Rookie of the Year
When Danica Patrick stepped into her racecar and pushed the pedal to the metal, all she could focus on was doing what she loved.
And out of the 33 incredibly talented professional drivers on that Indy 500 track, Danica Patrick had placed in 4th. Not only did she place in the top 10, but she was also in the lead for 19 laps during the race – which is unbelievably impressive, especially for a rookie!
But getting recognition for being a remarkable rookie was just the tip of the iceberg.
Becoming a Role Model in Female Sports
In 2005, Danica Patrick was named “Rookie of the Year” and was deemed Indy Racing League’s (IRL) “Most Popular Driver” consecutively, for three years. But the reason why she became such a huge success in the sports world was because she was actually the very first woman to be in the lead during a classic race, as well as, finishing in 4th place.
Danica Patrick might not have had her own role model to look up to, but she quickly became an inspiring one for female athletes in the mid-2000s.