Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick Speaker Biography

As a racecar driver, Danica Patrick broke barriers and set records with her on-track performance. With her racing career behind her, Danica looks to her next chapter as she focuses on her passions: good food, great wine, fitness and helping others achieve their goals.

Danica joined the mainstream ranks by succeeding in the male-dominated world of professional motorsports. Danica was named to TIME’s “100 Most Influential People” list, has graced the cover of many prestigious publications and was featured in pictorials in the 2008 and 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She has appeared in a record-setting 14 Super Bowl commercials, 13 of which were for longtime partner, GoDaddy!

At just 10 years old, Danica’s racing career began after her parents bought her a go-kart. After winning numerous regional and national go-kart titles, Danica left the Midwest at 16 years old to compete in the cutthroat world of European road racing.

In 2005, Danica stunned the world by leading 19 laps and finishing fourth in her first Indianapolis 500. She became the first woman to lead laps and score a top-five finish in the historic race. In 2008, Danica made history again becoming the first woman to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series with her victory in the IndyCar Series Indy Japan 300 race.

In 2013, as Danica transitioned to the NASCAR Cup Series, she made headlines around the world with her record-setting performance in the 55th Daytona 500 race. She became the first woman to win a NASCAR Cup Series pole when she set the fastest time in qualifying 500 and then finished in eighth place, the highest finishing position ever for a woman in the “Great American Race.”

In 2018, Danica closed out her time in racing with the “Danica Double” and competed in two marquee events that were cornerstones of her career: the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. In 2018, she shattered another glass ceiling when she became the first female host of the ESPY’s – ESPNs Sports Award show, that aired live on ABC.

Moving into her next chapter, retired from racing, Danica’s focus has shifted to her role as an entrepreneur and business owner. Taking the lessons she learned from her years on the track, Danica is the founder and sole proprietor of Somnium, a vineyard in Napa Valley, California. Her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for wine, found her wanting to expand her portfolio and in 2021 created a rose offering under the Danica label.

Danica is the author of a book Pretty Intense that was then made into the widely popular podcast that she currently hosts bearing the same name, Pretty Intense. In addition to these projects, Danica continues to do inspirational speaking engagements and plans to build upon these initiatives in the coming years. Recently, Danica joined the broadcast world covering F1, IndyCar and NASCAR for Sky Sports, NBC Sports and FOX Sports.

Danica resides in Scottsdale, AZ with her two dogs.