INDIANAPOLIS 500 NOTEBOOK

updated 10:09 p.m. ET May 22, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - An exhausted Danica Patrick spent nearly 50 minutes Thursday smiling, joking and explaining everything from her future plans to her new image.

The 26-year-old never even yawned.

Yes, the first woman to reach Victory Lane in a major race and the unquestioned queen of the Indy Racing League, actually enjoyed playing the role of deft politician during Thursday’s Indianapolis 500 media day.

“This is something I have to take advantage of because you guys are watching, and the whole world is watching,” said Patrick, who will start fifth in Sunday’s race. “I’m not one of those drivers who sits back and says ’I’m tired, it’s not worth it’ because I know one day I won’t be popular.”

That’s certainly not the case now.

It has been a grueling month for Patrick at the 2.5-mile track. Aside from her full-time job, driving the No. 7 car for Andretti Green Racing, she’s been the most requested driver for interviews, television appearances, charity dinners and sponsorship events.

Thursday morning, she was back on the morning shows before stepping into a Super Bowl-style cauldron of questions. The subjects ranged from when she would next travel to Brazil to her political leanings. Although Patrick didn’t disclose her choice for president, she did admit that like most Americans she’s fed up with gas prices.

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Just reading the bookings is a tiresome chore for her teammates.

“I really appreciate the way she does things, because I would not want that for me,” former series champion Tony Kanaan said. “I need my time to think about my race car, I need my time to work out. I just need my time.”

That’s in short supply for Patrick after last month’s historic win in Japan.

“Winning was always the goal; it was really one of the only times I put ’girl’ into my vocabulary — like it would be nice to be the first woman to do that,” Patrick said. “What it changes is things on the outside like the media, the endorsements and the fan attention. It doesn’t change me as a driver.”

Don't forget Kanaan
Brazilian Tony Kanaan was happy to allow teammate Danica Patrick to steal Thursday’s show. He’s saving his best material for Sunday.

Over the past five years, Kanaan has finished 12th, fifth, eighth, second and third at Indy, and watched teammates Dan Wheldon and Dario Franchitti pull into the winner’s circle.

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This year Kanaan’s starting sixth, the worst qualifying position he’s had in seven Indy starts, and will be on the outside of Patrick in the second row.

Those who are counting him out, however, might be making a big mistake.

“Let’s put it this way,” the 33-year-old Brazilian said. “They can talk to her as much as they want, but following the race, you’re going to have to come talk to me.”

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