Danica Patrick's father is exploring the possibility of the popular Indy Racing League driver moving to NASCAR as soon as next year, the Orlando Sentinel reported Monday.

The Sentinel reported T.J. Patrick, who has managed Danica Patrick's career since childhood, was in exploratory talks with some NASCAR teams at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday in Joliet, Ill.

"I'm trying to get her here (into NASCAR)," T.J. Patrick told the Sentinel.

T.J. and Bev Patrick, who formerly lived in Roscoe, Ill., attended NASCAR's USG Sheetrock 400 because "we've had some inquiries" from NASCAR teams, T.J. Patrick told the newspaper.

The Sentinel reported the couple was in the Nextel Cup garage area as guests of Roush Racing, which fields drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray and runs Fords on the Nextel Cup circuit.

Roush team president Geoff Smith said the team gave Patrick's family members passes as a favor but had not had serious discussions about adding Patrick.

"If she's interested, all they have to do is pick up the phone," Smith told The Associated Press. "But they haven't picked up the phone."

Danica Patrick's contract with Rahal-Letterman Racing ends after this season, and the Patricks are negotiating with other IRL teams as well as NASCAR teams, the Sentinel reported.

Team spokesman Brent Mauer declined to comment on the report but confirmed the Rahal team has been discussing a contract extension with Patrick.

"Oh, wow, you know, that would be another huge one for sure," Martin said. "I think it would be great, absolutely fantastic. She is definitely a major, major, major draw. It would be fantastic to see her getting involved at this stage in her career."