Danica Patrick…wins over my heart….again

Last night I witnessed a little bit of auto racing history as I watch Danica Patrick be the first female in a major open-wheel racing event to win a race.

I have been a race fan since I was a little boy and my dad would race at local Go-Kart tracks. I grew up on racing, more specifically Indy Car Racing or as it was known back then CART.

This is Me as a little boy rockin my favorite T

A.J. Foyt was my hero, he was the first 4-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, and he was an ass-kicking Texan who won in nearly every type of race car he strapped into. Similar to Tony Stewart, who I also love, except he is in that corporate box car sport.

Indianapolis is only two hours from my house and when we would go visit family there, we would always make it a point to drive down 16th St., which runs along turn one and two of the Speedway. Now I am older, I still take that same road every sixth months when I have to go to IUPUI for my transplant doctors.

Needless to say I have followed the series for many years. I did get sucked in to that NASCAR vacuum when it was all the rage of auto racing, but with the politics, new cars, so many stupid rules and corporate ass kissing I have lost my taste for that series.

When Danica came into the Indy Racing League three years ago she garnered everyone's attention for two reasons, she is a good race car driver and she is hot. She won some poles, she even led at the Indianapolis 500 and her fan base sky rocketed.... But she never won a race. Everyone said "when will she win, she is the face of the IRL, she has to win to save the sport etc etc." People even doubted her talent, but they can't deny it anymore.

Saturday Night (Sunday Morning in Japan) Patrick became the first female winner in Indy Car history winning the Indy Japan 300 in her 50th career start.

I was so excited for her. She showed how her talents and her intelligence for winning a race. People say it might have been lucky, but those people will always be her doubters.

As a long-time fan of the Indy Car Series, I think they made some huge steps merging back with the Champ Car Series earlier this year and now with Graham Rahal (son of legendary Bobby Rahal) winning two weeks ago and now Danica, I think the IRL is totally on the upswing.

Congratulations to Danica Patrick and he team, her family and fans. Keep supporting the Indy Racing League.