She was fearless in an Indy car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a white-knuckle track that has shaken the nerves of many a driver. With marketing savvy and strong sponsorship support, she built a platform that made her one of the most recognizable athletes in the world — not just among female athletes, either. Patrick leads all celebrities with a record 14 appearances in Super Bowl commercials.
All of which made it so startling two weeks ago when Patrick, steely and stoic in public for so many years, wept as she announced she will drive just two more races : next year's Daytona 500 in February and then the Indianapolis 500 three months later in a "Danica Double" that will close out her career at the track that played a huge part in her fame.