History has been made today ladies and gents, Danica Patrick has won the IRL race in Japan. For the first time in American Open wheel history, a woman has won in the top ranked sporting event. This is also her first major league racing win.

Congrats to her and her team. It was a fuel mileage race and the most conservative and patient driver won the race today. She passed Helio Castroneves on the second to last lap, and went on to win.

http://image.motortrend.com/f/editorial/about-danica/7183563+w600+cr1+re0+ar1/danica-patrick.jpg

http://images.motortrend.com/features/performance/112_0710_23z+science_of_speed+danica_pat rick_driving.jpg

wow, i didnt realise she open wheel raced. bad ass. she's doing a really good thing out there.

and damn, if a women had to take away the virginess from the primarily testosterone driven motorsports I'm damn glad she's pretty good looking.

I actually watched the race and the commentators called it right. They were saying before the pit stops with 60 or so laps left that Danica could very well win her first race. Congrats to her and her team for the great accomplishment.

damn shes good looking:smt007

wow, i didnt realise she open wheel raced. bad ass. she's doing a really good thing out there.

and damn, if a women had to take away the virginess from the primarily testosterone driven motorsports I'm damn glad she's pretty good looking.

Yeah man, she races Indy car in the US (woohoo circles). She was a big thing like a year ago. I'm glad she's makin ripples in the sport.

WHAT THE HELL!? I always thought she was a porn model that was just posing for some american racing teams.

Lol.

Well that would've been pretty cool if a porn model won an Indy car race.

Whoop-de-freaking-do, maybe if she wins a few more races it will do something to justify the plethora of media coverage she got for the last few years.

true^^^

women are more oft than not MORE than equal

Whoop-de-freaking-do, maybe if she wins a few more races it will do something to justify the plethora of media coverage she got for the last few years.

true^^^

women are more oft than not MORE than equal

So true, so true...

Just like we're gonna hear it FOREVER if the "Wonder Kid" wins the Drivers' Title in F1....It'll be "the first black world champion..."

ANYWAY, Danica is quite a cutie, although she doesn't seem to have much above the waist
:(

I don't mind the coverage that Danica has gotten. It's not like the IRL has the popularity of F1 stateside. Just a business trying to expand its market to teenagers and females to bring in more revenue.

I'm glad she finally got a win through. It's not like she's pulling an Anna Kournikova. Danica has talent.

Whoop-de-freaking-do, maybe if she wins a few more races it will do something to justify the plethora of media coverage she got for the last few years.


Sort of reminds you of a driver in another race series who is hyped up beyond belief but really is not that good........Amp energy drink anyone?


Oh, and you have to realize, just think of how long Indy racing has been around. And in all that time, not once has a woman won a race, not once.

This wouldn't be anything special if she didn't have boobs.

This wouldn't be anything special if she didn't have boobs.

uh? The first woman winning an IRL race wouldn't be a big deal if she didn't have boobs? Because then she'd be a man? I must be missing your point...or maybe this is sarcasm, in which case, kudos! :)

uh? The first woman winning an IRL race wouldn't be a big deal if she didn't have boobs? Because then she'd be a man? I must be missing your point...or maybe this is sarcasm, in which case, kudos! :)

im just saying she didn't do anything special except be the first woman to do it. i mean... good job i guess... but it takes a bit more to impress me. Not that i am saying i could do better by any means.

im just saying she didn't do anything special except be the first woman to do it. i mean... good job i guess... but it takes a bit more to impress me. Not that i am saying i could do better by any means.

Well, it is pretty nice to see though, that this woman...
http://img.motorpasion.com/danica_patrick_hot.jpg

...is not only into cars, but she's actually REALLY good at driving them. Now I'm not saying she's the best, that's pretty freggin obvious by her lack of wins, but she's still pretty good, and she's definitly the best looking Indy driver for sure.

'Twas a good day for women drivers. At Long Beach, ESPN pit reporter Jamie Little won the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race and Switzerland's Simona De Silvestro won the Formula Atlantic race; the second woman ever to win an pro FAtl race after Katherine Legge.

Thats a nice looking GT3 RS in the background.

I was watching the news today and this came on, I didn't think much of it seeing as woman can do anything men can do but the sports reporters were all like "omfg a woman won a race in motorsports?" Congrats to her.

Congrats to her. That Viper and GT3 RS look real good. Back to topic, this just goes to show that womenare pretty damn good drivers as well. People say racing is mostly for women, but this is very postive for future female racers who dream to be like Danica and others...

