Auto Racing Capsules: Patrick at ease with crew chief Zipadelli at Daytona testing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Greg Zipadelli met Danica Patrick just over a week ago, with very little time to prepare for their first test session together. One day into testing at Daytona International Speedway and the two were off and running.

"She's easy," Zipadelli said as Thursday's opening day of practice came to a close. "She's easy to hang out with, to talk with, she gets along with all the guys. It's just no drama, no drama at all."

Patrick is officially a full-time NASCAR driver now with her Daytona 500 debut a mere six weeks away. She'll run the race for new boss Tony Stewart, who has paired her with the crew chief who led Stewart to two of his three NASCAR championships.

Stewart and Zipadelli spent 10 seasons together at Joe Gibbs Racing, and were reunited last month when Stewart lured Zipadelli to Stewart-Haas Racing as competition director.

As part of his new job, Zipadelli will crew chief Patrick for the time being. She's running a full Nationwide Series schedule for JR Motorsports, and will run 10 Sprint Cup races for SHR in preparation for a full Cup schedule in 2013.

"We were trying to get Zippy hired as a competition director, but it really was a perfect opportunity for us because it's hard to get a really good crew chief hired to only run 10 races," Stewart said. "From a company standpoint, it made sense to have him since we had him in house anyway."

But, more than anything, Stewart liked that Zipadelli has worked with rookies before.

Zipadelli guided Stewart beginning in 1999, when Stewart fled IndyCar for NASCAR. They won three races in Stewart's rookie year, a total of 33 and two titles when Stewart left after 2008 to run his own team.

Zipadelli spent the past three years with Joey Logano, who replaced Stewart as a raw 18-year-old with much to learn about the fast-paced Cup Series.

"He has been a crew chief for the last 13 straight years," Stewart said. "The last two guys he had both were rookies when they came in. So he's familiar with this and the process of getting a rookie adapted to the car and knowing what to do to make them comfortable."

Patrick appreciated Zipadelli's patience through their first of three days of testing. Although she has 25 career Nationwide starts — and four at Daytona, including her 2010 stock-car debut in an ARCA race — she's yet to compete in a Sprint Cup race and her debut will be the Feb. 26 season-opening Daytona 500.

"I feel respected, and I feel like he's been very patient," Patrick said. "Even the little things, getting here this morning and just kind of adjusting a belt a little bit and adjusting a throttle a little bit, he doesn't look at me like I'm inexperienced and I should be comfortable right away or it should be right or the throttle doesn't feel right or I should get used to it and be used to it.

"He investigates and says 'No problem, let's get it right,' and makes me comfortable."

Zipadelli certainly had his patience tested over his decade with Stewart, and it was evident when he'd had enough by the way he'd snap over the radio during a contentious in-race exchange. That reared a bit with Logano, particularly last season when Logano didn't improve from a promising close to 2010.

But he's aware he's got to be easy with Patrick.

"I can be patient when I need to be, and this is the time. There's a need to be patient right now," Zipadelli said.

Patrick, though, gave no indication she plans to be patient this season.

She cited a popular YouTube video about a "Honey Badger" and its lack of regard for others as the approach she plans to take on the track this season. Patrick raced clean for most of the past two years, but tended not to push back when shoved on the track.

"The honey badger, he takes what he wants. And that's how I'm going to be this year, like a honey badger," she vowed.

Patrick wasn't on Thursday as Stewart-Haas Racing focused only on single-car runs. The team doesn't plan to draft until Friday, so her only excitement on the first day was missing the entrance to pit road at one point during an uneventful first run.

"She's been relatively quiet," said Dale Earnhardt Jr., owner of her Nationwide team, "and that's probably good for her to be able to come in here and work and get everything done she wants to get done and concentrate on her driving and concentrate on her new team and everybody."

So feeling like a little kid on the first day of school, Patrick set out to begin the process of ensuring a successful Daytona 500 debut.

Because the SHR No. 10 team is new, she doesn't yet have points to guarantee a spot in the 43-car field. But if Stewart gave her his 2011 points, she'd be locked in while he'd need to qualify based on speed or his champion's provisional.

Stewart said he's undecided which route he'll take.

"I've got the utmost confidence that even in the worst-case scenario, we've got the right driver that can get this car in the race, no problem," he said. "But we're working through that and trying to get that finalized and trying to figure out our options to make sure we give her the best opportunity to get in the Daytona 500 and get her all the experience that we can get her."

Patrick, who led 13 laps here in July's Nationwide race, isn't worried.

''Obviously it's the biggest race of the year, I'd really like to run well and I don't just want to be here. I want to run well," she said. "For this one at Daytona, I think there's a real opportunity."

