|
2006
IRL Race Schedule
& Results
and Standings
World's
Most Beautiful People
2006
News Stories - 2006
2005
Season:
- Danica is the IRL
Rookie
of the Year
for 2005 with 64 points ahead of the 2nd place
rookie Tomas Enge (8 total rookies). She ended
the year in 12th place (of 37 drivers) with 325
points.
She is also the
first rookie in IRL history to win over One
Million dollars.
Danica is only the second
rookie in IRL history to win both Indy 500
and IRL IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year
titles. (Kosuke Matsuura accomplish that
feat in 2004). Danica qualified three times on
the pole (one of only eight drivers to take the
pole position this year and one of only 3 other
drivers to win the pole three times). She's
qualified in the Top Five 9 times, and in Top
Ten 12 times. She finished in the Top Five twice
and 7 times in the Top Ten with four DNFs.
- Danica's
IRL Race by Race Results -
2005
- Danica's
IRL 2005 Race Schedule & Final
Results
- IRL Rookie
Stats
- Danica comparison not complete
More
Danica-1, More
Danica - 2
Danica
Pattrick ,
www.danicaracing.com
,
or E-mail
The Press
The Critics:
Related Stories: Danica, More
Danica-1, More
Danica - 2, Women
Racing, Women
in Racing, Notable
Women
Just in time for Indy 500 -
2006
Danica Patrick will mark her return to the
Indianapolis 500 – where she finished a
remarkable fourth last season as a rookie – by
releasing her autobiography in the days leading up
to the race. Danica
Patrick - Crossing the Line. It
chronicles her life with tales from the track and
insights into her personal life.
Her time at the 500 last season cemented her as
one of the most recognizable faces in auto racing
after she earned the best starting position
(fourth) and finishing position (fourth) by a woman
at Indianapolis. She also became the first woman to
lead the 500.
Source: www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/motorsports/14379244.htm
Snippets - 2006
Danica gridded 16 at Watkins Glen and finished 8th
on a rain-soaked track and moved up to 7th in
overall points of 37 drivers even considering that
the Rahal/Letterman drivers have one less race than
their competitors because they did not compete in
the first race of the season since fellow drive,
Paul Dana, had been killed in practice that
weekend. She leads fellow teammates Buddy Rice
(ranked 14th) and Jeff Simmons (ranked 20th). She's
had 4 Top 10 Finishes out of 4 starts. 
* * *
Leading the Way -
Newsweek - 9/25/06
In their September 25, 2006 issue, Newsweek
profiles 20 women who are poised to be the next
generation of leaders in their fields—whether
it's sports, business, finance, politics or the
arts. In their own words, they tell how they got
where they are and where they hope to go next.
Danica Patrick was the lead.
I started racing go-carts when I was 10 and, to
be honest, the competitiveness started right away.
It wasn't like a fun car track; it was a real
racetrack. I was qualifying and put into race
conditions and earning points throughout the year,
which contributed to a year-end points
championship.
Today I guess I drive pretty fast even on the
highway in my Lamborghini. I don't like to drive at
enormous top speed, but I do like to drive a little
bit faster than everyone else. So if everybody on
the highway is doing 80, I'll do 82 or something,
and if people are driving 60, I'll want to do 62. I
think there's something in my blood, in my
instincts, that makes me want to overtake.
I never had idols or role models; I wasn't that
kind of girl. I never was striving to achieve
female goals. I was just trying to be the best that
I could be. I don't like to put parameters on my
goals; I just like to take everything as far as I
can. I learned from people that I knew along the
way, but I didn't have somebody that I wanted to be
like. I wanted to be the first Danica, not the next
somebody else.
I have to prove myself a few more times than a
guy would have to prove himself, because women
succeeding in a man's world is fairly new
territory—especially for race-car driving. In
this sport, the rules are the same for women and
men. This shows that women can compete with men
under the same guidelines.
I tell young women to find what you love and
dream really big, have huge aspirations for
yourself and never give up. That whole
never-giving-up part only happens when you want to
do something badly enough or when you love
something enough.
My mother has had her moments with her hands
over her eyes when I'm racing and there are moments
when I want to put my hands over my eyes and go,
"Oh, my gosh!" It's a dangerous sport, but I also
believe that it's dangerous driving on the highway.
So ... pick your poison.
When I'm going three-wide in the corner at 220
miles an hour and I have cars on both sides, that's
not comfortable because I can't see them. But I get
used to it. You somehow learn how to relax in those
kinds of situations. In the riskier situations, I
do get a little bit tense. I focus on how the car
feels and I try and make sure I'm ready to respond
to anything. I hold my line very well. I don't
think I have time to be nervous or take any major
action other than responding to the car.
Before a race, it's nerve-racking. You always
want things to go well. The first thing that I get
nervous about is just having a good car, a car that
handles well. Then I get nervous about making the
most of it and not letting down my equipment.
On the track, I'm aggressive and determined.
