Some may argue that Danica Patrick had not been great in her NASCAR days. However, that does not overshadow the fact that she was a pioneering and inspirational figure for future generations of female drivers in the sport. Back in 2018, she was nominated for the People’s Choice Game Changer award alongside, several top athletes across different sports. The award was aimed at athletes who had been absolute game-changers in their respective sports.
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Along with Danica Patrick, some of the other big names were the likes of, football star, Cristiano Ronaldo and Olympic gymnast, Simone Biles. However, in the end, the award was taken by Tennis superstar Serena Williams. Patrick’s name being up there with some of the finest athletes across the world was certainly amazing to see.
Patrick though never had any wins in the Cup Series. She did have one back in IndyCar. Moreover, she also holds the record to be the only woman to have ever won a race in IndyCar. Patrick holds one Most Popular driver award that was given to her after the 2012 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.
What did she do to be nominated for this award?
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While Patrick hasn’t been a champion, her presence in the sport can be categorized as a game-changer. But would that qualify for that particular year of the awards?
Some would say it was the win in IndyCar or her only pole-starting race in the Cup Series, or the time when she lead a few laps of a Cup Series race. However, none of those achievements were in that specific year. The only thing that checked out was her announcement of the Danica Double ahead of her retirement from racing altogether.
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However, even the Danica Double ended shortly after a series of crashes. So was she truly a game changer, maybe yes. But was she a game changer in that specific year, perhaps not?