Danica Patrick wins Japan 300 to make IndyCar history

[DeSwiss]

Source: Associated Press

Danica Patrick wins Japan 300 to make IndyCar history

By JIM ARMSTRONG, AP Sports Writer
10 minutes ago

MOTEGI, Japan - 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 led from Castroneves on 198th lap in the 200-lap race.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080420/ap_on_sp_au_ra_ra_su/car_irl_indy_japan300

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- CONGRATULATIONS DANICA!!!!!!

When they told her "you go girl" she took 'em literally!!!!
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DeSwiss


http://atheisttoolbox.com/">The Atheist Toolbox

[Political Heretic]

1. GODDAMMIT!!! I SLEPT THROUGH THAT RACE!!! :( :( :(

I AM AN IRL RABID FAN AND DANICA FAN AND I HAD MY ALARM SET BUT SLEPT THROUGH IT.

It fucking figures the one time I'm not watching.

:mad:

[Nitrogenica]

11. It's on ESPN2 right now.

[kestrel91316]

2. Good girl!!!! She did us proud, she did.

[villager]

3. Not even a racing fan -- but congrats!

Then again:

[madrchsod]

4. finally!

she`s a "home town hero" to many of us here in northern illinois..it`s taken way to long before a lady was given a good ride to prove they can win...got to watch for the rerun...

[MaineDem]

5. A fabulous step forward!

Now maybe more women will be given a chance to compete and win.

Way to go, Danica. Now give up on the need to show that you're sexy. You're a race winner!

[Captain Hilts]

6. She's a hell of a driver with good numbers. She's earned it. nt

[90-percent]

7. Some day

Maybe some day her achievements will rival Shirley Muldowney's accomplishments in NHRA Top Fuel Drag Racing; Three World Championships in the late 70's and early 80's. Who knows how many more she may have won if not for her accident in Montreal in 1984. At least safer Top Fuel front tires resulted from that tragedy.

I must respectfully say that Danica's win is a remarkable achievement. It is really a milestone accomplishment for her!

-90% Jimmy

PS - John Force's daughter Ashley won some hottest female athlete over at AOL 6 months ago.

[Captain Hilts]

8. Didn't Muldowney actually de-throne Big Daddy? nt

[Stinky The Clown]

21. Yup

She kick all them boys' asses.

But I think you mean Connie Kalitta as the first one she beat for her first title.

But yeah, she beat Don "'Big Daddy" Garlits and Tommy Ivo, and lots of others. 3 national championships and currently is the second most winning top fuel drag racer in history.

[The Traveler]

9. Atta girl, Danica!

It was only a matter of time ... she really has been a superb driver.

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[ckramer]

10. I don't know what good the sport of car racing is to the environment

It consumes energy; it pollutes the air.

I consider this a sport of sick people.

[Captain Hilts]

14. Technology that helps fuel efficiency and automotive safety also comes from racing. nt

[Crowman1979]

16. You must be describing NASCAR.

Since they are the only ones I can think of that are the most environmentally unfriendly racing sport. Heck they are still using leaded fuel for crying out loud! I know that Indy racing has at least attempted to use alcohol fueled race cars.

[RantinRavin]

33. Which shows how much you know about NASCAR

NASCAR has been using unleaded gasoline since the 2007 season.

[alfredo]

17. The tires you run on owe their parentage to the race course. They have

to balance grip and roll resistance.

The Pneumatic tire was developed by Dunlop to give his son an edge in bicycle races. The solid tires had a high rolling resistance. The also transmitted shock to the rider instead of flexing and allowing the wheel to ride over the bump. They stayed in contact with the road instead of bouncing. That makes handling much better.

Good tires tested under harsh conditions translate into safe, fuel saving auto and truck tires.

[Stinky The Clown]

23. Disc brakes

Jaguar D-type back in the early fifies.



Also, seat belts and windshields and windshield wipers and safety gas fillers and imapact crush zones and a host of stuff came directly from racing.

[alfredo]

26. Of course the Jaguar's brakes were inboard and had heating problems.

I don't know how long they did that, but I do remember some problems with overheating during races.

That is a beautiful machine.

[Stinky The Clown]

28. Actually, they stayed inboard to keep unsprung weight down

My 70 E Type had them.

I'm near certain this continued at least through the E Type's successor, the XJS. They may have been this way on the XJ6 and XJ12, too, but I'm less sure about that.