When I make a pass, I believe it's going to happen.
I don't just try something to try it, and I don't
stick my neck out there when there's only a 50
percent chance that I'm going to come out on top. I
think that's when you get into accidents, and
that's when you have a lot of crash damage. You've
got to be about 80 percent sure that something's
going to go right. You never can tell the full 100
because you can't control other people.
You can never give up because sometimes during a
race you might think there's no chance you're going
to do well. The next minute, you could have an
opportunity. You have to be ready for anything
because things can change. It's the same in
business or anything else; you can never believe
you're out of the game. It's about determination
and being a scrappy fighter who will do anything
and holds no mercy.
I don't regret anything I've done, including
posing for FHM magazine. It was great. I wore
bathing suits, shorts, corset-style tops and high
heels. What girl doesn't want to be seen as being
pretty or sexy? Guys take their shirts off, too;
it's just that a woman's body is perceived
differently. If you're just true to yourself, and
if being sexy is being true to yourself, then it is
OK. It's part of your personality. At the end of
the day, life should be fun.
Source: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14870541/site/newsweek/
Chicagoland -
9/10/06
Danica Patrick was the highest finishing RLR driver
in the championship (9th) with 302 points. Patrick
ran one less race than the rest of the top-ten. She
did finish sixth in the series in laps completed
(2299), but if you remove the 200 laps ran at
Homestead she finished second only to Scott Dixon
(2304-2299). . .Patrick posted just one DNF all
season which came due to a fuel shortage at
Michigan.
Danica Patrick appeared at the Plainfield,
Illinois Meijer store and signed autographs on
Friday night. . .Bobby Rahal attended a dinner for
BEA on Saturday night. . .Jeff Simmons, Rice and
Patrick all attended an Ethanol reception on
Saturday night which celebrated the League's move
to 100% Ethanol in 2007. A feature on Patrick will
debut on the September Real Sports on September
19th on HBO. . .The Weather Channel interviewed
Danica Patrick and her engineer Ray Leto for a
documentary celebrating The 100 Greatest Moments in
Weather. The documentary series which will be part
of TWC's 25th Anniversary had approximately a dozen
subjects the two were interviewed on ranging from
wind tunnel's and wiper blades to bad hair days. .
.On Friday Patrick shot a photo for Newsweek
Magazine for an upcoming special issue which will
focus on Women and Leadership. . .Patrick won the
DownForce Fan Club's Most Popular Driver Award for
the second straight season.
RLR trio seeks a strong
finish to a frustrating 2006 season -
9/7/06
The 2006 season for Rahal Letterman Racing has been
a long and difficult campaign.
The last two months have seen RLR make giant
strides forward with the Dallara chassis. Patrick
has climbed solidly into the top-ten and Simmons
has displayed the skill and patience that drew
Rahal's attention during those difficult days at
the start of the season.
"There would be no better way to finish the
season than with a win," said Patrick who will be
driving her final race for RLR this Sunday. "I am
really proud of how this team overcame some tough
circumstances and we have made some great strides
with the chassis and have run competitively the
last few races. There was a point earlier this year
that I didn't think we could get to this point, but
it has taken a lot of hard work from everyone at
RLR and we can say we have really accomplished
something."
Patrick who won the pole at Chicagoland in 2005
and finished sixth knows everyone will be pushing
with Sunday's race being the last of the
season.
"Last year it seemed like everyone was a lot
more aggressive at the last race, and sure enough I
got caught in a crash. I expect more of the same
this weekend, but there are four cars that will be
fighting for the championship so they have to be
aggressive, but they can't take unnecessary
chances. All I know is that is always makes the off
season go smoother if you finish on a high note. I
always approach each race the same, but the last
race of the season is always special."
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1196
Danica Dazzles them at
Wrigley - 9/7/06
With her cool demeanor in the bright spotlight of
media attention it would seem hard to imagine
anything that makes Danica Patrick nervous, but she
had a genuine case of the nerves on Thursday
afternoon when she appeared at Wrigley Field to
throw out the ceremonial first pitch and to sing
Take Me Out To The Ball Game. For Patrick, a
lifelong Cubs fan, it was a huge honor and one she
took serious enough that she insisted on a warm-up
session before her first pitch.
"I have had the opportunity to do a lot of cool
things in the last couple of years, but this is an
honor that I can relate back to my youth watching
the Cubs on TV with my Dad," said Patrick. "I was
really nervous, but I had a lot of fun and I hope I
can do it again in the future."
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1196
Simmons eventh, Patrick
eighth at Sonoma - 8/27/06
Jeff Simmons and Danica Patrick each ran a strong
race claiming seventh and eighth at Sunday's Grand
Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway. The third
member of RLR's driving trio Buddy Rice had a
difficult day getting caught in an on track
incident and suffering a gear box problem.
Danica Patrick ran third most of the race on a
fuel strategy. It appeared the decision would pay
off when she returned from a splash and go in the
top-ten with most of the leaders tight on fuel.
