Patrick tops the list of new Nationwide faces in 2010

Although admittedly there is no fresher face in a new place than Danica Patrick at JR Motorsports, Ms. Patrick is only part of the larger story when it comes to what's new in 2010 for the Nationwide Series.

Patrick, the marketing dynamo who will run at least 12 Nationwide races and possibly 13, already has exploded onto the series scene even before she's run her first event. She announced earlier this week her tentative schedule -- reiterating again what she first said Dec. 11 when her signing with JR Motorsports became official: She will decide whether or not to run in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13 only after seeing how it goes for her in a Daytona ARCA Series race on Feb. 6.

Keselowski

If she doesn't participate in the Nationwide race at Daytona, Patrick will make her series debut the following Saturday, Feb. 20, at Auto Club Speedway in California. She is committed to running that race no matter what she ends up doing in Daytona -- and has made it clear again and again that she expects to do well.

"I always have high expectations for myself," said Patrick, who has built her part-time Nationwide plans around the full IndyCar season that she also will run.

Expectations always are high at JR Motorsports, which will have driver Kelly Bires replace Brad Keselowski this year in its full-time car, the No. 88 Chevrolet that Keselowski drove to four wins and third place in the standings a year ago.

Among the other new faces in new places for the series are:

• Keselowski switching from the Chevy he drove the previous two years for JR Motorports to his new ride at Penske Motorports. Along with Roush Fenway Racing's Carl Edwards, Keselowski rates as one of the favorites to challenge for the Nationwide Series title as last year's champion, Kyle Busch, is cutting his schedule to approximately 25 races for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Scott

• The only Cup regular besides Keselowski and Edwards planning to run a full-time Nationwide schedule is Paul Menard, who will drive Fords on the Cup side for Richard Petty Motorports and for Roush Fenway on the Nationwide side. In addition to fielding the full-time entries for Edwards and Menard, Roush Fenway will run two rookie programs -- one for Colin Braun in the No. 16 Ford and one for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the No. 6.

• Braun Racing has been busy with plans to expand its Nationwide operation to four full-time teams. Jason Leffler, who finished fourth in points last season, will be splitting his 2010 schedule between the No. 38 and the No. 10 Toyotas, planning to run a total of 27 races in the No. 38 and switching to the No. 10 when Cup driver Kasey Kahne takes over the wheel. Cup veterans Brian Vickers and Reed Sorenson will split the season in the No. 32 Toyota, with yet another Cup veteran, David Reutimann, filling in for some races on the No. 10 car, which is not yet fully funded. And Brian Scott, who ran a handful of races last season, will have a full-time ride this season with Billy Wilburn -- who previously has been a Cup crew chief at Penske, Yates Racing and Petty Enterprises -- on top of his pit box for the No. 11 car. (Continued)