Posted on 04/20/2008 9:57:48 AM PDT by Kimmers
MOTEGI, Japan (AP) -- Danica Patrick became the first female winner in IndyCar history on Sunday, taking the Indy Japan 300 after the top contenders were forced to pit for fuel in the final laps.
Danica Patrick shows off her trophy after winning the Indy Japan 300 in Motegi, Japan, Sunday.
1 of 3 Patrick finished 5.8594 seconds ahead of pole-sitter Helio Castroneves on the 1.5-mile Twin Ring Motegi oval after leader Scott Dixon pitted with five laps left and Dan Wheldon and Tony Kanaan came in a lap later.
"It's a long time coming. Finally," Patrick said. "It was a fuel strategy race, but my team called it perfectly for me. I knew I was on the same strategy as Helio, and when I passed him for the lead, I couldn't believe it. This is fabulous."
The 26-year-old Patrick won in her 50th career IndyCar start, taking the lead from Castroneves on the 198th lap in the 200-lap race.
"I think Danica is such a fantastic person, and I'm thrilled for her that the monkey is finally off of her back," said Michael Andretti, co-owner of Andretti Green Racing. "We have all believed in her, and she proved today that she is a winner. Frankly, I think this is the first of many."
Dixon took the lead from Castroneves on the 93rd lap in the race pushed back to Sunday because of wet track conditions Saturday, but gave up the spot to pit for fuel.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I am not one of her fans but she is a good driver and I am glad to see she won.
Good for her, congratulations.
They will of course call it a pit-window win - but a win is a win.
I'll be even happier when the pictures start getting posted.
(seriously, I was stuck on a check-out line a couple weeks ago and noticed the SI swimsuit issue, so I was flippin' through it ... WOW!)
Hey, Jimmie Johnson won the last Cup race on a fuel gamble too. A year from now all you will see is the win in her collumn and nobody will remember the how.
She is a winner.
whoa ...no way!
I am sure there are many on this site that will be thrilled you are in compliance.....
I can’t wait to turn on the radio in the morning to hear what all the race car fans are going to say about this.
I am now waiting for the “Yes, but can she win @ Indy.”
Exactly, she won the race. Bravo.
Wasn’t she asked to do playboy?
I dunno, there is something about her that screams, “I’m a man baby....” I don’t find her face all that appealing and she comes off more as a butch than feminine.
“She’s a winner”:
No, she’s a girl and it was the Indy Japan 300: emphasis “JAPAN”.
She’s a chick so maybe “Indy JAP 300” might be more appropriate?
She’s over rated, now maybe they’ll stop constantly playing her up and talk about the more talented drivers.
Those ‘For Rent’ tatoos girls have above their butt is a real turn off.
Those “for rent tatoos” have a fun slang term “tramp stamps”.
Speak for yourself. They don’t turn me off.
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