Who's hanging out with Chad Knaus?

   So, who's been hanging out with Chad Knaus?

   Turns out, Danica Patrick. And it's yet another step in her NASCAR learning process.

   Patrick spent part of Friday's Sprint Cup Series practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway standing atop Jimmie Johnson's hauler with Knaus, Johnson's crew chief, listening in on the communication between Johnson and Knaus during the session.

   "I've gotten to know Chad over the last year or so. Actually from Daytona last year, the first time we got together and went out to dinner. We get along really well. He told me I needed to get over to the Cup garage and check it out and that they had a headset for me and I could listen in," Patrick said.

   "For me, it's really interesting to hear the drivers to hear how they talk about the car and how they describe it. Also, potentially, being able to determine what things are important to the car and what you don't need to worry about.

   "It's just all learning for me. I wouldn't say I went and listened and felt I needed to make a change to the race car or do something completely different. It's just more knowledge and more education and how they talk about the car."