Danica Patrick designs new Hot Wheels car

Patrick unveiled a sketch of her “Danicar” February 6th, 2010 at the Daytona International Speedway while announcing Hot Wheels return to NASCAR through a partnership with JR Motorsports .

The custom die-cast vehicle was co-designed with the Hot Wheels team at the Mattel Design Center in El Segundo, California. Patrick’s “Danicar” is the first celebrity-designed Hot Wheels vehicle and will be made in the traditional 1:64 scale.

“My life is all about high velocity cars, and the only car company I could imagine being able to create my vision of the ultimate fantasy car is Hot Wheels,” Patrick said.

Mattel calls the “Danicar” an “awesome machine.” It features an open cockpit, chartreuse “Spectraflame” paint, three sets of different-sized wheels and adjustable wings on the front and back.

The car will be available in stores this fall.

Despite Hot Wheels sponsorship of Danica, her NASCAR debut ended in disappointment after she was involved in a 12-car pile up at Daytona.  She races again this weekend at the Auto Club Speedway in Southern California.

Life in the Fast Lane: Indy starts for Danica, Milka & Sarah

Memorial Day weekend is known for a lot of things. Family, friends, barbecue, apple pie and maybe best of all – auto racing. The racing part starts at noon on Sunday, May 24th with the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher along with Venezuela’s Milka Duno are all hopefuls for the 93nd Indianapolis 500. Who has the horsepower and team to deliver?

Twenty-eight year old Sarah Fisher will break the record of seven Indianapolis 500 starts by a woman this Sunday, when she makes her eighth.

In her effort to drive through the glass ceiling, Fisher’s story is one of persistence, dedication, and living a dream the developed on the dirt tracks of her native Ohio.

Fisher made her return to open-wheel racing last year after a brief hiatus. She still has the best finish of any female in the IndyCar Series and will look for victory circle in 2009.

In 2005, midwest native Danica Patrick, captured the hearts of America by nearly winning the Indy 500 and making it clear that a female can race with the boys and battle them wheel to wheel to the very last lap. As the laps wound down, the huge crowd was on its feet cheering wildly for Danica to win. Dan Wheldon may have gotten the trophy that year but it was Danica who got all the attention.

This will be Danica’s fifth start in the 500  The 27-year-old will be driving the No. 7 Motorola entry for Andretti Green Racing.  She’ll start 10th, and, while it’s not at the front, the inside of Row 4 is a pretty good starting position.  Danica’s race was ruined last year when she and Ryan Briscoe collided trying to exit the pits so let’s hope things go smoother this year.

She does have a new orange and black paint scheme on the car (Boost Mobile is on the car instead of her traditional sponsor Motorola), and she was just featured in a new milk advertisement so the new juice might help.

Going into the weekend some of Danica’s career highlights include:

· Opened the 2009 season with two top-five finishes in the first three races, one of only four drivers to do so

· Has made 67 career starts, recording 13 top-five finishes, 38 top-10s and winning three poles

· Became the first woman to win a major closed-course auto race in April 2008 at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan

· Has made four starts in the Indianapolis 500, qualifying in the top 10 in each one

· Has three top-10 finishes in the Indianapolis 500

· Won Chase Rookie of the Year honors at Indianapolis in 2005, leading 19 laps en route to a fourth-place finish

The third female entrant is Milka Duno, the first woman from Venezuela to start a career in professional Motorsports at an international level. In her short career, the naval engineer has become one of the most popular drivers on racetracks all over the world, garnering considerable attention from the national and international motorsports and mainstream media. The CITGO racer passed her official “Rookie Test” in  2007,  started her debut at the back of the pack and advanced seven positions through the field to finish 14th at Kansas Speedway.

This year, Duno qualified with a 221.106 mph average and in her third Indy 500, will start 31st, on the inside of row 11.

In all, 33 drivers have been named to the starting spots in the world’s most prestigious auto race this weekend. And once again, Danica, Sarah and Milka are vying to become the first woman to win the 200-lap “Brickyard” classic. Could this be the year a female wins the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Keep your eyes on car 67 (Fisher in the Dollar General/Sarah Fisher racing car), car 23 (Duno in a CITGO/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car) and car 7 (Patrick in a Boost Mobile/Motorola car) as they hit breakneck speeds in an attempt to be the first to make the final pass over that original Indiana brick.

No matter how competitive an IndyCar driver is or how fast his/her race car runs, luck plays a major role for any Indy 500 winner. Let’s hope Lady Luck is at the track this weekend.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

Links & Resources
IRL Indy Racing League
NASCAR National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
Milka Duno
Sarah Fisher
Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick’s Got Milk

Got Milk? Fan-favorite IRL driver Danica Patrick was captured this month promoting healthy, strong bones as the latest celeb to join the popular Body By Milk campaign.

Danica has proven herself in IRL by being the first woman to win an Indy Car race and with the Indianapolis 500 approaching quickly on May 24th, maybe she’ll get to follow tradition. Every year Indycar drivers aspire to have a taste of milk on the podium. She told the media that her choice for Victory Circle at the Indy 500 is chocolate milk – a combo of protein and fast carbs.