The IndyCar Motegi Race was delayed from 1200 Mid Fri to 1000 PM Sat (EDT) It was a real snoozer for the most part. Danica's (dancer) teammate Helio set fastest lap #12 @ 27.9476 sec/197.920 mph. Cars w/wings need to stop and turn...

I hope you Europanskies keep me informed this year about Katherine Legge driving for Audi in DTM.

Well the win was a long time coming. Danica is good. It's not like she places poorly, she is a consistant top 10 finisher from some of the stuff I've read and she finished 7th last season, or maybe fourth, some one else can fact check for me. And she had a second place finish or two.

Shes good, but not the best, but she is still young

Now that Danica has finally won; maybe the media spotlight will fade. I'm sure she and her competitors will be glad.

Now that Danica has finally won; maybe the media spotlight will fade. I'm sure she and her competitors will be glad.Agreed.

Just to clear up some of the comments above, I don't think her gender has as much to do with it. It's just the fact that she's been turned into more of a celebrity first then a driver second, and all the attention she got was a vicious cycle. You can see the same effect in any racing series, and with both men and women.

The majority of US sports media doesn't get racing. "They just go round and round." ANY extra attention auto racing gets is a good thing for the sport; if bad for Danica.

Janet Guthrie got a lot of press for being the first woman to qualify and start the Indy 500 (77-79). Less well known is that she got 5 top-10 finishes in 33 Nascar Cup starts. Pantywaists don't finish 6th @ Bristol. Educated, brilliant, and talented; she was a flaming feminist beotch and a marketing dud. She couldn't get sponsorship from a suppository maker. Sue me.

Lyn St. James earned her stripes. I can't spew enough. See http://lynstjames.com/about_lyn3.htm

In a Kelly American Challenge race at Rd ATL; C/D editor (and future Indy starter) Pat Bedard thought he could put an outside move on a woman driver in turn 1. Lyn put him so far into the woods they had to call the Forestry Service.

I will like Danica more when she wins a Road Race...

Well, I will say this about Danica. She's got a definite advantage over almost ALL guys in her field. She's pretty small and doesn't hardly weigh anything. I wouldn't doubt at all that she has probably an average weight advantage of at LEAST 20 lbs on even some of the smaller drivers.

Ahh...I read about this..good for her :D

Well, I will say this about Danica. She's got a definite advantage over almost ALL guys in her field. She's pretty small and doesn't hardly weigh anything. I wouldn't doubt at all that she has probably an average weight advantage of at LEAST 20 lbs on even some of the smaller drivers.

Evo, perhaps you should do some research. For 2008 there are new rules about the weight of cars so that the weight difference between the entire field of drivers is 1%. Danica has ballast added to her car, while drivers like Justin Wilson have weight reductions.

On the subject of women in racing, McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa was questioned on the chances of more women climbing up the racing ladder, in particular, F1.

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080424130315.shtml

It's nice to hear that the amount of women drivers is increasing. Although, they are just racing drivers in the end, but it might sway the stereotype of motorsport being the man's domain (which annoys me slightly).

Still, I wonder if his point of strength difference between men and women is valid, considering we have women are in DTM and Indy, and Katherine Legge tested a Minardi a couple of years back.

Don't forget Leanne Tander. Hot AND bloody fast in a F3.

Garth has it all - the V8 championship, driving the best car from the best team, a Formula 3 team (Tandersports), his wife, etc...

Congrats to her. That Viper and GT3 RS look real good. Back to topic, this just goes to show that womenare pretty damn good drivers as well. People say racing is mostly for women, but this is very postive for future female racers who dream to be like Danica and others...

You mean "men" ?

Anyway, congrats to danica and the GT3RS looks really good.

Have any of you Europanskies ever heard of Italian Lella Lombardi; who raced US F5000 in the '70's?

I heard she's testing with an F1 team now..

Yeah Honda are giving her a shot in one of their cars I think.

Don't considered that opportunity as something epic. Tony Kanaan got a chance to do it, but like his shot, Danica's will probably just end up in business card exchanges and see ya later.

It's nice to hear that the amount of women drivers is increasing. Although, they are just racing drivers in the end, but it might sway the stereotype of motorsport being the man's domain (which annoys me slightly).

Still, I wonder if his point of strength difference between men and women is valid, considering we have women are in DTM and Indy, and Katherine Legge tested a Minardi a couple of years back.

Have you seen this video? Kat can handle it...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en-pAvtJt18

Y'all keep me up to date on DTM...

this is a big win for Danica and its good for the sport...KUDOS to her! have you heard about the site www.motodanica.com?