Fast Facts: Danica Patrick

Daytona 2011: Photo by Debra Ross for Skirts and Scuffs

Danica Patrick drives part-time for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. She drives the #7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet Impala, and ran 13 races in 2010; she is scheduled to compete in 12 races in 2011. Patrick also drives for Andretti Autosport in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

• Danica Sue Patrick was born March 25th, 1982 in Beloit, Wisconsin. She grew up in Roscoe, Illinois and started racing go karts at age 10.
• At age 16 Patrick moved to England and competed in Formula Ford and Formula Vauxhall for three years. In 2002 she returned to the US and signed with Rahal Letterman Racing, running in the Barber Pro Dodge Series and the Toyota Atlantic Championship Series.
• In 2005 she made her IndyCar debut, and qualified and finished fourth in her first Indy 500. She won the Rookie of the Year Award for both the Indy 500 and the IndyCar season. In July 2006 she signed with Andretti Green Racing and started racing for the team in 2007.
• Patrick became the first woman to win an IndyCar race when she won the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi in 2008
• Patrick has also raced in the ARCA Racing Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
• During the 2011 DRIVE4COPD 300 Nationwide race at Daytona on February 19th, Patrick became the first woman to lead a lap at the historic track; she went on to finish 14th, her highest Nationwide finish yet.
• Find out more about Danica Patrick at http://www.danicaracing.com/.