Today, Danica Patrick brought the best prepared car to Daytona and won the pole for next weekend's Daytona 500.
From ESPN: Danica Patrick has won the Daytona 500 pole, becoming the first woman to secure the top spot for any race in NASCAR's top circuit.
It was the biggest achievement of her stock-car career.
"We have a lot more history to make and we're eager to do it," Patrick said.
Patrick went out eighth in the qualifying session Sunday and covered the 2½-mile superspeedway in 45.817 seconds, averaging 196.434 mph.
She waited about two hours as 37 fellow drivers tried to take her spot. Only four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon even came close to knocking her off.
"That's a huge accomplishment," team owner and fellow driver Tony Stewart said. "It's not like it's been 15 or 20 years she's been trying to do this. It's her second trip to Daytona here in a Cup car. She's made history in the sport. That's stuff that we're proud of being a part of with her. It's something she should have a huge amount of pride in.
"It's never been done. There's only one person that can be the first to do anything. Doesn't matter how many do it after you do, accomplish that same goal. The first one that does always has that little bit more significance to it because you were the first."
Gordon was the only other driver who topped 196 mph in qualifying. He locked up the other guaranteed spot in next week's season-opening Daytona 500.
"It's great to be part of history," Gordon said. "I can say I was the fastest guy today." http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/8956961/danica-patrick-first-woman-win-daytona-500-pole
This is more of Patrick's crew getting a car properly prepared for qualifying. Patrick does do a good job qualifying because no other cars are on the track.
However, I predict she won't be in the top 25 after the race is done next Sunday.
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