Danica Patrick

Danica Sue Patrick is an American former professional racing driver who competed in the IndyCar Series from 2005 to 2011 and the NASCAR Cup Series from 2012 to 2018. Recognized as the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel car racing, her victory at the 2008 Indy Japan 300 is the only win by a woman in IndyCar history.

Patrick was born on March 25, 1982, in Beloit, Wisconsin, to working-class parents Beverly Ann and Terry Joseph Patrick Jr., and was raised in Roscoe, Illinois. She began karting at the age of ten at Sugar River Raceway in Brodhead, Wisconsin. Her early racing career included winning ten regional karting titles as well as winning her class in the World Karting Association Grand National Championship three times in 1994, 1996, and 1997. In 1996, she was accepted into the Lyn St. James Foundation Driver Development Program in Indianapolis.

In 1998, Patrick dropped out of high school with her parents' permission, earned a GED, and moved to the United Kingdom to advance her career. Competing in Formula Vauxhall and Formula Ford, she placed second in the 2000 Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. She returned to the United States in 2001 due to a lack of funding and was awarded the Gorsline Scholarship Award. In 2002, she competed in five Barber Dodge Pro Series races for Rahal Letterman Racing. She moved to the Toyota Atlantic Series for 2003 and 2004, becoming the first woman to win a pole position in series history and finishing a career-best third in the 2004 championship standings.

Patrick made her debut in the IndyCar Series in 2005 with Rahal Letterman Racing. She took three pole positions during her debut year, equaling the rookie record, and was named Rookie of the Year for both the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series. Joining Andretti Green Racing in 2007, Patrick achieved her landmark IndyCar victory at the Indy Japan 300 in 2008, finishing sixth overall in the drivers' standings. In 2009, she placed fifth overall and finished third at the Indianapolis 500, setting the highest finish by a female driver in the race.

Beginning in 2010, Patrick transitioned toward stock car racing by entering the NASCAR Nationwide Series. She earned a career-best tenth-place finish in the 2012 season standings and became the second woman to secure a pole position in the series. She moved to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full-time, making history at the 2013 Daytona 500 as the first woman to win a Cup Series pole position, where she finished eighth. In 2015, Patrick set a record for the most top-ten finishes by a woman in the Sprint Cup Series, surpassing Janet Guthrie.

After concluding full-time competition following the 2017 season, Patrick officially retired from professional motorsport in 2018 after participating in her final two events, the 2018 Daytona 500 and the 2018 Indianapolis 500.