FACTOIDS
Full Name: Danica Patrick
Nickname: Danica
Birthday: March 25, 1982
Height: 5' 2"
Hometown:
Sports: Car Racing
BIOGRAPHY
Danica Patrick grew up in a loving household with parents T.J. and Bev and sister Brooke. Danica's need for speed was not obvious from the get-go as, like many young girls, she loved to play with Barbie dolls as a child.
At the age of 10, however, Danica got a glimpse into a world she would come to love. She accompanied her sibling on a trip to a go-karting lesson and quickly fell in love with sitting behind the wheel of a speedy vehicle. While sister Brooke soon abandoned racing, Danica was hooked, and she soon joined the World Karting Association (WKA).
Within two years' time, Danica had become a racing fiend, and in 1994 she captured the WKA Grand National Championship in the Yamaha Sportsman class. She would win additional karting titles in 1995 and 1996, and soon had established herself as a rising star. Her final season in the WKA came in 1997, and she went out with a bang, winning the Grand National Championship in both the Yamaha Lite and HPV classes.
With a long list of accomplishments to her credit, Danica had the leverage to move up to the prestigious Indy Racing League. After trying out for many teams, she finally signed a multi-year contract with Rahal Letterman Racing (of which David Letterman is part owner) in 2002. To prep her for the heightened competitiveness of this league, she was sent to race in the Toyota Atlantic series for two years.
Settling into her new job in 2003, Danica impressed both her team and the competition. She became the first woman in Toyota series history to win a pole position and reach the podium. In 2004, she placed third in the Toyota Atlantic Championship and was ready to officially race in the IRL.
Danica became a third driver for Rahal Letterman Racing, making her big-time debut at the 2005 Toyota Indy 300. Though she was knocked out of the race on the 158th lap, Danica showed signs of brilliance during her rookie campaign, highlighted by an excellent running at the league's biggest race, the Indianapolis 500.
Danica was only the fourth woman to race in the Indy 500, and the hype surrounding her participation grew each day. Despite all the pressure, Patrick led for a total of 19 laps during the famed event, before falling back in the race's waning moments and finishing fourth. Still, Danica-mania had officially arrived, and this rookie driver continues to zoom with the men throughout the season. The new face of IRL and American racing in general, Danica, who was featured in FHM magazine, is engaged and lives in Phoenix, Arizona.
