HR0532 LRB094 12620 CSA 47408 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Danica Patrick, a 23-year-old resident of Phoenix
3 and native of Roscoe, a northern Illinois town of 6,244 near
4 the Wisconsin border, became the first woman to lead auto
5 racing's premier event and finish fourth in the 89th running of
6 the Indianapolis 500; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Driving in only her fifth Indy Racing League
8 (I.R.L.) event, Ms. Patrick posted the fastest speed in
9 practice and qualified fourth, another best for a woman, for
10 the 33-car starting grid; and
 
11     WHEREAS, She put her name alongside Babe Didrikson
12 Zaharias, Billie Jean King, and Annika Sorenstam on the list of
13 women who made athletic history by making their presence felt
14 in a male-dominated sport; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Three women have driven in a combined 15 Indy 500s
16 before Ms. Patrick, and Janet Guthrie was the only woman to
17 finish in the top 10; she was ninth in 1978; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Danica Patrick hopped into her first go-kart at
19 the age of 10, started racing on a half-mile asphalt track at
20 Sugar River Raceway in Broadhead, Wisconsin, and left Hononegah
21 High School at the age of 16 for driving school in England; and
 
22     WHEREAS, Before this year, she was an accomplished driver
23 in the Toyota Atlantic series, and she finished fourth in the
24 previous I.R.L. race in Japan in April; the co-owners of her
25 car are Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indy 500 winner, and David
26 Letterman, the late-night talk-show host; the team's top
27 driver, Buddy Rice, won the Indy 500 last year; and
 
28     WHEREAS, About 250 locals in her hometown of Roscoe held a
29 party during the running of the Indianapolis 500 in honor of

 

 

HR0532 - 2 - LRB094 12620 CSA 47408 r

1 their favorite daughter; the locals are justifiably proud of
2 Ms. Patrick's abilities and accomplishments and plan to
3 celebrate with a Danica Patrick Day and parade; therefore, be
4 it
 
5     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
6 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
7 we congratulate Danica Patrick on her superb finish in the 89th
8 running of the Indianapolis 500 and pay tribute to her
9 incredible talent, tenacity, and competitiveness; and be it
10 further
 
11     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12 presented to Danica Patrick as an expression of our utmost
13 admiration and esteem and best wishes for the future.