“Milk is a tradition in the Indy 500. It started way back, I think it might have been back in the 40s or something and one of the drivers had wanted milk after the race and so ever since then it’s been a tradition and something that every driver does after they win the Indy 500.”

Danica, 27, says the milk ad is something “I’ve always seen, always noticed, always thought it was so cool and that maybe one day I’d get to do it.”

Not only is Danica the first female race car driver to participate in the Got Milk? campaign; she’s the first Indy car driver as well. Here’s hoping she gets to celebrate by drinking some this weekend.

Back-to-back top five finishes for Danica Patrick

The 2009 annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach roared into town last weekend, with household names like Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti blazing through the streets in finely-tuned ethanol burning dragsters. The turns were tight and the straightaways fast, which resulted in a few pile-ups and a fiery crash or two.

In her autobiography, Danica  said a race in Long Beach seven years ago was the turning point in a career that ultimately made her one of the nation’s most popular race-car drivers. Her win in that pro/celeb race eventually led her to the IndyCar Series in 2005, where overnight she became a fan favorite after nearly winning the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie.

Danica and the rest of IndyCar’s drivers haven’t been able to race in the Long Beach grand prix in recent years because of a split in the U.S. open-wheel racing series. Last year, Danica, 27, visited the event as a spectator, hours after her IndyCar victory at Motegi, Japan, where she became the first woman in history to win a major U.S.-sanctioned open-wheel race.

The sport is reunited now and IndyCar drivers were welcomed back to Long Beach for the 35th annual grand prix, which for thousands of fans is as much a spring party as an auto race.

Due to a frustrating qualifying session on Saturday, which included spinning out and hitting a wall, the 5-foot, 2-inch 100 pound Danica ended the first day in Long Beach in a disappointing 22nd place.

On Sunday, however, huge crowds watched as a clean opening stint kept Danica free of the crashes and carnage unfolding in front of her, and with a combination of well-timed pit stops and a focused, determined effort, she moved to the lead pack towards the end of the race.

A string of fast laps kept pressure on the drivers in front of Danica’s Motorola-sponsored Dallara Honda, allowing her to move up 18 spots and secure a stunning 4th place at the checkered flag, just one second behind AGR teammate Tony Kanaan. Dario Franchitti’s Target car took the big prize.

Danica rode the wave of momentum from Long Beach into a fine 5th place finish at the Kansas Speedway yesterday. She jumps five spots to 5th in the overall standings.

Wherever Danica races, the driving sensation’s popularity is displayed by fans wearing her colors and lining up to take a photo next to her image on the side of a trailer.

Next up for Danica – the Indy 500 (oh, and the June cover of Shape Magazine!)

A Salute to Women in Sports 2008

January 2, 2009 – In the world of sports, 2008 was a year filled with impressive records and many firsts for female athletes.

As a special treat – here’s a fanvid created with Megan from Because I Played Sports. Hope you like it! Please feel free to embed or slap on your Facebook page.

These women worked hard last year, and they certainly deserve the credit.

Natacha Gachnang first woman driver to join Formula Two

December 17, 2008 – Swiss driver Natacha Gachnang has become the first woman to join new auto racing circuit Formula Two.

The 21-year-old Gachnang said Wednesday she has signed up for the circuit because all drivers will begin on an equal footing thanks to a lack of big-money sponsors.

“It’s a level playing field,” Gachnang told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “Everyone has the same car. Everyone has one mechanic. Everyone has the same chance.”

Gachnang, who has raced in lower circuits and was a F3 frontrunner, said she would consider moving up to Formula One if her stint in the new championship goes well.

Read more

A Celebration of Sports

July 21, 2008 – Stars and athletes hit up the 2008 ESPY Awards at the NOKIA Theatre in Los Angeles, California last week and the event was televised last night on ESPN.

Self-proclaimed sports junkie Justin Timberlake hosted the show and earned raves from the athletes and the viewers.  Charming, irreverant and sexy as ever, when the Best Moment Award was given to members of the Central WA Softball Team for incredible sportsmanship, JT was fittingly carried off by university softball players.

Among the awards presented at the 2008 ESPYS:
Best Female Athlete/Best Female College Athlete: Candace Parker
Best Moment: Central Washington vs. Western Oregon Softball
Best Coach-Manager: Pat Summitt
Best Female International Athlete: Lorena Ochoa
Best WNBA Player: Lauren Jackson (Seattle Storm)
Best Female Action Sports Athlete: snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler
Best Female Tennis Player: Maria Sharapova 

Recognizing major sports achievements, the ESPYs are determined by fans who vote online.

Women in the Winner’s Circle Lunch

July 12, 2008 The 6th Annual Women in the Winner’s Circle Luncheon will be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday July 24 to celebrate women race car drivers in all race series as well as raise funds to sustain the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation programs that support, celebrate, educate and train aspiring young women drivers.More than 40 women racers will be introduced from all forms of motor sports.

