janet guthrie – Minesweeper: What was it doing that it runs agrou

Patrick

Patrick, 30, finished the 2.5-mile Daytona International race in 45.817 sec., averaging 196.434 mph to bag the pole the first woman ever for the February 24 opener of NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series.

Patrick’s previous record:

In 2005, she was the 1^st woman to lead the Indianapolis 500;
Became the first woman to win a series race when she captured the 2008 event at Japan’s Twin Ring Motegi;
In 2009 she bagged the Indy 500 podium in 3^rd place;
She finished 10^th in NASCAR’s second-rung nationwide series last season; and
Won pole for the nationwide at Daytona last year

However, the top-flight NASCAR race position a woman has ever achieved was at Bristol and Talladega in 1977 by Janet Guthrie.

Jeff Gordon , a 3-time winner of Daytona race, occupies the 4^th front row spot on the Daytona 500 grid. He averages 196.292 mph.

Gordon will start alongside Patrick on the front row of the grid. They’re the only drivers who have secured their starting positions

On Thursday the setting of the rest of the 43-car grid will be made.

Source: Patrick’s Daytona pole

Related: Johnson wins 2nd Daytona 500; Patrick finishes 8th

2/24/2013- DAYTONA BEACH — Jimmie Johnson has won his second Daytona 500, racing past defending NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski on the final restart, while Danica Patrick finished eighth.