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Odd woman out in male bastion

Danica Patrick believes “right attitude” allowed her to become the first woman to win an IndyCar race in the male-dominated world of motor racing.

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It has taken Patrick 50 races to reach the top of an IndyCar podium since her debut in 2005

TOKYO: Danica Patrick believes “right attitude” allowed her to become the first woman to win an IndyCar race in the male-dominated world of motor racing.

“I grew up with never really using guys as a reference, using drivers as a reference, and if I wasn’t fast enough, I wasn’t fast enough,” the 26-year-old American said after her historic win at the Indy Japan 300 on Sunday. “That was the most important thing. I didn’t think, oh, I’m the best girl out here today. I grew up with the right attitude to translate into a more competitive world. I thank my family for that.” 

It has taken Patrick 50 races to reach the top of an IndyCar podium since her debut on the premier US open-wheel tour in 2005. “Finally. This is a long time coming,” said the Wisconsin native after a tearful pit lane celebration with her husband and former physical therapist Paul Hospenthal and her parents at the Twin Ring Motegi, north of Tokyo.

“I’ve been asked so many times when I’m going to win my first race, and finally, no more of those questions.”

Patrick outsmarted male drivers in what she called a “fuel strategy race” over 200 laps at the 1.52-mile (2.5-kilometre) oval. With six laps remaining, New Zealander Scott Dixon had a 3.6-second lead but had to enter the pits for fuel on lap 195, followed by Briton Dan Wheldon and Tony Kanaan of Brazil. That left the door open for Patrick and another Brazilian, Helio Castroneves, whose last pit stop came on lap 148. She overtook Castroneves on lap 198.

“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,” added Patrick, who beat Castroneves by 5.9 seconds with an average speed of 164.3mph (264.3kmph).

“I just hoped and believed when I was young that it would happen and if I had the right opportunity that it could,” Patrick said about her first IndyCar victory, the first by a woman in a top-tier event in the 100 years of US open-wheel racing. “I just needed the right people to believe in me and give me that chance with a good team and good teammates.”

The 2005 IndyCar rookie of the year moved to Andretti Green Racing
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