Danica Patrick

this is Danica at a young age (autoracing1.com)

Danica Patrick was born in Beloit, Wisconsin on March 25, 1982 and raised in Roscoe, Illinois. Danica Patrick has always dreamed of winning the Indianapolis 500 when she was a little girl. Her parents were named T.J and Bev. T.J loved to race snowmobiles and motocross. Bev was a mechanic. They both met at a snowmobile race and they soon fell in love. When Danica was 10 she rode a go-kart for the first time ever. Her parents were thinking of buying a boat but instead they bought go-karts. The first time Danica got to ride one of the go-karts, she crashed into a wall but she had a helmet and seatbelt on so she didn't get hurt.

this is her in a go-kart (blogs.suntimes.com/ sportsprose/2008/12/)

Soon after Danica Patrick won some go-kart races the newspapers started to write about her. She was invited to meet a famous female race car driver named Lyn St. James. Lyn St. James was the second women to race in the Indianapolis 500. Lyn St. James knew that women can also compete and win on the track. She soon started a program to help women learn to be to be a great race driver. Danica Patrick was one of the students in that class. Lyn St. James was proud of Danica Patrick's performance when she was on the track. She knew that Danica Patrick was ready to take her awesome racing skills to the next level.

This is a photo of her (blackchristiannews.com/ news/sports/nascar)

When Danica turned 16, she was invited to be in a race in England. Some of the best race car drivers in the world have gotten their start in England. "Danica was asked to participate in a racing series that was called Formula Vauxhall." This would be the first time that she gets to switch from go-karts to actual race cars! Moving to England would mean she would have to leave all of her friends and family. Danica Patrick was a junior at a high school named Hononegah High. She was a cheerleader and she played basketball and volleyball. Danica knew she couldn't pass up the chance she had racing in England and she wouldn't pursue her dream of someday winning the Indy 500. She thought England was her only chance to get where she wanted. When she was at her third year in high school, she quit so she could follow her dreams of racing. When she was at the airport her family was crying. Danica was also sad that she was leaving her family but she didn't cry. She couldn't wait to race in England!!

this is danica just relaxing (blogs.suntimes.com/.../ kyle-koster/2009/08/)

Soon after Danica arrived in Milton Kenyes, England she was homesick. Since she was the only girl in the race Danica says she feels like an outsider. There were times when she was in trouble. At first it made her lose her focus. She says,"Teenage boys can be kind of mean to a girl who is messing around in their sport". When Danica is on the track she is slower than she has ever been. The engineers and mechanics barely paid any attention to her car because they thought she couldn't win against all of the boys. Back in Danica's home town, Danica's parents owned a glass company and coffee company. They both worked really hard so they could live and watch Danica race in England. Danica was determined to get back on the track so she could make her parents proud. During Danica's first year in England, Danica finished ninth place in the series. She continued to improve. By her third season in 2001, she was named the top-up-and-coming road-race driver. After Danica was away from her home for 3 years she really missed her friends and family so she decided it was time to go home.

this is Danica getting ready for the race (yovia.com/.../)

While Danica lived in England, she got the attention of Bobby Rahal. Bobby Rahal was a former champion racer. Bobby Rahal and television star David Letterman owned their own racing team in the United States. Bobby Rahal wanted to give Danica a chance to move up the racing ladder. In 2003, Bobby formed a team just for Danica. She had a better car and more people that were dedicated to help Danica win. This helped Danica compete on a tougher level. Danica began to race in what is called the Toyota Atlantic Series. Before long Danica started appearing in the headlines. At a race in Miami, Florida She was up on the podium when she finished in second place. During Danica's second season, she continued to do very well. By the end of the season in 2004, Bobby Rahal announced that Danica was ready to race in the Indianapolis 500 racing league. For Danica, that was great news! Danica would be racing against some of the best race car drivers in the world. She would be the first girl ever to be driving full-time in the IRL. During her first IRL race, Danica crashed her car but that didn't stop her. By Danica's fourth race she finished in fourth place. All of her fans were excited to see a women do so well in her rookie year. On May 29, 2005 Danica was preparing to race in the Indy 500. This was a race she had dreamed about almost her whole life. Once Danica was on the track in her car just waiting for the sign of go. Once she was on her 57th lap Danica was in first place. For the first time in history a woman was in the lead for the Indy 500. For the next 19 laps Danica was in the lead. In the 79th lap Danica had to stop for fuel and that dropped her down to 16th place. But she never gave up and she was catching up quickly. "Danica took the lead again with just 10 laps to go. But her car was low on fuel and there was no time for her to make another pit stop." She had to slow down to save fuel. Danica was all over the radio. Three other drivers passed Danica so that left her in 4th place. Even though Danica didn't win the Indianapolis 500 she says she wants to win at least one IndyCar Championship. Today Danica is a role model for other girls and she is still racing and maybe one day she will win the Indianapolis 500.