Danica soon to be a racer at the crossroads

She has won once in 70 IndyCar Series starts, yet she easily is the biggest star on her circuit.

Danica Patrick, returning to Iowa this week, is merely a race-car driver like Oprah is merely a talk-show host. She called herself a "brand" several times in a Tuesday teleconference.

If you Googled "Danica Patrick" on Tuesday, the first entry was her own Web site and the second was Wikipedia's bio of her.

 Third and fourth were her 2008 and 2009 appearances in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit editions. The fifth entry was "Danica Patrick Commercials, Banned: Too Hot for TV."

 A story in Advertising Age magazine said Patrick is one of just three race car-drivers known to over half the U.S. population.

Imagine what a big deal it would be to Newton's Iowa Speedway Sunday if her first IndyCar win on U.S. soil (her 2008 victory was in Japan)  was at the Iowa Corn Indy 250. Imagine what it would mean to her brand if she won Sunday and got closer to contention for the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series points title.

But there is winning, and there is winning. Are you familiar with the IRL point-leader? His name is Ryan Briscoe. Commercials and photo-shoots haven't yet dominated his spare time.

Tuesday, I asked Patrick how she would describe her brand. She said she "felt awkward talking about herself," but quickly proceeded to answer the question with self-assurance.

"My brand is determined," she said. "It's feminine, hopefully.

"It's something beautiful, it's something fast, it's something interesting and exciting, it's something inspiring, it's something iconic. It's doing things that have never been done before."

Patrick made an immediate impression as an IndyCar rookie in 2005 when she was fourth in the Indianapolis 500. Since then, she and her representation have seized the day from a marketing standpoint.

It isn't as if Patrick isn't constantly improving and highly competitive. She has finished in the top six in each of her last five races. She was third at Indy this year, and is fifth in IRL points.

It's a good year for her to demonstrate continued growth on the track, since that would only add to her bargaining position as a driver and overall property. Her contract with Andretti Green Racing ends after this season.

IRL or NASCAR? Will she stay or will she go.

"It's all good news," Patrick said. "Hopefully I can keep my head down and figure out how to make a good decision."

If she stays in IRL, it's possible high-powered Chip Ganassi Racing could lure her from high-powered Andretti Green. But what if one of the top NASCAR teams comes calling?

"As drivers we like challenging ourselves," Patrick said. "NASCAR has so many viewers and so many partners.

"And it looks like fun. Obviously, it's a good time. It's kind of like the Indy 500 every weekend."

The risk to that potential reward, of course, is what happens if you run in the second-half of the pack week after week against the Jimmie Johnsons and Jeff Gordons and Kyle Busches?

Dario Franchitti, the winner of the 2007 Iowa Corn 250, went from IndyCar to NASCAR in 2008. One year, no success. He'll be at Newton this weekend, back with the IRL.

Juan Pablo Montoya and Sam Hornish Jr. are on the NASCAR circuit, trying regain success they knew in IndyCar. Fourth-year NASCAR vet Montoya is 14th in the Sprint Cup standings, while 2006 Indy 500-winner Hornish is 23rd in his second NASCAR season.

"It is difficult, and you need as much help as possible," Patrick said. "They (Hornish and Montoya) haven't been driving for the best teams in NASCAR, either.

"When you don't drive for Hendrick or Roush or one of the top teams, I think it's a tough one."

Wherever and for whomever Patrick races next year, she'll sell tickets to the races and move merchandise for the teams and their sponsors. She is 27, and perhaps has not even begun to sell.

"I want to do well this year and finish as high as possible and win as many races as I can," she said.

To tip her hand about what she'll be doing in 2010 "would be foolish. That's for after the season."

The season-long publicity about her options won't be a bad thing for the Patrick brand, either.