Danica, chief get going

DAYTONA BEACH — Greg Zipadelli met Danica Patrick just more than a week ago, with very little time to prepare for their first test session together.

One day into testing at Daytona International Speedway and they were off and running.

"She's easy to hang out with, to talk with, she gets along with all the guys," Zipadelli said after Thursday's opening day of practice. "It's just no drama at all."

Patrick is now a full-time NASCAR driver as she prepares for her Sprint Cup debut at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 26. She'll run for new boss Tony Stewart, who has paired her with the crew chief who led Stewart to two of his three NASCAR titles.

Stewart and Zipadelli spent 10 seasons at Joe Gibbs Racing and were reunited last month when Stewart lured Zipadelli to Stewart-Haas Racing.

As part of his new job, Zipadelli will crew chief Patrick. She's running a full Nationwide schedule for JR Motorsports and will run 10 Cup races for SHR in preparation for a full Cup schedule in 2013.

"I feel respected, and I feel like he's been very patient," Patrick said of Zipadelli. "Even the little things, getting here this morning and just kind of adjusting a belt a little bit and adjusting a throttle a little bit, he doesn't look at me like I'm inexperienced. … He investigates and says 'No problem, let's get it right,' and makes me comfortable."

Patrick gave no indication she plans to be patient this season. She cited a YouTube video about a honey badger and its lack of regard for others as the approach she plans to take on the track this season: "The honey badger, he takes what he wants. And that's how I'm going to be this year, like a honey badger."

Big break for JJ's chief: Five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, coming off the worst season of his career, was without his crew chief when testing opened. But don't read anything into the absence of Chad Knaus, Johnson said.

Knaus was on a Hendrick Motorsports-approved vacation to South Africa that most believe will help him over the course of NASCAR's 11-month schedule.

"Chad had such a great opportunity … and really do something for himself," Johnson said. "When he asked me what my opinion was, I was like 'Buddy, if upper management clears it, I think you have to do it.' I took that vacation, and it was good for me. He needs that."

Johnson guessed it had been almost a decade since Knaus took his last real vacation. A tireless worker who devotes nearly all of his time to his race team, Knaus has notably sacrificed marriage and children in the interest of winning races.

His commitment paid off with 55 wins since 2002 and a record five consecutive championships. That run was snapped last season as Johnson finished a career-low sixth in the standings.

Petty sponsor: Richard Petty Motorsports signed Smithfield Foods to sponsor Tampa's Aric Almirola for 15 races. The Smithfield, Va.-based company, the world's largest pork producer, plans to use a variety of its products on the No. 43 Ford. The deal is three years, but it's unclear how many races will be sponsored in 2013 and 2014.