HR0532 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0532 LRB094 12620 CSA 47408 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Danica Patrick, a 23-year-old resident of Phoenix and native of Roscoe, a northern Illinois town of 6,244 near the Wisconsin border, became the first woman to lead auto racing's premier event and finish fourth in the 89th running of the Indianapolis 500; and

WHEREAS, Driving in only her fifth Indy Racing League (I.R.L.) event, Ms. Patrick posted the fastest speed in practice and qualified fourth, another best for a woman, for the 33-car starting grid; and

WHEREAS, She put her name alongside Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Billie Jean King, and Annika Sorenstam on the list of women who made athletic history by making their presence felt in a male-dominated sport; and

WHEREAS, Three women have driven in a combined 15 Indy 500s before Ms. Patrick, and Janet Guthrie was the only woman to finish in the top 10; she was ninth in 1978; and

WHEREAS, Danica Patrick hopped into her first go-kart at the age of 10, started racing on a half-mile asphalt track at Sugar River Raceway in Broadhead, Wisconsin, and left Hononegah High School at the age of 16 for driving school in England; and

WHEREAS, Before this year, she was an accomplished driver in the Toyota Atlantic series, and she finished fourth in the previous I.R.L. race in Japan in April; the co-owners of her car are Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indy 500 winner, and David Letterman, the late-night talk-show host; the team's top driver, Buddy Rice, won the Indy 500 last year; and

WHEREAS, About 250 locals in her hometown of Roscoe held a party during the running of the Indianapolis 500 in honor of their favorite daughter; the locals are justifiably proud of Ms. Patrick's abilities and accomplishments and plan to celebrate with a Danica Patrick Day and parade; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Danica Patrick on her superb finish in the 89th running of the Indianapolis 500 and pay tribute to her incredible talent, tenacity, and competitiveness; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Danica Patrick as an expression of our utmost admiration and esteem and best wishes for the future.