recorders Tuesday night, politely answering questions and occasionally cackling a hearty laugh. The hair was neatly trimmed, and a pair of sun glasses sat on top of the driver's head.

Of course, the driver wore a pressed shirt with team and sponsor logos.

Sarah Fisher Credit: AP

What makes this scene different is the driver. It's former IndyCar driver Sarah Fisher.

Fisher, the three-time IRL most popular driver. Fisher, the winner of an IRL pole at Kentucky. Fisher, a five-time Indianapolis 500 starter.

Fisher, the poster child of the racing series that once touted itself as the place for American open-wheel drivers to have a chance.

Fisher, already a star in her own right.

She'll drive in the NASCAR Grand National West Series this season in a car owned by Bill McAnally. Richard Childress Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program are also supporting the program.

Childress also hopes to run Fisher in two Busch Series races later this year.

So after pursuing a career in open-wheel racing, Fisher has switched to stock cars.

"It's been in my head a long time," Fisher said. "I just didn't have the balls to do anything about it."

She laughed, of course, but the sentiment was accurate.

"Defies logic, yeah," Fisher said. "I gave my heart and soul to the IRL. I really believed in what they were doing. I gave five really good years of my life to them.

"I'm ready for a new challenge. I see this as my long-term life. I want to be a part of a family."

That a former open-wheel driver is in NASCAR is not new. Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart -- to name a few -- all grew up on Midgets and Sprint Cars.

So did Fisher, but her career was in IndyCars. The climate of the IRL changed, to the point where Fisher had exhausted all her opportunities.

"It's a little confusing, what their mission statement was five years ago and where it is now," Fisher said. "Where I see my future is in stock cars. There has been more opportunity and more welcome from this family."

Her venture into stock cars began with an innocent statement by Childress last April at a Chevrolet function in Washington, D.C.

"He made the brief statement, joking, 'Hey, if you ever want to drive one, call me,' " Fisher said. "So I called him.

"He was on his way to go hunting. Imagine that."

Childress was responsive, telling Fisher he was glad she called but he'd have to figure out a program for her.

"I figured if there was a lady out there not scared of speed like the way she run those IndyCars," Childress said, "she could jump in this things and do really good."

Fisher drove a Late Model for DeLana Harvick's father, John Linville, and did "all right," she said. Childress then put Fisher in a McAnally car last year and proved her worth.

"She showed us she could drive a stock car," Childress said.

So with the help of the diversity program, Childress put together a deal with McAnally for this season.

"We're hoping to run her in two Busch races this year if everything works right in the West coast," Childress said. "She knows that this is a training curve for her. It's a lot different than IndyCars. We're real proud about having Sarah come aboard."

If Fisher shows promise, she'll move up. She would love to be in a Busch car full-time in 2006 but is leaving her career in Childress' hands.

"Richard Childress knows how to develop a racecar driver," Fisher said. "I'm sort of on his time frame. What he advises me to do, I'll be there."

The switch promises to be difficult, Fisher said, but she's in it for the long haul.

"It's not going to be easy," Fisher said. "I won't budge from that. There's a lot to learn, and there's a lot of respect to gain. I'm not here to make a statement. I'm here to race cars and do the best job I can.

"I need to go out there and win races. I know we can do that here."

For now, "here" is stock cars.

"This is definitely my long-term program," Fisher said. "I want to be in anything with fenders on it."