Danica

Danica Sue Patrick is an American former professional racing driver. She has been the most successful woman ever to compete in American open-wheel racing. Her victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300 is the sole win for a woman in an IndyCar Series race.Born to a working class family in Beloit, Wisconsin, Patrick started karting at the age of 10 and gained early success by winning her class in the World Karting Association Grand National Championship three times in the mid-1990s. She quit high school with permission from her parents in 1998 and relocating to the United Kingdom to further her career. Patrick participated in Formula Vauxhall and Formula Ford before returning to the United States in 2001 due to a lack of funding. In 2002, she competed in five Barber Dodge Pro Series races along with Rahal Letterman racing. Patrick was a participant in the Toyota Atlantic Series the following two years. Her best finish was third in the championship standings for the 2004 season. She became one of the women in the race to secure the pole position. She was named the 2005 IndyCar Series Rookie of Year. She showed improvement in the subsequent two seasons with Rahal Letterman Racing 2006, and later Andretti Green Racing 2007. Patrick finished sixth in the drivers' standings after her victory in Japan. Her performance improved to secure fifth the following year, which was her best finish to date of third in the Indianapolis 500, the best performance by any woman at the race. Patrick's overall form dropped during 2010, but she managed to finish second at the oval track. She then left IndyCar in the year 2011 to pursue stock car racing full time.