Even now that the schedule has belatedly been released, it is incomplete. Izod, the chief sponsor of the IndyCar title, mandates a minimum of 16 races on the tour. Only 15 were on the schedule released by IndyCar this week.

The schedule, as it is today, begins March 5th with the annual test runs at Sebring. The season begins for real March 25th in St. Petersburg – the IndyCar equivalent of the Daytona 500.

Many involved in the sport put at least partial blame for the Wheldon tragedy on the oval course at Las Vegas. That sentiment is probably reflected in the fact that only 4 of the 15 courses announced for 2012 are ovals.

In addition to the domestic stops at familiar tracks like Michigan, Fontana, Texas, Iowa, and – of course – Indianapolis, there are a number of international stops on the tour. IndyCar racing will travel to Canada (twice), Brazil, and – for the first time ever – China.

The other big announcement out of IndyCar is that there will be three engine-makers for the tour. In addition to Honda, who was the sole manufacturer last year, Chevrolet and Lotus will also participate. The influx of new technologies makes the tune-up in Sebring all the more important and the gap between test run and first race – less than three weeks – all the more challenging.

I’m confident that Patrick is ready for NASCAR.  My question is, is NASCAR ready for Danica Patrick?  This is a sport who’s primary audience is… what’s the politically correct term for “redneck”?  Since redneck mostly vote Republican, I guess they haven’t earned a politically correct name yet.  But rednecks like things a certain way.  They like beer, not wine.  They like monster trucks, not opera.  They like manly man race cars drivers not hot bikini models.  To clarify – rednecks do like hot bikini models, they just don’t like them driving race cars.  They prefer their bikini models to straddle muscle cars on calendars in the garage, not to sit in the cars and race them around the track.

Anyway, the point is that I’m not sure how well Danica will be accepted by the masses.  NASCAR fans generally don’t like Tony Stewart because he’s too girly.  Since she can participate only in a limited number of races, she’ll be irrelevant to the cup chase, unless she acts as a spoiler.  How will they react if Denny Hamlin is knocked out of the cup chase by a girl?  What if Danica Patrick were to edge out Dale Junior on the last lap at Daytona?

For the record, I’m all for Danica entering NASCAR, beach volleyball, the NFL, or any other sport she wants to try (but especially beach volleyball).  I’m just wondering how well the rank and file NASCAR crowd will take to her.  On the bright side, NASCAR should sell a lot more calendars this year.