From Steve McCormick,
Your Guide to NASCAR Racing.
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Danica Patrick has set the Indy Racing League (IRL) on it's head this year. As a rookie she has single-handedly put the IRL back in the spotlight. The 2005 Indianapolis 500 enjoyed a massive 40 percent spike in television ratings as a result of the incredible media spectacle surrounding this rookie. Why is Danica Patrick special? Who are the current women in NASCAR?

Why Danica Patrick?

Danica Patrick has everything going for her. What most people see first is the fact that she is an attractive young woman. In 2003 she completed a photo shoot for FHM magazine which certainly shows off her assets nicely. These sexy pictures show her in, on and around a classic car while wearing very little. If you don't know Danica Patrick for any other reason, these will get your attention.

The second thing that people will notice is that she is truly a talented race car driver. Sure she is prone to the occasional rookie mistake, but as a true IRL rookie she really is performing well above expectations. She has two top five finishes in just the first six races of 2005. She is getting the job done very well.

Finally, she is very intelligent and works well with the media. She handled the incredible media spotlight if the Indy 500 with great skill. When constantly asked about what it was like to be female she continuously directed the questions back to racing. For example when the question was "What was it like to be the first woman to ever lead the Indy 500?" her answer was "I was only thinking about being one lap closer to winning." This is an excellent answer.

Danica Patrick is truly one in a million. A pure racer who happens to be an attractive, intelligent woman.