Danica Patrick spent part of a whirlwind rubbing shoulders with her peers as the newest member of the formerly for-boys-only IndyCar Winner’s Club.
“You know what, it’s like you get the special key,” Patrick joked. “Yeah, the seats are really fluffy and there’s waitresses and you get sushi and whatever you want. It’s a pretty elite club.”
Patrick was granted “membership” after winning the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi on, her first victory in 50 IndyCar Series starts and the first by a woman in the history of major open-wheel racing.
“I’m not going to say I feel terribly different, but I would be lying if I didn’t say that it was a little bit different,” said Patrick, scheduled for a Honda Appreciation Day appearance alongside Andretti Green Racing teammates Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti, and series rivals Helio Castroneves, Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon. “You can be just a little bit more proud, you know?”
“The attitude really is just that we’ll start thinking championship,” said Patrick, who scored her best points finish of seventh last year in her first season with AGR. “And it’s not that I haven’t been, but it’s even more realistic now with having a win and in turn, hopefully more and more come easily. They say that first one is the hardest one to get, which I agree.
“I’ve always thought that I was somebody that could compete for a championship because I’m a consistent driver, and hopefully smart out there. But what I had not done yet was win races, and it really does take wins to win championships.”
Patrick said she also was hopeful this victory would put to rest most of the criticism she received in some national media for a decision to pose in Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue.
“I think you’re never going to stop that kind of media,” said Patrick, 26. “I think that officially being a female and doing photo shoots and things like that, people are quick to criticize. I think it’s all part of it. The more popular you get, the more good and bad press you get. I would hope overtime, yes, they would give me credit for the good things that happen.
“I think that I’m definitely just part of a wave of women that are doing different things, great things, outside the normal world. So I don’t think it’s just me, it’s just showing that we’re capable of anything. There’s so much more gender crossover now than there ever has been. So I just believe that I’m part of a really big picture.”
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