1. There's been some speculation that Danica Patrick could wind up in NASCAR next year. How might the world's most famous female driver fare on the nation's biggest stock-car tour?

David Caraviello: OK, first of all, she isn't coming. Let's get that straight right now. I know she's said she's considering it, but I'd be shocked if it happened. Which is a good thing, because if she tried to jump directly onto the Sprint Cup tour, without any stints in Truck or Nationwide, she'd risk embarrassing herself.

Mark Aumann: Well, I'm still not sold on the whole idea. The rumors seem to be floating from the same Silly Season pot that's been more wrong than right. There's just a lot of stuff that doesn't add up.

Raygan Swan: Well, if she thinks she can go straight to Cup and be competitive, I think she's wrong. She needs to go through the developmental ranks somewhat just like her other open-wheel counterparts did. She needs to think of herself as the rule, not the exception to the rule.

David Caraviello: True, Mark, but Danica herself has been rather coy on the issue, acting as if the option is there for her should she want it. Hey, nobody's saying she shouldn't try if that's what she really wants to do. But she had better be prepared. Like Juan Montoya said last week -- it isn't going to be easy.

Mark Aumann: After seeing a host of open-wheel guys like Dario Franchitti struggle to make the switch, why would Danica even bother? Because it's a bargaining chip, perhaps? And I use "Chip," as in Chip Ganassi, which is probably where she'll wind up -- in the IndyCar Series in 2010.

Raygan Swan: We did go through the same hype last time she was in a contract year, so maybe this is apart of her negotiations. But is she the best female in the sport? Maybe for the men.

Mark Aumann: But let's say she does make the leap. I'm with David. There's no way she goes from a Dallara to a Dodge without a year of seasoning. Or two. And is Danica willing to take what would be a career step backward to do that? Sam Hornish Jr. is just starting to show signs of figuring it out.

Raygan Swan: I don't think her ego could handle it, Mark.

David Caraviello: No question, she'd be a marketer's dream in NASCAR -- until she started that first race. I mean, it's taken Montoya two years to get the hang of this, and that guy won the Indy 500. Hornish, a former IndyCar champion, is just now coming around. Those guys were a lot more accomplished that Danica is.

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All the open-wheelers spent years and have many accomplishments in IndyCars before they made the switch. It is too early in her career to make a major move.

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RAYGAN SWAN

Raygan Swan: And according to her boss, Michael Andretti, she can't handle the NASCAR schedule. Too many races. And he's got a few more race wins and titles than Danica.

Mark Aumann: Now, does NASCAR need a female driver? Oh, most definitely. But they need to find one that comes up through their own ladder system. You can't tell me there isn't a female Joey Logano out there somewhere, waiting for the opportunity.

David Caraviello: Hornish came to NASCAR because he had basically achieved everything in IndyCars that he could, and was looking for the next challenge. Danica has far too much left on the table over there to even think about jumping to NASCAR.

Raygan Swan: I totally agree, David. All the open-wheelers spent years and have many accomplishments in IndyCars before they made the switch. It is too early in her career to make a major move. Unless she has a splash of "Smoke" in her, then she needs to stay put and win more open-wheel races.

David Caraviello: And Raygan, I'll be honest -- I don't know if she can do that. She has tremendous courage and knows how to go really, really fast, but her overtaking skills need some serious work. She seems to do most of her passing on pit road. That's not going to cut it in NASCAR, especially if you're starting from the back.

Mark Aumann: The real wild card is Tony George. Now that he's no longer fronting Indianapolis Motor Speedway or the IndyCar Series, do the new powers-that-be understand how important she is as a marketing tool for their league? If Danica leaps anywhere, it could be with the new U.S.-based Formula One team. But even that's a stretch. I'll give her the fact that she's put on some very impressive runs at Indy. That car she had two or three years ago was junk, and she made a top-10 out of it. But that's almost impossible to do week-in and week-out with the current NASCAR chassis. But wouldn't it be fun to see Danica go after Shrub just once?

Raygan Swan: And NASCAR won't tolerate the tantrums. Not to get on her about her bratty antics, but it's such a turn-off. I know she has talent, and Montoya seems to think she can cut it in NASCAR -- but not overnight. He said it will take a lot of time. If someone is willing to give it to her, then come on over, but leave your attitude in the IRL

David Caraviello: Yikes! Catfight!

Raygan Swan: I'm bigger than her David, maybe by just an inch, but still!

Mark Aumann: You go, daddy. (Continued)