Danica Patrick Rules!

A few weeks ago, I discovered an aspect of American culture I had never experienced before- car racing. I never realized how popular car racing is nationally and on the grassroots level. My uncle races a classic corvette, which goes at least 140 mph. He goes to tracks throughout the southwest and races a few times a year against other people in his class. The event is not open to the public and made up of the drivers that belong to local clubs with their friends and families. I went one weekend and it way much more exciting than I expected. They also had IndyCars and other stock cars. According to NASCAR's website, NASCAR is the most spectated sport in America. (If is isn't, it is the fastest growing spectated sport.) More Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport and NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries in more than 30 languages.

Interestingly, car racing first sparked my interested when Kornheiser and Wilbon on PTI were debating over the infamous Danica shove of Dan Wheldon last year. She is feisty, super sexy, and a damn good at driving cars fast! Patrick was named the Rookie of the Year for both the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and the 2005 IndyCar Series season. With her win in the 2008 Indy Japan 300, Patrick became the first woman to win a major open-wheel closed course race. Danica Patrick began go-karting in 1992 (10 years old) at Sugar River Raceway and went on to win several national championships. She moved to England at the age of 16 in order to advance her racing career. Focusing primarily on road racing, Patrick raced in several developmental open-wheel series while in Europe, including Formula Ford and Formula Vauxhall. Patrick earned a second-place finish in England's extremely competitive Formula Ford Festival, the highest-ever finish by either a woman or an American in the event. In 2002, Danica returned to the US and had several impressive finishes since 2005. Her fellow males drivers have been critical of her over the years, but I doubt she gives a shit. I love seeing a woman succeed in a male dominated sport. Danica you rule!!!