Danica Sue Patrick (/ˈdænɪkə/; born March 25, 1982) is an American professional racing driver, model, and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing—her win in the 2008 Indy Japan 300 is the only women's victory in an IndyCar Series race and her third place in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 is the highest finish there ever by a woman. She competed in the series from 2005 to 2011. In 2012, she competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and occasionally in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Born in Beloit, Wisconsin, Patrick began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success by winning her class in the World Karting Association Grand National Championship three times in the mid-1990s. She dropped out of high school with the permission of her parents in 1998, and moved to the United Kingdom to further progress her career. Patrick competed in Formula Vauxhall and Formula Ford before returning to the United States in 2001 after her funding dried up. For 2002, she competed in five Barber Dodge Pro Series races for Rahal Letterman Racing. Patrick then raced in the Toyota Atlantic Series for the next two years and her best effort was third in the championship standings for the 2004 season which saw her become the first woman to win a pole position in the series.