When Bryan Herta spun bringing out the final yellow
the strategy window was closed and Patrick was left
with her eighth top-ten finish of the season,
surpassing the seven she posted in her rookie year.
In the three road races this season she finished no
lower than eighth, a marked improvement from her
rookie campaign.
"This was a pretty good run for the No 16 Argent
Honda," said Patrick. "We have made some very good
progress in the last year on the road courses. We
ran a different fuel strategy today and we would
have probably had a top-five had that last yellow
not come out. We finished in the top-eight on all
three road courses this year and last season that
would have been pretty unlikely. I was proud of how
we raced when we were up front. I was racing with
Tony (Kanaan) and Dario (Franchitti) and those are
two of the more experience road course drivers in
the series, and we were holding our own. I think we
have done a really good job in the recent races, we
just need to qualify better and then who knows what
can happen."
Source: http://rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1195
Danica to join Andretti
Green Racing in 2007 - 7/25/06
Danica Patrick signed with Andretti Green Racing on
Tuesday, deciding to stay in the Indy Racing League
instead of switching to NASCAR.
Patrick will start driving for her new team in
2007. Her current contract with Rahal Letterman
expires at the end of the season. Though she toyed
with joining NASCAR, Patrick said last week she was
leaning toward saying in the IndyCar series.
"Danica has shown great talent during her first
two seasons in the IndyCar Series," CEO Michael
Andretti said. "Our focus has been and always will
be on winning races and winning championships. We
certainly believe Danica will do that. She has made
it very clear that one of her goals as a driver is
to win the Indianapolis 500 and we are looking
forward to giving her a great opportunity to do
that."
Patrick, who was selected 2005 IndyCar Series
rookie of the year, is the third driver under
contract to Andretti Green racing for 2007. She
joins Tony Kannan and Marco Andretti on the team.
Andretti Green has four full-time entries in the
series.
Patrick's father, T.J., caused a stir earlier
this month when he showed up at a Nextel Cup race
at Chicagoland Speedway and told a Chicago Tribune
reporter that Patrick was interested in switching
to NASCAR.
But Patrick said she was just exploring every
option and always was leaning toward staying in
IndyCar.
Patrick has finished fourth in back-to-back
races and is currently ninth in the IndyCar
standings, but her Rahal team generally hasn't been
competitive this season.
When asked last week about loyalty to team owner
Bobby Rahal, who gave Patrick her first shot at
big-time racing, Patrick said, "I would hope that
over the course of the last year and a half, and
even before that, I would hope that I have brought
things to him, too. I would hope that I have helped
him in some way."
Source: msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/5802336?FSO1&ATT=HCP
Patrick fourth, Simmons
seventh at Nashville - 7/16/06
Danica Patrick equaled her best IndyCar Series
finish of fourth and rookie Jeff Simmons posted his
top IndyCar Series finish of seventh as Rahal
Letterman Racing posted one of its strongest
outings of the season. RLR's third driver Buddy
Rice ran a strong race, but succumbed to an
electrical problem midway through the event.
Patrick overcame a whirlwind week of media
scrutiny with a stellar run matching her best
IndyCar Series result. Starting tenth, Patrick
moved through the field and ran as high as second
en route to posting her top finish of the
season
"Tonight's run was a product of a labor," said
Patrick. "The Argent crew has been working hard to
get the new Dallara chassis competitive and tonight
we saw the result of that work. I am happy for the
crew and the team overall. They had great pit stops
and the car was working well in the second half of
the race. That's what it takes to be competitive
this series. One of these times we are going to win
one. We just need to hang around more often with
the leaders. I knew it was very difficult to go
around people on the high side. I didn't want to
run high. So I stayed on the low side and the car
ran extremely well. I had to protect the inside
because no one wanted to go high tonight. If you
got in the high line, you picked up the marbles
near the wall and then you couldn't go anywhere for
a few laps. On the first restart, I got caught off
guard and I didn't heat up the tires enough, but on
the other restarts I was ready and I think I made a
couple of good moves. It is good to be back up in
the top five again. If we can run with these guys
up in the front, we can get a win. Now I want to do
that the rest of the year."
Ganassi Racing stopped the Penske express. Scott
Dixon led a one-two Ganassi sweep by edging his
teammate Dan Wheldon. The win pulled Dixon to
within five points of points leader Sam Hornish Jr.
who posted his first DNF after crashing on lap
130.
The IRL IndyCar Series will resume with Round 10
of the 2006 season, the ABC Supply Company AJ Foyt
Indy 225, next week at the Milwaukee Mile.
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1175
Tough night in Texas for
RLR trio - 6/10/06
The Dallara era has officially begun for Rahal
Letterman Racing and the team fought ill luck and
the learning curve at the Texas Motor Speedway.
Danica Patrick was RLR's top finisher in Saturday
nights Bombardier Learjet 500 bringing home the
Argent Mortgage Honda/Dallara/Firestone in 12th.
