Danica Patrick’s 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Schedule, Car Number Revealed

Until Friday, all we knew about Danica Patrick’s 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule with Stewart-Haas Racing was the GoDaddy girl would start her Cup career with the Daytona 500.

Now we know the rest of it. Almost.

In addition to her full-time Nationwide Series schedule with JR Motorsports, Patrick will run Cup races at Daytona, Darlington, Bristol (the night race), Atlanta, Chicagoland, Dover (fall race), Texas (fall race) and Phoenix (fall race).

That’s eight races, but Patrick is contracted to run 10 next season. Stewart said the team was leaving two races open to give them flexibility as the year unfolded.

Patrick also revealed she’ll drive the No. 10 car, which was her number as a kid.

Stewart called it “an aggressive and ambitious schedule” for a NASCAR newcomer, but said he wanted to find races that were challenging for her.

“I’m just worried about how far it’s going to be into this 10-race deal before she hates me for where I’m sending her,” Stewart said. “... It’s part of the learning curve.”

Patrick said she’s well aware of how difficult her challenge will be.

“Oh boy,” she said. “Darlington will be a handful. I actually enjoyed Bristol, but I’m betting once I get out there with you guys, it’ll be a whole ‘nother level.”

Stewart nodded.

“Thanks a lot, Tony,” she said.

Clearly, she’ll be making the track presidents at those venues very happy. The selected tracks can now use Patrick in advertisements and on billboards in attempt to drum up interest in their Sprint Cup races.

Stewart has said all along he would look for difficult tracks on which Patrick should compete, all in an effort to prepare for a full-time Sprint Cup Series schedule in 2013.

“There’s going to be mistakes and there’s going to be learning curves,” she acknowledged. “To get that out of the way before we try to do this full-time.”