Danica Patrick Finally Wins - Updated With Video
OTEGI, Japan (AP) - Danica Patrick became the first female winner in IndyCar history Sunday, taking the Indy Japan 300 after the top contenders were forced to pit for fuel in the final laps.
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.
“We led for a lot of laps but came up short,” Dixon said. “But congratulations to Danica for her first victory.”
Patrick, who started from the third row and made her final pit stop on lap 148, stayed close to the leaders throughout the race.
Patrick went from fourth to second place on lap 197 after Wheldon and Kanaan went into the pit on lap 196. She was as low as eighth place on the 189th lap.
“I knew there was a good reason for coming to Japan,” Patrick said. “I want to thank my team, the fans and everyone who supported me.”
Dixon was third, 10.0559 seconds behind Patrick. Wheldon was fourth, and Kanaan finished fifth.
Castroneves, awarded the pole position after qualifying was rained out Friday, said Patrick ran a great race.
“With five laps to go, I was saving fuel,” Castroneves said. “When Danica passed me, I realized she was the leader. She did a great job, passed me fair and square and that shows you how competitive our series is.”
Patrick finished a career-best seventh in the season standings last year, and was second in the race at Detroit’s Belle Isle.
At the 2005 Indy 500, she nearly won the pole and became the first female driver to lead the race en route to a fourth-place finish. It was the best finish by a woman at Indy, and helped her take rookie of the year honors.
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Took her 3 or so years, but congrats.
April 20th, 2008 at 12:04 amAny scheduled races over in Riyadh?
Congratulations Danica.
April 20th, 2008 at 12:36 amThe first day this girl got into an Indy/Champ car she had the talent to win.
That it took her 50 starts to get her first win says a hell of a lot more about the teams she’s driven for than it does about her and her ability to drive.
Good for you Kiddo
April 20th, 2008 at 12:47 am______________________________________
If the above pics were published in Japan and combined with her win there, she’ll be something of a Goddess in Japan for the next five years at least
Send the pics to saudi arabia-a good looking woman who could drive would make the men crazy
April 20th, 2008 at 2:25 amWell alright! its about damn time too
April 20th, 2008 at 5:16 am
Yum. I mean congrats.
April 20th, 2008 at 5:42 amwell done, she beat some good racers there.
April 20th, 2008 at 6:33 amYeah, a few champagne corks popped there …
Nicely done, Danica
April 20th, 2008 at 7:07 amThat’s nice.
Biscoe, you let a girl beat you?
April 20th, 2008 at 7:37 am“Yeah, a few champagne corks popped there …”
Haha! I get jokes…
April 20th, 2008 at 8:11 amYea she won but…
It was a fuel milage race. The reason she could come in and top off and make it to the end was because she was at the back of the lead lap, not one of the fastest cars.
But that’s racing.
Oh, and it was the worst victory lane ever. I’m sure her sponsors were disappointed.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:32 amAs long as I have a face, she will always have a place to sit…
April 20th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Danica, well this is easy. You are my newest sports hero. Use to like Picabo Street, still do, but long gone. Congrats Danika. 
April 20th, 2008 at 11:05 amDo you drive like the way you pose?
“RENO…
Yea she won but…”
C’mon, man…she did what all of the men in that race were trying to do but she just did it better…
Besides, she’s hot as hell and I’m hoping we see a lot more of her, so to speak…
April 20th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Bash, please unpost this story, I’m about to dive into the freaking computer screen.
April 20th, 2008 at 3:27 pmMarc-
Bash didn’t post it, I did, and happy diving.
April 20th, 2008 at 4:03 pmisn’t patrick on team andretti, god that indy 500 hundred a couple years ago with Micheal and macro neck in neck in the last lap was bad ass.
April 20th, 2008 at 5:27 pmAnybody else think there’s a “pole position” joke to be had here?
April 21st, 2008 at 10:34 am