Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick logs first day on track in Barber Dodge Pro Series - Jul 5 2002

Team Rahal’s Danica Patrick made her debut in the Barber Dodge Pro Series Friday in the streets of Toronto as part of the Molson Indy CART Champ Car weekend.

Patrick, the 20-year-old female driver from Roscoe, Ill., drove the No. 89 Team Rahal/Rahal Automotive Group formula car to 16th fastest in qualifying on the 1.755-mile temporary circuit through the Exhibition Place grounds near downtown Toronto. The 5-foot-1, 100-pound dynamo was as quick as fifth early in the qualifying round and stayed consistently in the Top 10 before tire trouble slowed her.

Her single-lap clocking of 1:13.708 at a speed of 85.918 m.p.h. put her 16th on the grid after the first 30-minute qualifying session but Patrick felt she could have been quicker in her first outing in the Barber Dodge Pro Series.

Patrick signed an exclusive contract with Team Rahal last month and is beginning her trek through the newly formed CART Ladder System for young drivers. Patrick is scheduled to run five Barber Dodge Pro Series races in 2002 before taking on the Toyota Atlantic Championship next year for Team Rahal.

Patrick will run one qualifying session on Saturday before Sunday’s 45-minute feature race set for 11 a.m.

Danica Patrick (#89 Team Rahal/Rahal Automotive Group) - “I’m a little frustrated with myself today. I think I was expecting to come out fast after the Sebring test with the Barber Dodge car. But I quickly realized that the street course is much different than Sebring. It was tough getting a consistency in the chassis setup. In the morning practice, the car was sliding quite a bit. So we got aggressive with the changes – probably too aggressive. At the start of qualifying, I was able to lower my times pretty consistently. But the tire pressures got too high and the traction wasn’t there. That’s probably some inexperience on my part with these cars. I should have pitted and had the crew guys adjust the pressures. It’s only the first day and Bobby (Rahal) and everyone have been very helpful and supportive with me. The track will be getting better as the weekend goes on and that will help me. I ran two days at Sebring and didn’t have one problem. Then I spun this afternoon. I couldn’t believe it. I just hit a curb and the car got sideways. I think I have to settle down and drive the car like I have in testing. It’s the first day and I was probably a little anxious today. The Barber Dodge people have been very good to me and they are excellent to work with on this program.”

Bobby Rahal (Team Rahal co-owner) -“Danica was a little tough on herself today. She is learning the track and the car all on the same day. That’s real hard to do. She has the talent and I think she’ll be more comfortable on Saturday and Sunday. She hasn’t been on a street course with an open-wheeler before. So that’s a learning curve in itself. But she is keeping right on the program that we set up. It’s a step-by-step process and she understands that right now.”