Danica Patrick: 5 intriguing IndyCar statistics about the controversial driver 

Danica Patrick is a former IndyCar racer, but her recent rise to fame amongst a global audience has been down to her stint as an F1 pundit with Sky Sports. The American racer has been a polarizing figure for a while now due to some of her unconventional worldviews and a rather controversial podcast.

There is, however, an entirely different side to Patrick that so many of the new followers of F1 do not know. She first made her name in the early 2000s, and it was not because of her controversial worldview but because of her skills as a driver. Looking back, a lot of her legacy gets maligned because her takes have been too outlandish, but her driving ability and what she did as a woman in motorsports are considerable and noteworthy.

This feature is not about her controversial bits but what made her someone who could truly be looked at as an inspiration for women/girls wanting to make it in motorsports. It's about some of her accomplishments that still stand the test of time in IndyCar. So without further ado, let's jump straight to it.

#1. Danica Patrick won the Rookie of the Year award

Patrick made her debut in IndyCar with Rahal Letterman Racing in 2005. The American racer was not a fish out of water in any way from the get-go, and what she showed in her very first year with the team was an ability to be right on pace with her teammates.

After a brief period of adaptation for the first few races, Patrick was very much on pace with her teammate and outshone other rookies. What stood out the most in her first year in IndyCar was that she could secure pole positions already and be the benchmark for the rest of the grid.

Three pole positions in just the rookie season ultimately propelled her to finish P12 in the championship, a solid start by all standards at the time.

#2. First woman to win a race in IndyCar

Since 2005, when she made her IndyCar debut, Danica Patrick's career has shown slow but gradual improvement over the years. This was evident when she next made the move to Andretti from Rahal Letterman and made further improvements. In a field of sports where she was truly a trailblazer, arguably one of the bigger achievements came when she became a race winner in IndyCar.

In 2008, Patrick secured her first win in IndyCar at Motegi, with the commentator rightfully saying that 'Now she would never be called the Anna Kournikova of racing.' It was a long time coming.

#3. First woman to lead an Indy500 race

Talking about making an instant impact in IndyCar, Danica Patrick did not waste much time in doing so in her first appearance in the iconic Indianapolis 500 race. In her very first appearance on the iconic track, she was in form from the start, and this was further indicated by her qualifying performance that saw her qualify in P4.

Patrick impressed everyone from the very beginning in that race and was right in contention for the win until the end when Dan Wheldon, Vitor Meira, and Bryan Herta got the jump on her. Despite losing out on the top 3, Patrick made enough of a first impression on the field for everyone to know that she was going to be a long-term frontrunner.

#4. Highest finish by a woman in Indy500

Danica Patrick's tryst with Indy 500 continued throughout her career in IndyCar because of the level at which she continuously performed over the years. After missing out on the rostrum after multiple attempts, she finally got her hands on a top 3 finish in 2009 with Andretti.

In a season that was maybe not one of her best, Patrick still ended up ticking one very important checkbox of a top 3 finish in one of the most iconic races in motorsports.

#5. Voted 'most popular IndyCar driver' for six consecutive years

Probably something that was a feature of Danica Patrick's career throughout her racing history was that she made an impression on the fans in her very first season. A female driver was an attraction, and that's why there were a few who called her the "Anna Kournikova of motorsports" early in her career.

Once the accomplishments started adding up, the moniker was left behind as Patrick established herself as someone who deserved to be in IndyCar. What, however, continued to be a feature of Danica Patrick's career was her ability to be the star attraction.

From 2005, when Patrick debuted, until 2010, she won the most popular IndyCar driver award for six consecutive years, something that's not been emulated since she left the stage.