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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Apparently JR Motorsports has discovered the value of “Danica Mania” after seeing her dominate the headlines in the first weekend of Speedweeks.

That is why they made the obvious decision to enter her in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

The “official announcement” was released Sunday morning but crew chief Tony Eury, Jr. may have tipped the team’s hand shortly after Patrick’s sixth-place finish in the ARCA Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona on Saturday.

“We’re ready,” Eury said. “It’s just a matter of if we get a phone call that says ‘yes’ we’ll be ready. If we get a phone call that says ‘no’ we’ll change seats and be back down here.”

That meant the Nationwide car already had Patrick’s seat in the car instead of the teams’s other driver, Kelly Bires, who will have to wait before he climbs in the Nationwide car for the first time this season.

“To be the one driving that Go Daddy car at Daytona means a lot to me,” Patrick said. “Racing in the Nationwide Series race was my goal during this entire two-month preparation process, but we wanted to make sure it was the right thing to do. The ARCA race was a blast, and I’m not ready for my first Daytona Speedweeks to end just yet. I want more racing.”

Team owner Kelley Earnhardt said the decision was made by Patrick and that the team co-owner was “50/50” on the decision Saturday night.

“I want to see her out there doing it because this is what we signed up to do,” Kelley Earnhardt said. “I think Danica proved to everyone that she can compete in stock cars at a high level, and right now seat time is extremely important. She has worked extremely hard during the past two months for this opportunity. Her dedication and work ethic is infectious.”

Earnhardt will join team co-owner Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who will drive the No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet, Saturday at Daytona. Patrick will continue her Nationwide Series schedule Feb. 20 at Auto Club Speedway (Fontana, Calif.) and Feb. 27 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.

Patrick is guaranteed starting positions in all three races based off JRM’s acquisition of points from CJM Racing’s No. 11 team, which finished 15th in the 2009 Nationwide Series owner’s standings.