If there were to be a list of the “Top 10 Indy 500” races, it would be a difficult task to pick only 10 races out of the 108. If it came to skimming the most memorable Indy 500 moments, it would probably be even tougher.
However, there are certain moments that were not only big for the race but also for the sport as a whole. Having one of the most inspiring careers, Danica Patrick has been a part of several moments that have redefined motorsports.
Among them was the time when Danica Patrick‘s run in her Indy 500 debut became a monumental moment for female drivers.
How Danica Patrick Redefined Motorsports in Her Indy 500 Debut
After a series of struggles in the early years of her career, Patrick finally braced herself and decided to pursue open-wheel racing in the U.S.
When she arrived back from England in 2002, Patrick was associated with Rahal Letterman Racing and drove in the Toyota Atlantic Championship until 2004. It was only in 2005, that she ran her first full-time season in IndyCar for the first time. Being one of the only few active female drivers in the sport, she had many who questioned her ability.
However, Patrick moved forward and let her talent do the talking.
Then came her debut on the Indianapolis track for the Indy 500. Already being a fairly popular name in motorsports, Patrick’s popularity was reflected in the viewership as well. Owing to the “Danica Effect,” the viewership numbers for the 2005 Indy 500 soared as well.
Patrick started the race in the fourth position, which was already a record in itself. The former racer was chosen for the pre-race presentation ahead of the Indy 500. During a break between the presentations, she reminisced about her race from two decades ago.
Behind the wheel of a No. 16 Dallara IR-05, Patrick looked strong throughout the race and was in serious contention to win.
On lap 172, just when a caution was underway, Patrick had taken the lead. Seeing her in the top spot, the crowd simply erupted. She was unaware of the reason behind the massive cheer and assumed it was the fans’ excitement as the race neared its end.
She said, “I truly thought it was because they were so excited that the race was almost over. I did not think it was about me.”
Then, 18 laps later, after a late restart, Patrick took a pass at Dan Wheldon and was once again the lap leader. However, she could not hold on to her momentum till the very end and finished in fourth place.
20 years ago, Danica Patrick became the first woman to lead laps in the #Indy500. #INDYCAR
Most Memorable Moments from @BobPockrass: https://t.co/r5ijZlsQZ9 pic.twitter.com/aEt8bX5sqd
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX)
In the race, the Rahal Letterman Racing driver led a total of 19 laps and set several records. She became the first female driver to lead a lap in the tournament and had the highest finish by a female driver.
As for the highest finish record, it was held by Patrick for a few years until she herself broke it in 2009 by finishing third at the Indy 500.
However, more than the record, Patrick was happier about another thing that worried her.
“What it did, for the most part overall, was just kind of more solidify sponsorship and team position — just me being in the series. Because until you kind of do something great, you kind of wonder, ‘Am I going to be back next year?’”
However, once she saw the impact that the race and records created, she said, “After that, and how big of a deal it was, I was like, ‘Well, I guess I’ll probably have a job for at least a couple more years.'”
Following this, she even touched on the reason behind her success in Indianapolis. She said, “I was very good at trusting my instincts, and if the car didn’t feel right, I just didn’t drive. I’d just come in, or we would work on it and or I wouldn’t drive over my head, as I was a methodical driver.”
Three years later, Patrick finally arrived in the victory lane for the first time for her much-anticipated win at the Indy Japan 300.