Stewart-Haas Racing hopes to have a deal done "by the end of summer" for at least two, and maybe three, companies that will "step in and sponsor Danica Patrick's No. 10 Chevrolet" next year in the Sprint Cup Series, according to NBC Sports' Nate Ryan. SHR "hopes to announce those deals concurrently with an extension" for Patrick. Her current contract expires after the '15 season. GoDaddy has been Patrick's primary sponsor since she joined the Cup circuit full time in 10, but they announced in April they were leaving NASCAR (“NASCAR America,” NBCSN, 7/29). SHR co-Owner Gene Haas last weekend said he would like to get Patrick's deal signed "as soon as possible." Speaking to MOTORSPORT.com's Lee Spencer, Haas said, "We have some very good sponsors that are in the process of signing up. But we knew that. We knew going in that there’s just a lot of demand for her. Let’s face it, she’s the only woman on the whole grid so she’s going to get a lot of press, and that’s what sponsors want to see." He added, "You can’t really sign a driver until you have a sponsor. You have to know how much money you’re going to get from the sponsor and that kind of translates into the deal you make with the driver. I think it’s all going good” (MOTORSPORT.com, 7/27).
