Dover Notebook: Cup Drivers Visit Injured Troops

On their way to Dover International Speedway a handful of Sprint Cup drivers stopped at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington to visit with injured soldiers, coming away with an appreciation for their dedication and what they represent.

David Ragan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Joe Nemechek, and Joey Logano were among those spending time with patients on an evening that included a dinner and performance by classic rock band Foreigner. Soldiers meanwhile posed for photos in front of the cars of two-time champion/first-year team owner Tony Stewart and teammate Ryan Newman, whose No. 39 Chevrolet is sponsored by the U.S. Army. Others inside the facility talked with drivers, team owners and NASCAR officials.

"That is some of the strongest group of people I have ever met," Stewart said Friday of the visit. "If everybody in the nation could spend 30 minutes with one of those soldiers, whether they like the war or dislike the war, agreed with or disagreed with, whatever the case, they would at least be supportive of the soldiers that are in this war. Maybe it would change at least some of the things they say about it."

Said Ragan, 23, "I was expecting to see injured soldiers that may not want to talk about things and may not have the greatest of attitudes, but I quickly learned that every soldier in the hospital by far had the best attitude you could imagine. Every incident from the war, they wanted to talk about. These kids are my age and they've been through a lot in their young lives. So it was special to talk to them."

Door's open for Danica: IndyCar driver Danica Patrick settled the open-wheel side of her career by signing a three-year contract extension with Andretti Green Racing late Thursday, but NASCAR remains an option for her to try down the line with Stewart-Haas Racing considered the favorite for her talents.

Though she faces a big transition from lighter, smaller Indy cars to heavier, bigger stock cars, John Andretti suggests introducing Patrick to the biggest tracks possible. After all, she did come close to winning the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and earned her historic victory last year on a Japanese track at a 1.5-mile distance common in NASCAR.

"Talladega is a good place to start," said Andretti, nephew of racing legend Mario Andretti and cousin of AGR owner Michael Andretti. "It gives you a good feel for the race and how they come together. You probably want her to stay away from some short tracks at first. So many guys come up through short tracks, but Danica has a lot of high-speed experience as her background.

"The mile-and-a-half tracks are better for her. The Nationwide cars would be best for her because they have so much downforce to them too. The new Cup car and the new Nationwide (Series) cars might be pretty hard to learn on right now because they move around so much more than an IndyCar.

Stewart said Friday that he hadn't talked with Patrick since she signed.

Pit notes: Reed Sorenson wrecked his No. 10 Braun Racing Toyota during morning practice for the Nationwide Series but was cleared to race after being examined at the track. ...Brian Vickers will make his 200th career start on Sunday.