Rookie Jeff Simmons posted his best IndyCar Series
finish at 15th while 2004 Indy champ Buddy Rice saw
his day end early due to a mechanical failure on
lap 71.
Patrick started 14th, but finished 12th after a
steady run in the new Dallara. Patrick's result
snapped a streak of four consecutive top-eight
results for the 2005 Rookie of the Year.
"It was our first time in the Dallara and while
it looks like a tough night based on where I
finished, I was pretty happy because we did
finish," said Patrick. "We started in the back and
I didn't have awesome starts or restarts. I was a
little bit cautious on the restarts because I
wasn't sure how the car would handle in traffic. If
you don't get going with the group it can be tough
to make up ground. People were spreading out and
just like last year that wasn't a lot of yellows
which helped stagger the field. We had a little bit
of understeer in the first stint but we made an
adjustment and then I was pretty solid in the
Argent Mortgage Honda for the rest of the race. I
was able to run the low line and the high line,
which proved to be a good thing because I think my
"friends" couldn't run the high line like I could
so I just ran the bottom. I raced hard today. I
really had to work hard for every spot I got. I had
to pass Dario [Franchitti] every single
time I stopped, which isn't the easiest thing in
the world, but we made it work and we brought the
car home in one piece and we earned some
points."
Penske Racing's Helio Castroneves, the points
leader, won his third race of the season edging
Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon for the win.
The IRL IndyCar Series will have a week off
before returning to the track at Richmond
International Raceway for the SunTrust Indy
Challenge (June 23 - 24).
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1151
Rice takes fourth at 'The
Glen' - 6/4/06
Buddy Rice took fourth and Danica Patrick took
eighth in a wild rain influenced Watkins Glen Indy
Grand Prix. The race was run in unseasonably cool
and wet conditions that felt more like late autumn
than early June. The wet conditions and the
numerous yellow flags prompted multiple race
strategies in the 19 car field and provided one of
the more memorable IndyCar Series road races since
the league added road courses last season.
Patrick started 16th and finished eighth, her
second best result in five IndyCar Series road
races. Patrick was running a strong race when she
was clipped by Eddie Cheever Jr. on a restart and
pushed into the Turn 11 wall. Patrick was able to
return to the pits and despite losing a lap repair
the front nose. Patrick worked hard conserving fuel
and advancing and she was able to un lap her No. 16
Argent Mortgage/Honda/Panoz/Firestone and finished
on the lead lap.
"We managed to get to the finish today," said
Patrick. "It was good effort the Argent Honda crew
today. (Eddie) Cheever took me out on the restart
and that was what put us a lap down. It is
unfortunate and it is silly. There was no point in
doing something so desperate on a restart, but he
did it. I don't know why he was trying to pass
there. The Firestone rain tires were good for our
car today. They didn't fall off with our car and I
felt I was able to close in on a lot of guys in the
wet. We weren't the faster car out there, but I
think we would have done better if we hadn't been
taken out. I think we might be able to be up there
with Buddy in fourth place. Buddy did a great job
today. It was a very testing day from a driver's
standpoint. The conditions were constantly
changing. It is very difficult to get a lap back on
a road course, but our guys got me back on the lead
lap and we finish eighth."
Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon captured his
second straight IndyCar Series race at Watkins
Glen. He edged Vitor Meira by 2.3 seconds over a
final stint run on slick tires in damp conditions.
Former Ganassi driver Ryan Briscoe was third
driving in his first race for Dreyer Reinbold.
The IndyCar Series will return to the track this
week with the Bombardier Learjet 500 Saturday night
at the Texas Motor Speedway.
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1146
Rice paces RLR
practice effort at Watkins Glen - 6/2/06
Buddy Rice paced the practice effort of Rahal
Letterman Racing on the first day of the Watkins
Glen Indy Grand Prix. Rice posted a fast lap of
131.481 mph in the afternoon session in the No. 15
Argent Mortgage/Honda/Panoz/Firestone to finish
eleventh overall.
Danica Patrick endured a frustrating day,
finishing 16th overall in the No. 16 Argent
Mortgage Honda/Panoz/Firestone with a fast lap of
129.236 mph.
"The Argent Honda isn't where we want it to be,
but we are making progress. We started slowly at
St. Pete this year, but we progressed and ended up
having a pretty good weekend. Sometimes the
toughest thing for a driver to do is to be patient.
This is a tough demanding track and there are no
quick fixes. Ray [Leto] and I have our work
ahead of us, but I am confident we will have a
better car tomorrow and an even better car on
Sunday."
Helio Castroneves, the IndyCar Series points
leader, was quickest on Friday with a fast lap of
133.792 mph in the afternoon session. Tony Kanaan
was second quick followed by rookie Marco
Andretti.
Practice and qualifying will resume on Saturday.
The second annual Watkins Glen Indy GP will be held
Sunday at 3:30 pm Eastern and be shown live on
ABC.