“There is more interest in female drivers than when we first held this event in 2003,” said founder Lyn St. James, 1992 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year. “More and more, women are receiving opportunities to prove themselves on the track. And, increasingly, women are rising to higher levels of racing and earning their place on the podium.

“This year we have several exciting announcements to share including the first recipients of the Foundation’s Project Podium matching grant program, which was launched at last year’s luncheon. We will also announce the recipients of our inaugural Leadership Award given to individuals who have shown singular support to women’s motorsports programs. And we have a special announcement about our partnership with The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, that I am very excited about.

”In addition to the Leadership Award, the Mildred Marcum Pioneer Award will be presented two women drivers who represented what it takes to be successful: show up, work hard, love what you’re doing, and be the best at what you do; the USAC Kara Hendrick Spirit Award honoring a woman driver whose spirit, determination and driving ability are reminiscent of the excellence demonstrated by Kara Hendrick during her brief career; and the Opportunity Award honoring a race team or sponsor that created a significant opportunity for a woman driver to excel in the industry.

Girls gunning for ESPY Awards

July 3, 2008 - In the midst of all that’s happening this month,  the annual ESPY Awards will take place in LA to honor the coolest & best star athletes and memorable moments from the past year.

Nominees for the 16th annual ESPYs, which will be televised July 20 were announced this week in 37 categories. Votes — there were 12.5 million last year — can be sent in online or via mobile phone.

Major nods this year for Best Female Athlete include Danica Patrick (also a presenter), golfer Lorena Ochoa, baller Candace Parker and skier Lindsey Vonn.

Among the nominations for best moment are Danica Patrick’s win of the Indy Japan 300; and the Central Washington University’s sportsmanship when members of the team carried Western Oregon University’s Sara Tucolsky around the bases after she collapsed in a playoff game.  

In case you missed the latter, Tucolsky hit her very first home run ever only to come up lame going around first. Since rules state that if any teammate touches you on the base path you are automatically out, the other team picked her up and carried her around the base path so her first home run would count.

Women’s Motocross multi-time National Champion Jessica Patterson has also been nominated for a 2008 ESPY award in the Female Action Sports category. The 25-year-old racer dominated the 2007 AMA/WMA Women’s Motocross National Championship winning an impressive 10 out of 12 motos and the title.

Other nominations in the category include: Snowboarders Gretchen Bleiler and Lindsey Jacobellis, and Surfer Stephanie Gilmore. Steph – btw- has the honor of being the only professional surfer, male or female, to be nominated for any ESPY award in 2008. In 2007, she was not only the first surfer (male or female) to ever win an ASP World Title their rookie year, but she also scalped 4 out of 8 event victories on the elite ASP Women’s World Tour.

The ESPYS, Excellence in Sports Performance, is a premier sports awards event, put on by ESPN, that honors individual and team athletic achievements and other sports-related performances each year. Other gals nominated for 2008 awards include Allyson Felix, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Rachel Dawson, Justine Henin, Pat Summitt, Diana Taurasi, Angela Tincher and more.

This year’s event will be hosted by Justin Timberlake (not exactly sure why but hey – we love him) and take place July 16th at the Nokia Theatre. The winner of each category is decided by fan votes,  so visit www.espys.tv to cast your ballot. Voting continues through July 12th and fans of women’s sports are encouraged to vote for their fave female athlete. Lets give the girls the recognition they deserve!

Sisters in speed

May 28, 2008 - Mention Indianpolis-style racing to a casual fan and it’s not this year’s winner Scott Dixon who comes to mind, it’s a tiny brunette for whom a first name suffices. That’s Danica in case you haven’t been paying attention – the first female driver to win a major open-wheel race.

Last Sunday’s 92nd Indy 500 had a decidedly feminine feel with three of the 33 starters in possession of a xx chromosome. Unfortunately, all of them were knocked from the race in crashes, and all were a result of carelessness by their male counterparts.

When a crash happens on the track, the perpetrator often emerges unscathed while the innocent victim is penalized with a costly repair bill. This seems to be the case on lap 105 when Marco Andretti tried an ill-advised pass on teammate Tony Kanaan, who turned into the path of Sarah Fisher, who was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Fisher, who not only drives, but also runs her own race team on a shoestring budget, was obviously distraught. In an interview after the race, “We were hoping to go to Kentucky (the next Indycar stop),” she said, haltingly, “but I don’t think we can.”

Danica Patrick’s exit was as innocent as Fisher’s. Driving for Andretti Green Racing, she was merely exiting the pits when Ryan Briscoe, driving for Team Penske, clipped her while coming out of his own stall. With 29 laps to go, she broke the left rear suspension on a car that had run in the top 10 most of the race.

Patrick ended up finishing 22nd and was steamed after the bang. The passionate driver climbed from her disabled car and strode purposefully toward the offending driver ’s pit seemingly ready to rumble before Indy security intercepted her. 

Milka Duno, the third woman in the field, did a nice job staying on the lead lap for most of the race before spinning out in a a four-tire-flattening single-car spinout caused when she was squeezed out on a pass.  Better luck next year ladies!

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