Danica Patrick goes for two in a row in IndyCar Series action Sunday in the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway

By Tom Reck
Tribune-Star Correspondent

TERRE HAUTE April 26, 2008 12:02 am

— Danica Patrick goes for two in a row in IndyCar Series action Sunday in the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway.
Having made history by becoming the first female to win in IndyCar racing in Japan last week, Patrick shoots for a top finish in the race that should draw top television ratings. ESPN2 will carry the fourth race of the season live at 4 p.m.
Former driver Lynn St. James paid Patrick a high compliment when she said her achievement was the greatest for women in sports since Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in tennis. “What I did is part of a wave of women doing great things … it shows we are capable of anything,” Patrick said this week during a hectic post-race schedule.
Her victory was featured in stories on Page 1 of such newspapers as The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and USA Today. Editorials followed extolling what Patrick achieved in her 50th start in the Indy Racing League.
As she noted, she no longer will have to answer the question of about “winning a race” and hopes the media will focus on other aspects of her career. “I am in a special group of drivers now and feel proud about it,” she said.
Going into Sunday’s race, she now is third in the championship point totals with 98 behind Helio Castroneves with 112 and Scott Dixon with 100. Andretti Green Racing teammate Tony Kanaan is fourth with 89.
“Winning meant a lot to a lot of people — my parents, my team. It was a team win,” said Patrick.
She says she will not let people dictate how she is supposed to feel about winning. Patrick admitted crying tears of joy after winning was a “little girly” of her.
Her history-making run followed a race at St. Petersburg, Fla., when Graham Rahal became the youngest to win in the series and doing it in his first race.
“The timing has been special, especially since it came at the same time the final Champ Car race was being run. I hope we can capitalize on all the good things happening right now,” said Patrick.
Seven different drivers have won in the seven races at Kansas Speedway. Three of them will be in this year’s race: Buddy Rice, Kanaan and Dan Wheldon, who won last year.
For many of the new drivers in the series from Champ Car, this race will be the second one on an oval. Orio Servia had the best finish of that group in the opener at Homestead-Miami, taking 12th.
One veteran driver will be making his first appearance of the season with Tomas Scheckter in the Luzco Dragon Racing car. He has four top-10 finishes at Kansas in six starts.
Scheckter also will be in the Indy 500 where he has led 148 laps in his first six starts.
And while Patrick goes for her second victory, Vitor Meira will seek his first victory in what will be his 80th start in the series.

Pit stops — Castroneves will make his 101st start in the series and his 98th consecutive start. If he wins a race this year, he will establish an Indy Racing League mark of having at least one win in eight consecutive seasons. He and Scott Sharp now are tied with wins in seven straight.
• Castroneves was second to Patrick in Japan and is the only driver to be in the top five in all three events. Kanaan and Patrick are the only two to be in the top 10 in all three.
• Sunday’s race is the final tuneup for the Indy 500. Practice for new drivers begins May 4 with the track open for all drivers May 6. Qualifying commences with Pole Day runs May 3.