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1144
Patrick takes eighth at
Indianapolis - 5/28/06
Rahal Letterman Racing's Danica Patrick drove a
smart mistake free race and claimed an eighth place
finish to lead RLR's effort in the 90th running of
the Indianapolis 500. Patrick, the 2005 Indy 500
Rookie of the Year, climbed to fifth and appeared
to be in position to make a late charge towards the
front when she was burned by an ill timed yellow on
the last pit stop cycle.
"The No. 16 Argent team ran clean today," said
Patrick. "I didn't make any mistakes and team
didn't make any mistakes. From last year to this
year, we made a huge improvement. We just haven't
been the fastest car all month and that was the
case again today. It was important that we did
everything well today. I thought the car was
stronger later in my runs. There was a lot of
concern amongst the teams coming into the race
about the effect of the high heat on everything.
The track was extremely slippery today, but my
Firestone tires did a great job. I am a little
disappointed because we had some bad luck on the
timing of the last pit stop. We knew that we needed
to change tires when we fueled up. I had pitted
under green and then a couple of laps later the
track went yellow. I thought if we had caught a
break and got a yellow at the right time we might
have had a top five finish. I remember in the race
a year ago that I caught a lot of breaks. So
sometimes you catch them and sometime you don't. I
guess I am glad we finished the race. You know, I
think I drove harder this year than I did last
year. I should be happy with eighth considering all
that we went through this month, but I am not. I am
sure by tomorrow I will appreciate how much
progress we made in such a short time."
Pole sitter Sam Hornish Jr. of Penske Racing won
the 90th Indy 500 in spectacular fashion edging
rookie Marco Andretti by 0.0635 seconds, the second
closest Indy finish ever. Hornish who at one point
was lapped, tracked down the 19-year-old rookie
over the final three laps and passed him on front
straight to take the checkered flag. Michael
Andretti was third and 2005 Indy champ Dan Wheldon
was fourth.
The IndyCar Series heads next to upstate New
York for the IndyCar Grand Prix of Watkins Glen
(June 2-4).
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1142
Danica and Buddy Finished
in Top 10 in Japan - 4/21/06
Danic Patrick fnishes 8th for the second IRL race
in a row at Japan's Twin Ring Motegi. Buddy Rice
took 5th and their newest driver Jeff Simmons had
an accident 40 laps in and DNFd. Danica was less
than 16 seconds behind the winner at the finish.
The remaining drivers had been lapped by the
winner.
Danica Patrick started 14th and finished eighth,
collecting her second top-ten result of the season.
The 2005 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year, topped
off a busy week of promotional appearance in Japan
with a solid run for points.
"I don't think our Argent Mortgage Honda was
that fast, but I do think we were smart enough with
our strategy and our pit stops were good enough and
we were able to run consistently that it produced a
solid result," said Patrick. "We just weren't able
to run consistently fast enough to overtake the
leaders. I had one stint where I was really able to
make up some time and gain position, but I battled
understeer most of the day. Unfortunately when you
have problems at Motegi going through
[turns] three and four it will limit what
you can do. Overall we weren't super fast, but we
did get our result. I am disappointed that on the
last restart I got chopped pretty good. Everybody
was getting a little feisty with their moves and
everybody was a little too bold. At least we
finished and scored more points and we didn't do
anything stupid."
The IRL IndyCar Series race will return to the
United States for the "Month of May" and the
Indianapolis 500. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway
opens on May 7 for Rookie Orientation and on May 9
for open practice. The 90th running of the
Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for May 28 and 1:00
pm local time.
Source: http://rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1120
Patrick takes sixth at St
Pete - 4/2/06
While Rahal Letterman Racing's Danica Patrick
claimed a sixth place finish, her best ever result
in an IndyCar on a street or road course, her
teammate Buddy Rice was left to wonder what could
have been. Rice ran a brilliant race and appeared
to be headed for a top-four finish when he was
involved in a late race accident with Vision
Racing's Tomas Scheckter. Rice finished 13th
overall after the crash with less than four laps
remaining.
Patrick ran a solid and steady race in the No.
16 Argent Mortgage Honda/Panoz. She started 14th
and maximized her fuel mileage and pit strategy to
move through the field to collect her highest
non-oval IndyCar Series result.
"We gambled on a two pit strategy and the key
for us today was our fuel mileage," said Patrick.
"We had to make sure that we got good fuel mileage.
We ran pretty conservatively the first half to
three-quarters of the race. We really made sure
that we were getting good mileage, especially under
the yellows, and that enabled us to do the race in
two stops. It made all the difference. I said it
earlier to the Argent group, our team is pretty
good when it comes to strategy and that was
something they should watch for today. The
experience we have gained over the last year really
helped today. I really had a feel for when I could
push the Argent Honda and when I needed to be
patient and not make mistakes. We just need to
build on this momentum. It was really important for
us to place well since we didn't run last week. It
doesn't matter if it was a DNF or a withdraw last
week, we just had to score points in St. Pete. With
14 races on the schedule anytime you don't finish
the race it is going to loom large."
