This Day in Pop Culture for April 20

2008: A Woman Wins an Indy Race

Dominated by men in the sport of car racing, 26-year-old Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Monteigi in Montegi, Japan on this day in 2008. The event made her the first female winner in IndyCar racing history. Patrick became interested in racing as a young girl and moved to England when she was a teenager to find better training for the sport. In 2002, she returned to the states and began driving for the Rahal Letterman Racing Team, owned by Bobby Rahal and David Letterman. Her first Indy 500 event took place on May 29, 2005 where she was the fourth female driver ever to compete in that race which has been in existence since 1911