Danica will not run the Indy 500 this year

She says she is going to run the Coca-Cola 600. Which to me shows her dedication & seriousness to her stock car teams. It would have been easy for her to pick a different race to run the cup car, as she is only to run like 10 races. But she decided to run this one instead of the prestigious Indy 500.
Think it is a cool move.

I doubt its solely her decision as she has lots of people behind her and advising her. While she may have a say-so, if Tony is pushing this, she will go with him? She has known Tony a long time and vice-versus and respects him and trusts his choices are the right ones for her? Guess we'll see?

Edited as a second thought-- this race IS the same day as the Indy 500, so maybe nascar had some input in this decision as well? Nascar maybe wanting Indycars most popular driver for the last 7 yrs, and now in nascar, to drive in this race and draw attention away from the Indy 500 and bring more attention to this Sprint Cup race on the same day? Its all about ratings afterall?

The late Dan Wheldon said from the commentator booth last yr while Danica was qualifying for the 500 on bump day, that "it wouldnt be the Indy 500 without a Danica Patrick in it". Well--now she isnt--bad for indycar and good for Nascar. However--it wont be the Indy 500 without a Dan Wheldon in it either--sadly. Indycar is taking 2 big negative hits this yr for the 500, as well as their other races.

I think Tony probably decided for her but maybe a little input from Danica

a chance to log in a lot of miles in 1 race in a cup car, in good equipment w/ a great crew chief....vs hopping into a subpar irl team's car a year after Dan Wheldon won the Indy 500 and all the tributes that will be associated with that race. She always runs well at the Indy 500, but that was w/ Andretti Autosport. Now there are different motor manufacturers (and Andretti went w/ Chevy) limiting her options racing w/ a manufacturer's machine she is used to driving. I know Ganassi & Foyt stayed w/ Honda, but not sure about anyone else. Foyt tries to do more w/ less which puts his machine about mid-pack, while Ganassi does a lot w/ a lot more money and he's tied up w/ Target...I just think her options w/ that race are pretty limited, and that results in very limited results (depending on strategy)

I think Tony probably decided for her but maybe a little input from Danica

A quote from an article in Jayski.

Her new Sprint Cup team boss Tony Stewart said he was in favor of Patrick trying to work out a deal to run Indy and that he in no way stood in her way.

Sounds like to me, she couldnt get a deal together, or maybe the right deal together. Also sounds like she may try it, in the future, but she definitely has the weekend to log a ton of laps in a stock car.

I think she probably did want to run the Indy 500. In her contract with Andretti Autosport this was her (and their) option year. She told them last January she would not run for them in 2012 so she could go to Nascar full time. If she wanted to drive this years' 500, she would have had to drive for AA, or get them to release her. Apparently this is where the sticky point was.

Actually, I personally think this is the best thing for her. She needs to be looking forward, not looking back.