Danica Patrick makes IndyCar history by winning Japan 300
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Bill Jempty | Sunday, April 20, 2008 |
I once heard life is all a matter of timing. Danica’s timing(or breaks) in Japan were excellent today.
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 lead from Castroneves on the 198th lap in the 200-lap 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 mainly remember Patrick for the 2005 Indy 500 where she led with just a few laps to go. Now that she has won a race, will the hype going into next month’s 500 be even louder than it was in the past? In any case, congratulations Danica.
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