INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, 30 May 2005 — There have been three female drivers in the history of the 89th Indianapolis 500, but 23-year-old rookie Danica Patrick is the first with a legitimate chance of winning.
“There is nothing I want to do more than to win this race,” said Patrick. “I will do what it takes. I expect to win this race if I and the team get everything right.”
Patrick is the lightest driver in the Indy Racing League, but she will be carrying the weight of history on her shoulders in Sunday’s race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There have been three other female drivers who have preceded Patrick at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, beginning with pioneer Janet Guthrie from 1977-79.
At the time, she was unwelcome by fellow drivers and her best finish was ninth in 1978.
Lyn St James competed in seven Indy 500s from 1992-97 and returned in 2000. Her best finish was 11th in her rookie season.
Sarah Fisher ran in five Indy 500s, but her best result was 21st last year.
Patrick has been the fastest driver all month at the 2 1/ 2-mile oval, but she has never competed in a race over 300 miles. A bobble on her first lap in qualifications cost her the pole on May 15.
The dark-haired beauty rebounded on her final three laps to start fourth on the grid with a four-lap average of 227.004 miles per hour in a Panoz Honda.
She ran the fastest lap in practice earlier that day at 229.880 mph. Through it all, she has coped with a fierce media spotlight. While Fisher tried hard to be “one of the guys,” Patrick doesn’t worry about that.
“This could be twisted any kind of way, but I came here to drive, and I just want to be Danica,” She said. “I’ve never been anything but true to myself and my personality and the way I handle things.”
But Patrick clearly has a pioneering spirit.
“I think the public and sports fans in general need role models, people to cheer for and they need great stories,” Patrick said.
“They need ways to connect with their children. I’ve heard great stories about the fathers coming with their little girls because all of a sudden their little girl has someone to root for, and they want to go to the race track now.”
