The 27-year-old IndyCar Series star got quite an education in stock car racing - not to mention bump-drafting - in her first race in a fendered car.

Patrick, who started 12th, made a magnificent save after making contact with Nelson Piquet Jr. on Lap 54, spinning on the front stretch and sliding through the grassy tri-oval area. After dropping back to 24th, Patrick fought her way through the pack to run as high as fifth, before getting hung out in the draft and finishing sixth.

“I just wanted to be smart and make it to the end and I wanted to learn something in this race,’’ Patrick said. “You know, after we came back, which was really cool to come back to the top five again, I said, ‘What the heck, I’ve made it this far, let’s see what else I can do.’ So I just jumped up high and, unfortunately, not many takers came with me up there.

“It was a lot of fun. I bumped from the side, I bumped from the front, I got bumped from the back. I learned a lot and I had so much fun in a race car today. I can’t wait to do it again.’’

Patrick’s impressive performance, which was reminiscent of her 2005 debut in the Indianapolis 500 when she survived a spin to finish fourth, rekindled the possibility of her making her Nationwide Series debut in next Saturday’s opener at Daytona. Patrick, who in December agreed to drive a limited 12-race Nationwide schedule for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports team, is slated to make her Nationwide debut Feb. 20 in Fontana, Calif., but left open the possibility of moving it up to Daytona.

“I don’t think I’ve made any decisions on Saturday,’’ Patrick said. “I’m really just thinking about what I learned and what I can do better and proud of everyone’s hard work thus far. We’ve not talked at all about what’s going on next weekend.’’

But crew chief Tony Eury Jr. said he saw enough to believe she was capable of holding her own.

“It’s up to her,’’ Eury said. “I think she could run it and do fine. Is she going to be a contender to win? Probably not. She probably doesn’t have the experience that some of the Cup guys [have] who are going to be in that race. Can she run it and is she talented enough not to cause a problem? Yes. She would do fine at that, but we’ll just let her make that decision.’’

Patrick certainly impressed with her ability to hold her own in an ARCA event that has traditionally been known as a “crashfest,’’ with 80 cars involved in accidents in the last five races. Yesterday’s event was marred by six cautions for 36 laps, including one red-flag stoppage for repairs to the safer barrier wall after Jill George’s crash in Turn 4 on Lap 25. In all, 13 cars were involved in accidents.

Asked what surprised her about her first stock car race, Patrick replied, “There was a lot of yellows today. A lot of yellows. Other than that, the car does get pretty loose when you get hit. But that’s all right. I tried to make sure when I did hit another car that I was in a straight line. Everything surprised me a little bit, but nothing was crazy. That’s why it was fun.’’

Patrick’s big moment came on Lap 54 when she induced the race’s fifth caution after making contact with Piquet as they went three-wide through the front stretch. Patrick’s car spun and slid though the grassy area, but she managed to maintain control and made a remarkable save by keeping her car off the wall.

“I think she showed us that she was able to drive,’’ said Kelley Earnhardt, the team’s general manager and vice president. “One time I seen her up on the high side and she pulled down low and I was like, ‘C’mon, let’s pull off an Earnhardt and pass 18 cars in three laps and win this thing.’ But she did fantastic.

“Her first stock car race, she was aggressive and didn’t back out of it and we brought home a good finish. I would’ve liked to have seen her in the lead, but, hey, I mean, she did a great job for her first race today. I think even the spin and all was good for her, to go back in the back and come back up there and learn, because that’s what she’s going to need to do if she’s going to be around these cars.’’