Johnson at test without crew chief Knaus

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Five-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, coming off the worst season of his career, was without his crew chief when testing opened Thursday for the Daytona 500. But don't read anything into the absence of Chad Knaus, Johnson said.

Knaus was on a Hendrick Motorsports-approved vacation to South Africa that most who know the tightly wound crew chief believe will help him over the course of NASCAR's grueling 11-month schedule.

"Chad had such a great opportunity to go on a great vacation and really do something for himself," Johnson said. "When he asked me what my opinion was, I was like 'Buddy, if upper management clears it, I think you have to do it.' I took that vacation and it was good for me. He needs that. So I am real happy he is taking the time."

Johnson guessed it had been almost a decade since Knaus took his last real vacation — in part because the No. 48 team ran poorly after Knaus returned from a little rest and relaxation. A tireless worker who devotes nearly all of his time to his race team, Knaus has notably sacrificed marriage and children in the interest of winning races.

His commitment paid off with 55 victories since 2002 and a NASCAR-record five consecutive championships. His run with Johnson was snapped last season by Tony Stewart, and Johnson finished a career-low sixth in the final Sprint Cup standings.

But Johnson insisted the team is well prepared for the season-opening Daytona 500, and the three-day test at Daytona International Speedway is being run by engineer Greg Ives and car chief Ron Malec.

"It's been a long time for Chad to be able to relax and let go, and I don't think he would have been able to let go unless he had worked his guts out over the holidays to make sure everything was ready," Johnson said. "The real work is done preparing for this test and when you get here, it's really just a matter of executing what's on the list. We know that our group of guys are more than competent to execute the plan."

Steve Letarte, crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr., was working one garage stall over from the No. 48 team and available if any issues come up during testing.

"My responsibilities are the same, I just take a few trips down to the 48 to see how Ron and Greg are doing," Letarte said. "I just make sure they don't have any questions. They are very experienced, have won a bunch of championships, so I think they are more than capable of running this test."

-- Jenna Fryer

RPM signs Smithfield Foods for 15 races

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Richard Petty Motorsports has signed Smithfield Foods to sponsor Aric Almirola for 15 races. The Smithfield, Va.-based company plans to use a variety of its products on the No. 43 Ford. The deal is three years, but it's not clear how many races will be sponsored in 2013 and 2014.

The deal between the racing company and the world's largest pork producer was announced Thursday during the first day of testing at Daytona International Speedway.

Almirola was hired last week to drive Petty's famed car. The seat became available when AJ Allmendinger took a job with Penske Racing. Almirola will make his debut with the team Feb. 26 season-opening Daytona 500.

IndyCar

Wheldon's widow accepts BorgWarner trophy

DETROIT (AP) — The widow of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon made a rare appearance in accepting the BorgWarner Trophy he earned with last year's victory.

Susie Wheldon accepted the BorgWarner Championship Drivers' Trophy on Wheldon's behalf in a ceremony Wednesday night in Detroit. Wheldon was killed in a 15-car accident in the opening laps of the Oct. 16 IndyCar season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"Anyone who knew Dan or heard him speak about the Indy 500 knew how passionate he was about this race," Susie Wheldon said in prepared remarks. "He loved everything about it.

"I don't have to tell you how happy it made Dan to win his second Indianapolis 500. Anyone who was there that day or watched on TV could see how absolutely fulfilled and joyful he was. So much so that he laid down on the track, drenched in milk, with feet up in the air and fists pumping, soaking it all in.

"His face will be forever etched on this special trophy, but his legacy will reach far beyond."

Susie Wheldon made her first public appearance in the United States since the memorial in Indianapolis for the Englishman. She was accompanied by Bryan Herta, owner of the car Wheldon drove to victory.

Wheldon earned his second Indy 500 win when he passed JR Hildebrand on the final straight as Hildebrand crashed in the fourth and final turn.

"The victory at the Indianapolis 500 last year was incredibly special in so many ways," Herta said. "Dan Wheldon's belief in our team, and his commitment and encouragement to every team member raised the level of the entire program.

"The last 20 laps Dan drove at Indy were among the best I've ever seen from anyone in this sport. This victory belongs to Dan, and we're all very proud to have been a part of it."

A replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy, the BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy is known as the "Baby Borg" and awarded to every Indy 500 winner. The base is inscribed with the winner's name and year of victory, and includes a hand-crafted, three-dimensional sterling silver image of the winner.

BorgWarner established the driver's trophy in 1988 to provide the driver with a personal keepsake of the Indy 500 victory.

''After finishing second in 2009 and 2010, Dan would have been thrilled to accept his second Baby Borg for his Indianapolis 500 victory in 2011. Recalling his lively spirit, we celebrate and commemorate his triumphs this evening," BorgWarner chairman Timothy Manganello said.