The IRL IndyCar Series will return to the track
April 22 with the Japan Indy 300 at the famed Twin
Ring Motegi in Japan.
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1109
Patrick
will start 14th at St. Petersburg Tomorrow - 4/1/
06
Danica Patrick improved over her Friday practice,
but she was unable to duplicate the dramatic jump
she had last week at Homestead when she qualified
third. Patrick will start on the outside of row
seven next to defending IRL champ Dan Wheldon after
posting a lap of 100.553 mph in the Argent
Mortgage/Honda.
"I had hoped I would go a little faster than
this, but at the end of the day you have to settle
in with what you got because you can't go back.
With one lap in qualifying I always walk away
thinking I should have done this or I should have
done that. For the most part I went out there and
drove as hard as I could in the Argent/Honda and
most importantly still kept it on the track. Our
focus this weekend has been to make the car as good
as possible for the race. There is always attrition
in a street race so if you can finish this race
without a mistake you should be somewhere near the
front."
Practice will resume Sunday morning on the
streets of St. Petersburg followed by the Honda
Grand Prix of St. Pete which will be seen live on
ESPN at 3:30 pm EDT.
Rice and Patrick ready for
a return to the track at St. Petersburg -
3/29/06
After an emotional and difficult week, Rahal
Letterman Racing's driver duo of Buddy Rice and
Danica Patrick will return to the track this
weekend for the Honda Grand Prix of St.
Petersburg.
The race will essentially serve as the 2006
season opener for RLR. The team withdrew the cars
of Patrick and Rice from the season opening race
after the tragedy involving Paul Dana last Sunday
at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
For 2005 IRL IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year
Danica Patrick the frustration of Friday practice
at Homestead turned to optimism after a stellar
qualifying run on Saturday. Patrick claimed the
third spot on the grid with a fast lap of 216.798
mph.
"It will be a relief to get back on track and to
get our season started," said Patrick. "We have
spent a lot of time in testing and preparation for
the season and unfortunately the start of our
season was delayed. The choice not to run last week
was Bobby's [Rahal] decision and I think it
was the right one. We have to view Homestead as a
race where we basically had an early DNF. In the
grand scheme of the championship and the season
standings Homestead could be a factor."
Patrick will be making her fourth IndyCar Series
start on a road course. She finished 12th at St.
Petersburg a year ago after fighting gearbox
troubles during the race.
"Through a pit strategy, we had a decent run
going at St. Pete," said Patrick. "When we lost the
gearbox we had to pit and change the gears which
cost us a couple of laps. There was a lot of
impatience on display in the race here last year. I
don't know if that will be the case again this year
or not, but you have to be ready to take advantage
of your competition's mistakes."
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsType=current&newsid=1103
Co-Driver Killed in Practice
- 3/26/06
The Sunday practice was filled with tragedy. Paul
Dana was killed during practice when he ran head-on
into Ed Carpenter, who spun out ahead of him. The
Rahal team of Danica Patrick and Buddy Rice pulled
out of the race in his memory. Dana is the first
IRL driver killed since Tony Renna died in a crash
during testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
in October 2003. Scott Brayton also died in a crash
during practice for the 1996 Indy 500 and Gordon
Smiley was killed during practice for the 1982
Indianapolis 500. The IRL also had a tragedy in May
1999 when a wheel from a car sailed into the
grandstand at what was then Charlotte Motor
Speedway, killing three spectators and injuring
eight others.
The last NASCAR driver killed was Dale Earnhardt
in February 2001, the last driver to die in Formula
One was Ayrton Senna in May 1994, and the last
driver killed in the Champ Car World Series was
Greg Moore in 1999.
It is the third racing death at the Homestead
track - John Nemechek was killed in a NASCAR truck
race in February 1997 and Jeff Clinton died in a
Grand Am sports car event at the track in March
2002. Deaths
Racing
Patrick
(3rd), Rice (6th) and Dana (9th) claim top spots
for Sunday's IndyCar Series opener - 3/25/0
After a frustrating day on track on Friday Rahal
Letterman Racing's Danica Patrick nearly captured
the pole position for the 2006 IRL IndyCar Series
opener with a fast lap of 216.798 mph in qualifying
at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Patrick the 2005 IRL
IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year, made her IndyCar
Series debut at Homestead last year qualifying
ninth.
"The Argent Mortgage Honda felt pretty good in
qualifying, which is something I haven't been able
to say at all this weekend," said Patrick. "I guess
my engineer Ray [Leto] must have some magic
in him because he solved most of the problems from
this morning. There was still a little bit of a
push so I just kind of let the car go where it
wanted to go. Because there was a push in the car
the front end of the car wasn't getting around the
corner as well as I would have liked. Instead of
fighting it and adding more understeer I just kind
of let it drift to where it wanted to go. More than
anything, I am a little bit relieved after this
run, especially after the problems we had
yesterday. A run like this helps you gain the
confidence you need to keep your foot down. All we
have focused on was getting the car to be balanced
and to be at the point where I can really push the
car hard and be confident in it."
