WISCONSIN-BORN DANICA PATRICK TO DRIVE IN INDYCAR SERIES

 
(West Allis, WI) December 9, 2004 - Danica Patrick knows part of her
celebrity as a rising star because she is a female, but the accomplished
open wheel racer also knows she has arguably the best shot of any woman
at a coveted Indianapolis 500-Mile Race victory.
 
Patrick, who was born in Beloit, WI and grew up just south of Wisconsin
in Roscoe, IL, was announced today as the driver of the No. 16 Panoz G
Force/Honda/Firestone entry with sponsorship from Argent Mortgage
Company and Pioneer Electronics for the Indy 500 and the full Indy
Racing League IndyCar Series.
 
She will be returning to her home turf when the IRL IndyCar Series makes
a return visit to The Milwaukee Mile, along with the USAC Silver Crown
and National Midget Car Series, the weekend of July 22-24, 2005.
 
After three successful seasons with Rahal Letterman Racing in the Toyota
Atlantic developmental series, team co-owners Bobby Rahal and David
Letterman have moved up Patrick, 22, to the IndyCar Series as a teammate
to 2004 Indianapolis 500 champ Buddy Rice and Vitor Meira.
 
"Sometimes it feels like it has taken a long time to get here, but I'm
22 years old, and I'm going to be driving in the Indy 500. It's
amazing," Patrick beamed.
 
The former Badger Kart Club (Dousman, WI) competitor will attempt to
become only the second woman, after Sarah Fisher, to drive the entire
IRL IndyCar Series schedule and become just the fourth woman to compete
in the Indianapolis 500.  Janet Guthrie drove in three Indy 500's and
Lynn St. James ran in seven between 1992 and 2000. 
 
"I have been working toward this for 13 years. It's pretty whirlwind
right now. I think it's going to be a fun year," she said.
 
Patrick is coming off a career-best 3rd place finish in the Toyota
Atlantic point standings, and will begin the process of logging hundreds
of laps on ovals in an Indy Car, including Indianapolis Motor Speedway,
in the very near future.
 
Her experience on ovals can be directly attributed to laps run at The
Milwaukee Mile.  In 2002, she competed primarily on road courses in the
Barber Dodge Pro Series, and at The 'Mile.  In the last two seasons, her
only laps on an oval in competition came at America's Legendary Oval in
the Toyota Atlantic Series, which ran but one oval race each year.
Patrick finished a solid 6th in The Milwaukee Mile's Centennial Season
of 2003, and 4th in this past June's 70-lap Atlantics race.
 
For season tickets or individual tickets to watch the stars of the Indy
500 compete at The Milwaukee Mile July 22-24, 2005, call (414) 453-8277
or visit the speedway's website, www.milwaukeemile.com.
Driver Bio