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Danica Patrick
# 7
Andretti Green Racing
Biography
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Though she began racing because younger sister Brooke wanted to race, Danica Patrick won numerous karting titles. At 16, she left home for England, where she raced in some of the most difficult junior series in the world. The highlight was a runner-up finish in the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch, the highest finish by an American in the event's history. That result drew the attention of Indianapolis 500 champion Bobby Rahal, who signed her to a contract and began shepherding Patrick up the racing ladder.
The 2005 IndyCar Series season was a banner year for Patrick as she started fourth and finished fourth at the 89th Indianapolis 500 and earned JP Morgan Chase Rookie of the Year honors. It was the highest starting and finishing position for a woman driver in the event's history. The rookie led 19 laps during the race to become the first woman to lead at Indianapolis. She capped the IndyCar Series season by winning the Bombardier Rookie of the Year award after finishing 12th in the standings for Rahal Letterman Racing. In 2008, she became the first female to win a major closed-course auto race.
Patrick has become one of the most recognizable female athletes in the United States, gracing the covers of publications such as Sports Illustrated, TV Guide and ESPN: The Magazine. She was featured in the 2008 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
Content Provided by www.indycar.com.
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Career Stats |
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| Year | | | | Notes | |
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| 2008 | | | |
- Finished sixth in IndyCar Series standings for Andretti Green Racing.
- Became first female to win a major closed-course auto race in April at Twin Ring Motegi.
- Recorded 10 top-10 finishes and led two races.
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| 2007 | | | |
- Finished seventh in IndyCar Series standings in first season with Andretti Green Racing.
- Recorded four top-five finishes and 11 top-10 finishes with a best finish of second at Belle Isle.
- Runner-up finish at Belle Isle matched best finish by a female driver in the IndyCar Series (Sarah Fisher, Homestead-Miami 2001).
- Qualified on the front row at Mid-Ohio and Infineon.
- Voted Indy DownForce Most Popular Driver for third consecutive season.
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| 2006 | | | |
- Finished ninth in IndyCar Series standings for Rahal Letterman Racing despite sitting out season-opening race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
- Recorded two top-five and eight top-10 finishes with best finish of fourth (Nashville and Milwaukee).
- Started 10th and finished eighth in Indianapolis 500.
- Voted Indy DownForce Most Popular Driver for second consecutive season.
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