Buddy Rice grabbed sixth on the starting grid
with a fast lap of 215.913 mph. Rice started fourth
at Homestead a year ago but mechanical troubles
forced from to the sidelines after a strong early
run.
Penske Racing swept the front row for the Toyota
Indy 300. Sam Hornish Jr. established a new track
record for Homestead with a fast lap of 218.539
mph, which is especially notable because the record
came in the IndyCar Series first event with the new
ethanol blended fuel. Hornish is joined on the
front row by his Penske teammate Helio Castroneves
who posted a fast lap of 218.087 mph.
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsType=current&newsid=1099
Rice paces RLR on first day
of Homestead-Miami practice - 3/24/06
Rahal Letterman Racing's Buddy Rice and Danica
Patrick prepare for the 2006 IRL IndyCar Series
season opener on Sunday afternoon.
Patrick, the 2005 IndyCar Series Rookie of the
Year, wasn't thrilled with how the first day of
practice unfolded. Patrick posted a fast lap of
212.143 mph in the No. 16 Argent Mortgage
Honda/Panoz/Firestone. Last season Patrick started
ninth at Homestead and was running solidly in the
top-ten when she was caught in an eight car
collision.
"We worked a lot on race setup today and we
wanted to see how the car reacted in traffic," said
Patrick. "The car was moving around too much to be
comfortable. I had some trouble today hanging in
there with the other guys in traffic. I think Buddy
was a little better in traffic so I want to talk to
him about what he felt. The conditions were much
different from the open test when we had a lot of
wind and hotter temps and that can cause the car to
react differently. I think it is a little confusing
right now, but we will look at it in the trailer
and get a plan for Saturday. I know that we can sit
down and go over our data and make some changes.
It's good to have three drivers and engineers to
talk out the problems and the emphasize good
things. I'm confident we'll get the car back in the
right mode for qualifying and the race."
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1098
Rahal
Letterman Racing enters the 90th Indianapolis
500
Rahal Letterman Racing (RLR), one of the leading
open-wheel race teams in North America, announced
today it has submitted its official entries for the
90th Indianapolis 500 to the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway. RLR will field at least two entries at
Indianapolis with IndyCar Series drivers Buddy Rice
and Danica Patrick.
The 2006 Indy 500 will mark Rahal Letterman
Racing's fifth consecutive Indianapolis 500. RLR
won the 2004 Indy and finished as the runner-up in
the 2005 race.
Danica Patrick captured the headlines at the
'Brickyard' last spring qualifying fourth, leading
19 laps and nearly winning the race en route to a
fourth place finish and being named Indy 500 Rookie
of the Year. Patrick will once again drive the
familiar No. 16 Argent Mortgage
Honda/Panoz/Firestone at the Speedway.
"The entire Indy experience is something I will
remember as long as I live," said Patrick. "Looking
back now the month seems like a blur, but every day
I live in the aftermath of Indy. I have thought a
lot about last year and I realize how close we were
to winning the pole and the race. I am looking
forward to another shot at Indy."
Rahal Letterman Racing, based in Hilliard, Ohio
and co-owned by three-time PPG IndyCar Series
Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby
Rahal and CBS LATE SHOW host David Letterman, has
been a leading open-wheel racing operation for more
than a decade compiling 19 victories, 28 poles and
one series championship (Bobby Rahal in 1992 in
CART) and an Indianapolis 500 championship (Rice in
2004). In 2006 Rahal Letterman Racing will campaign
three cars in the Indy Racing League's IndyCar
Series. Buddy Rice and 2005 Indianapolis and IRL
IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year Danica Patrick
and rookie driver Paul Dana will pilot Honda
powered Panoz cars with primary sponsorship by
Argent Mortgage Company and Ethanol.
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsid=1097
Rahal Letterman
drivers have great exepctations for 2006
The dawn of the 2006 IRL IndyCar Series season
brings Buddy Rice and Danica Patrick back as the
drivers of the Argent Mortgage Honda/Panoz
cars.
Rice entering his fifth IndyCar Series season
and his third with RLR is the leader of the
all-American crew. The 2004 Indy 500 winner is
looking to bounce back from a nightmarish 2005
which saw him post a career high seven DNFs. Rice
entered last season with championship aspirations
and he enters the '06 campaign with his eyes on the
season championship.
"Nobody in the paddock was happier to see last
season end than I," said Rice. "I worked hard this
off season and I am really looking forward to 2006.
I am optimistic that this is going to be a big year
for us. There is a lot of similarity between this
year and 2004 in that a lot of people are
overlooking us heading into the season. I think we
will surprise a few of the so called experts."
