Danica

Danica Sue Patrick is an American former professional racing racer. She is the most accomplished female in American open-wheel racing the history of open-wheel racing. Her win in Indy Japan 300 was her first victory. She dropped out of high school with permission from her parents in 1998, and moved to the United Kingdom to further her career. Patrick was a racer in Formula Vauxhall before moving to the United States in 2001 because of a lack of funds. In 2002 she raced in five Barber Dodge Pro Series races for Rahal Letterman Racing. Patrick was an official Toyota Atlantic Series racer for the following two seasons. She was third in the championship standings for the 2004 season. In the process, she became the first woman to win a position in the series. She was awarded the 2005 IndyCar Series Rookie of Year. She made progress in the subsequent two seasons with Rahal Letterman Racing 2006, and later Andretti Green Racing 2007. In 2008, Patrick followed up her Japan win to finish at sixth place overall in the overall drivers' standings. She improved her position to finish fifth in the drivers' standings following the season. This was her best result at the Indianapolis 500 and a career-high for Patrick. Patrick's overall record was disappointing in 2010, but she was able to secure two second-place finishes on oval tracks before leaving IndyCar for full-time racing stock cars.