Several NASCAR drivers will be participating. Among those drivers racing the Daytona Prototype cars(the faster ones) include:

# 01: Max Papis

#02: Juan Pablo Montoya; Jamie McMurray

#6: AJ Allmendinger

#75: Colin Braun

#90: Paul Menard

#99: Jimmie Johnson

(Other drivers of interest competing in the DP division include: #02 Dario Franchitti, and #7 Bill Lester.)

Among those NASCAR drivers racing the Grand Touring cars(the slower ones) include:

#71: Bobby Labonte

#94: Boris Said

(Other drivers of interest competing in the GT division include: #40 Patrick Dempsey and #66 Andy Lally)

The Rolex 24 at Daytona begins Saturday, January 30 at 3:30 P.M. ET on Speed.

The Indycar diva is receiving much media hype, as well as support and a few votes of confidence from some of the other drivers.

But a pair of converts from other racing series still aren’t sold. Those guys being ex-Formula 1 star, Scott Speed, and the other being former Champ Car driver, Max Papis.

In two seperate interviews, the drivers gave their opinions on Patrick.

Scott Speed:

“She’ll have the same exact [awakening] that Dario Franchitti got and I’m getting. I want to compare everything to Dario because he’s the champion of that [IndyCar] series that she’s racing in, and what he’s experienced coming over is probably going to be very similar — minus all of the media attention that’s going to come with her that doesn’t come with most people.”

Max Papis:

“Doing it [racing in NASCAR] part-time, I don’t think, that’s the right way [of] doing it. NASCAR is a lifestyle and you need to live and breathe this kind of work, to be able to be competitive. My suggestion to Danica would be: If you really want to do it, just dedicate yourself to that.”

For all intents and purposes, neither Speed nor Papis is a talent scout, by any stretch of the imagination. Especially Speed, who despite being locked into the first 5 races of the 2009 season, finished his rookie campaign outside the top 35 in points while driving for a team whose other driver made the Chase.

But if anybody knows how difficult the transition to stock cars can be, it’s these guys. Speed is right in the sense the Franchitti, a far more accomplished driver, failed to make a good transition into the sport. And Papis is right in the sense that she really does need to dedicate herself to the sport if she wants to make it work.

While other drivers are giving her support, Scott Speed and Max Papis are not sold on Danica Patrick. Are they just envious, or are they right?