In Danica Patrick's case the spotlight is
shining bright heading into the 2006 season. The
surge of post Indy media that became known as
Danica-Mania has resumed and the 5'2" 105-pound
Patrick faces the challenge of balancing the off
track demands with the on track competition.
"There are a lot of expectations heading into
the season from fans, sponsors and the media," said
Patrick the 2005 IRL Rookie of the Year. "Those
expectations are not any higher than what I place
on myself. I have always tended to be tougher on
myself than those around me. We led races, won pole
positions, and raced well last season. The next
logical step is to win, but I am only making my
18th IndyCar start this weekend. I still have a lot
to learn and I have to build on that knowledge
base. Bobby [Rahal] gave me great advice at
Homestead last year when he told me to just finish.
I am still learning and the key for me is to build
on what I have learned to this point. I am heading
into the season looking to qualify well and run up
front. If we can do that those top-ten results will
become top-five results and eventually those
top-five finishes will become wins."
In 2006 Rahal Letterman Racing enters its fourth
full-time season as an IRL IndyCar Series
competitor and its second season of running three
full-time entries.
"Running three cars was a huge advantage at Indy
in 2004 and it really helped at times last season,"
said Rice. "It really allows a team to maximize its
track time and on the two-day weekends that can be
critical."
Source: rahal.com/season/news/index.jsp?newsType=current&newsid=1096
Snippets - 2006
PEAK Antifreeze offers a
Chance to Win Private Open Wheel Driving Lessons
with Danica Patrick. Get a sweepstakes entry
form from a PEAK retailer or visit
www.peakantifreeze.com
to enter online by 12/31/06.
* * *
Danica starter 15th, next to Sarach Fisher, and
finished 12th in the final race of the season at
Chicagoland Raceway to keep her 9th place overall
standing for 2006. Danica's draw for the year was
less than a million.
* * *
Danica Patrick posted her best ever IndyCar
Series road course qualifying effort with a fast
lap of 104.772 mph. She was gridded 11th, got to
3rd on pit stops, and finished the race at Infineon
Raceways in 8th. She currently ranks 9th overall in
the series with 284 poionts.
* * *
Danica Patrick posted her best ever IndyCar
Series road course qualifying effort with a fast
lap of 104.772 mph. Patrick topped her previous
best effort of 14th at St. Petersburg by three
spots and she becomes the top RLR road course
qualifier for the first time. Patrick will start
eleventh, three spots better than her previous best
start of 14th at St. Petersburg. Patrick has a pair
of top-eight results on road courses this year and
will look for another top-ten on Sunday , August 27
- Infineon
Raceway
,
Sonoma, California. Distance: 80 laps/184 miles.
3:30PM EST on ESPN.
* * *
Danica Patrick was optimistic after the morning
session at Infineon (8/25), but a chaotic afternoon
session featuring multiple yellow flags left the
second year driver frustrated with a lack of
overall progress and behind her two teamates. The
race will be Sunday, August 27 - Infineon
Raceway
,
Sonoma, California. Distance: 80 laps/184 miles.
3:30PM EST on ESPN. It's unclear how
involved Bobby Rahal is anymore with the Indy Car
series since his web site's home page hasn't even
up-dated his driver's points standings since
2005.
* * *
Started 11th at Kentucky Speedway with a
qualifying time of 215.456 and finsihed 200 laps to
finish 8th. She remains 10th in the over-all
standings with 2 top 5 and 7 top 10 of 11 starts.
Next race Sunday, August 27 - Infineon
Raceway
,
Sonoma, California. Distance: 80 laps/184 miles.
3:30PM EST on ESPN
* * *
In the rain delayed Michigan
International Speedway
race Sunday, July 30, Danica started 11th with a
qualifing time of 213.357 and finished 197 of the
200 laps to finish 17th and drop to 10th in the
over-all standings. Only three more races to go
with the Rahal/Letterman team. Next race Sunday,
August 13 - Kentucky
Speedway
,
at 3:30PM EST on ABC where she will be on
the track with Sarah Fisher in the number 5 car.
See a comparison
here.
*
* *
Danica qualified 10th at 200.283 at Nashville
Superspeedway (7/15/06) and finished 4th, her
highest finish this year. She moved from 12th in
over-all points, to 9th in spite of missing the
first race of the season.
* * *
On Wednesday (7/12/06), at the taping of the
ESPY's, Danica told rapper Ludacris, after
receiving her award, that she'd like to be in one
of his videos. He said that she'd have to "shake
her money-maker," which Danica proceeded to do.
* * *
With almost no track time to trim out her race
car because of rain-delayed practices all month,
Danica was able to squeeze at 224.508/2:40.2319
time out of the number 16 Argent race car to take
the number 10 spot on the grid ahead of teammates
Buddy Rice (gridded 14th) and Jeff Simmons (gridded
26th). She also gridded ahead of other famous names
in racing, Michael Andretti, Eddie Cheever Jr,
Buddy Lazier, and Al Unser Jr, to name a few.
* * *
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