Table Of ContentA
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Checkerboard
Library
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Meet the greatest stars in sports with Awesome Athletes! In this
a
series, each book tells the inspiring story of one athlete’s journey t
r
from childhood dreams to professional success. Scores, stats, and i
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record-breaking accomplishments are just part of the experience. k
You’ll also discover the contributions each athlete makes to his or
her community. Jam-packed with career highlights, high-impact
photographs, and more, Awesome Athletes is a winner!
BOOKS IN THIS SET
Miguel Cabrera Colin Kaepernick Danica Patrick
Gabby Douglas Peyton Manning Aaron Rodgers
Kevin Durant Johnny Manziel Mike Trout
LeBron James Clay Matthews Russell Wilson
ABDO PUBLISHING IS A DIVISION OF ABDO
WWW.ABDOPUBLISHING.COM
Jameson Anderson
Checkerboard
Library
An Imprint of Abdo Pub1lishing
Jameson Anderson
www.abdopublishing.com
www.abdopublishing.com
Published by Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO, PO Box 398166, Minneapolis, Minnesota
55439. Copyright © 2015 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International copyrights reserved in all
countries. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from
the publisher. Checkerboard Library™ is a trademark and logo of Abdo Publishing.
Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota.
052014
092014
Cover Photo: Getty Images
Interior Photos: AP Images pp. 1, 11, 17, 23, 29; Getty Images pp. 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15, 19, 21, 25, 27
Series Coordinator: Tamara L. Britton
Editors: Megan M. Gunderson, Bridget O’Brien
Art Direction: Neil Klinepier
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014936000
Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Anderson, Jameson.
Danica Patrick / Jameson Anderson.
p. cm. -- (Awesome athletes)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-62403-339-1
1. Patrick, Danica, 1982- --Juvenile literature. 2. Automobile racing drivers--United States--
Biography--Juvenile literature. 3. Women automobile racing drivers--United States--Biography--
Juvenile literature. 1. Title.
796.72092--dc23
[B]
2014936000
2
table of contents
Making History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Highlight Reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
A Racing Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
First Go-Kart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Learning to Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Getting Serious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
To Europe and Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Indy 500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Famous Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
NASCAR Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Sprint Cup Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Taking the Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Websites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
3
Making History
NASCAR racer Danica Patrick made history on February
24, 2013. Patrick had earned pole position in the Daytona
500. Throughout the 200-lap race, she stayed in the top ten
racers.
History happened as Patrick entered the ninetieth lap.
Nearly halfway through the race, she was in the lead!
Patrick held the lead for the entire ninetieth and ninety-first
laps. She became the first woman to hold a lead at the
Daytona 500.
Patrick couldn’t hold on to the lead the whole race.
She finished in eighth place. But fans watching from around
the world knew that something special had happened.
Patrick had proved that a female driver could lead a major
race.
Although Patrick (10) placed eighth, it was the highest
finish for a woman in the Daytona 500. The previous best
belonged to Janet Guthrie, who came in eleventh in 1980.
Fun
The DayTona 500 is ofTen referreD To as The “super Bowl
of racing.” The 500-mile (804-km) evenT is one of The mosT
4 Fact popular auTo races in The worlD.
5
H i gHl i gHt
re e l
Patrick became the
Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick first woman to lead
returned to
Patrick won the
was born on March 25 the pack at a Sprint
the United
Firestone IndyCar 300
in Beloit, Wisconsin. Cup race during the
States to race
in Motegi, Japan.
Daytona 500.
for Bobby
1982
Rahal. 2008
2013
2002
1999 2012
Patrick was offered a 2005 Patrick started racing for
sponsorship to race NASCAR full time.
in the British National Patrick became the
Series in England. first woman ever
to lead during the
Indy 500.
66
H i gHl i gHt
Danica
re e l
patrick
DOB: March 25, 1982
Ht: 5’2”
Wt: 100
Car Number: 10
CAReeR
STATiSTiCS:
PRNoaASlceCeAsR:s. :S. . p. .r. .i n. .. t . C. .. u . p. .. . (S.C ),. NA. SC. AR. N.a t.io n w 5id6e (SSerCies) ,( N6S1), V(eNrizSo)n, I1nd1y5Ca r( V(V))
TWoipn sF:i v. e.: .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 001 (((SSSCCC))),,, 101 (((NNNSSS))),,, 113 (((VVV)))
AWARDS:
Rookie of the Year: 2005
Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award for
Favorite Female Athlete: 2008, 2012, 2013
77
a racing faMily
Danica Sue Patrick was born on March 25, 1982, in
Beloit, Wisconsin. She is the oldest child of TJ and Bev
Patrick. She has one younger sister named Brooke.
Danica grew up in the small town of Roscoe, Illinois.
Danica was born into a racing family. Her parents
met in the 1970s at a snowmobile race. Danica’s father
was one of the racers. Her mother was a mechanic who
was helping another female racer. TJ and Bev went on
their first date together after the race.
Both parents were excited to pass along the racing
tradition to their daughters. Danica and Brooke both
started racing at the same time. Danica would grow up
to be a world-famous race car driver. But it was Brooke’s
idea to start racing.
Danica and her parents after she finished first
in the Firestone IndyCar 300 in Motegi, Japan
8