[alfredo]

29. That's a nice looking setup. It seems it might make changing pads and

rotors more expensive, but then, if you can afford a Jag, you can pay the difference.

[Stinky The Clown]

30. You had to pull the whole assembly to change them

Not too hard to do, but not nearly as easy as outboard brakes.

Used Jags are cheap. Very cheap. Lots of very ordinary people (like me) can buy one. But you better be willing *and* able to maintain it yourself.

[alfredo]

31. I used to be able to get out and get under, but I screwed up my neck and

arms, so heavy work like that is out of the question. I got very good at changing brakes. I was a rural route carrier. I had to change pads on front several times a year. I would love to get an "interesting" ride, but now that I am on SSI, interesting is one that starts.

[LanternWaste]

38. you just described every sports and entertainment venue in the U.S.

Well, you just described every sports and entertainment venue in the U.S.

My bit of monthly entertainment comes from hitting our local art museums. I consume energy getting there (as does everyone who goes). I also pollute the air when I go (as does everyone who goes).

The only relevant difference is in degrees (and who here did the spread sheet showing what use of energy and what amount of pollution is "acceptable" and what is not..?)

So I imagine that art is entertainment "of sick people" too. :eyes:

[Nitrogenica]

12. Great Job Danica!!!

Hats off too you!

Great job Andretti Green Racing! I hope she sticks with this team for a long long time.

[Thor_MN]

13. Who? What?

It great that there is a sport where men and women can compete on a level field and I'm happy for all of you that enjoy car racing, but to me, it's about as interesting as watching someone else play video games.

[alfredo]

15. That was a real tear jerker. She ran a smart race too.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

22. Congrats Danica!!

Saw it from about lap 80 on.

She got the fuel situation just right and stormed into the lead with 3 laps left. Wow.

:applause: :yourock:

[alfredo]

25. It was beautiful.

[DinahMoeHum]

18. Hopefully, this is the first win of many to come. . .

including (one day) our own Indy 500.

:toast::toast::toast:

[rocktivity]

19. CUE THE VONAGE THEME!

:woohoo:
See what a difference it makes when you value your talents over your "image", Natalie Gulbis and Michelle Wie?



rocknation

[Stinky The Clown]

20. Here's a woman who embodies "You Go Girl!"

As an aside, she now drives for Michael Andretti's team, but got her start with the team co-owned by Bobby Rahal and David Letterman.

You Go Girl!

Hahahaha

:hifive:

[Snarkoleptic]

24. She's winning a lot more now that she's no longer sponsored by the big sub-prime mortgage lender.

Argent Mortgage..see the hat and main ad in the middle of her suit.
Bush ranger Roland Arnall owned Argent as well is the much maligned Ameriquest Mortgage.
He later paid a $265,000,000 sub-prime speeding ticket and was promptly installed as U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands.

[chapel hill dem]

27. Has the "anti-Danika" weight equalization rule taken effect yet?

See:

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/01/sp-danicas-weight-sparks-debate/

[appleannie1]

32. Watched her take the lead and cross the finish line. Awesome.

Felt bad when Ryan Hunter-Raye had to pit. He is a really nice guy. Met him when he drove as team mate for Jimmy Vasser on the team my son was a crew member of.

[90-percent]

34. all motorsports sucks on TV

The best way to experience motorsports is live at the track.

NASCAR live must be like attending the Superbowl, I would think?

Most intimate is SCCA sports car stuff - bring a picnic lunch and find a turn you like.

I like drag racing. Can't beat the launch of 2 nitro cars side by side, about 8,000 HP per car to get those cars to 335 MPH and 4.5 second elapsed times. Plus drag pits are very fan friendly.

A Top Fuel car can reach 100 mph from a standing start in .8 seconds. 100 mph in less than a second is Space Shuttle launch acceleration.

-90%

[MaineDem]

37. I totally agree

Put me on a corner or in the pits and I'm happy.

I enjoy watching F1 but it's better up close and personal. NASCAR, you can have.

[MaineDem]

36. I cried with her mother

I remember Janet Guthrie and Lyn St-James in Indy cars and Desiree Wilson in F1 and I've wanted to see a female winner for so long. This was a great finish.

[Seeking Serenity]

35. I find auto racing mind-numbingly boring. No offense to Danica Patrick.

Now this is racing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4f6wiQJh4&feature=related

[Up2Late]

39. Way to go Danica!

No words for how happy this make me. :loveya: