Circle these dates on your Danica Patrick swimsuit calendar:

Dec. 18-20 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

That's the likely coming-out party for Patrick in a stock car, during ARCA RE/MAX testing at Daytona International Speedway.

If and when Patrick agrees to a deal with a NASCAR team, she'll need to get up to speed on stock cars quickly. That means testing, testing and more testing. NASCAR has OK'd testing at some tracks that have been off-limits in 2009, but no track is better for Patrick to get superspeedway experience on than 2.5-mile, high-banked Daytona.

Patrick's potential schedule for 2010 includes at least a dozen Nationwide Series races, but will begin with the ARCA RE/MAX race at Daytona in February. If NASCAR approves her, she'll be able to drive in the Nationwide events at Daytona, California and Las Vegas. Following the conclusion of the IRL season on Oct. 2, her schedule will be ramped up.

Her stock car racing will have to be worked around her day job with Andretti Racing in the newly named IZOD IndyCar Series. She still has to prepare for the IndyCar open test at Homestead, Fla. (usually scheduled in March), and will devote the month of May to the Indianapolis 500.

"We know what her experience level is," NASCAR Director of Cost and Research Brett Bodine, who oversees the qualification process for potential drivers, said last month. "When I talk to (the team that signs her) officially, we'll find out where they want to race and what she would be approved for.

"She'll be reviewed like everyone else — just like a driver who wants to race in one of the Camping World Series or Nationwide or truck series. She has to submit a resume to my office and we'll review as a committee."