Sky Go (formerly known as Sky Player, Sky Anytime on PC and Sky By Broadband) is an online television service from Sky which launched in January 2006. The service allows users to watch live and on demand video content from their Mac, Windows PC, mobile phone or Xbox 360 via a broadband or Wi-Fi internet connection. On demand content comprises sports highlights, latest news, movies and TV programmes. Content is viewable for a limited amount of time and is protected by digital rights management software provided by Microsoft and the NDS Group, and therefore cannot be copied to disc or viewed beyond the date carried by its license. The service is available at no extra cost to existing Sky TV customers, with accessible content depending on the subscriber's Sky package. Non-Sky TV customers can access the service by subscribing on a pay-per-view basis.

Sky Go is viewable on up to two devices. The Microsoft Silverlight 3.0 browser plug-in is required to play content on computers. Due to viewing rights, certain programmes are not available to watch via Sky Go, and are 'blacked out' from the schedule. In order to have access to the full selection of live TV channels available on Sky Go, users will need either a Sky Multiroom or Sky Broadband Unlimited subscription, on top of the required TV packages that correspond to the available channels.

History[link]

On 25 November 2006 Sky announced that Sky By Broadband had been rebranded as Sky Anytime on PC. The rebranding also coincided with an update to the client, which included a new interface and a pay-per-view service for movies and US television shows. On 16 May 2008, Sky Anytime on PC was rebranded as Sky Player, along with updated software to include live simulcasts of Sky News and Sky Sports.

On 29 October 2009, the service expanded on to the Xbox 360. While users do not require a Sky TV subscription, an Xbox Live Gold subscription is required, and users still need to register via the Sky Go website.^[1] Features include a party system which allows multiple users to watch content at the same time, with users represented by their Xbox 360 Avatars in a virtual room. Due to the high level of demand, the launch of the service was held back and rolled out to users incrementally over the following days.^[2]

On 19 November 2009, Sky Player was also made available to Windows Media Center-equipped Windows 7 computers.

Users of 3G phones on Vodafone, Orange, and T-Mobile could subscribe to Sky Mobile TV. The service consisted of three packages, Sky News, Sport and Factual Pack, Sky Entertainment Pack and Sky Music Pack which include a mixture of live and made for mobile channels of broadcasters channels.

On 6 July 2011, Sky Player and Sky Mobile TV services were merged and rebranded as Sky Go.^[3] Key changes include the ability to watch live channels in line with your Sky TV subscription at no additional cost, limited to two simultaneous devices. Support for Windows Media Center was dropped, however an app was released for Apple's iOS operating system, used on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. A Sky Go app for Android devices was released on 20 February 2012.^[4] Sky Go for Android is only available on a selection of Android 2.2 and 2.3 phones from HTC and Samsung, does not work on rooted phones and is limited to Wi-Fi connections.^[5]

Channels[link]

There are currently 40 television channels on Sky Go.

Entertainment[link]

Movies[link]

Sports[link]

News[link]

Documentaries[link]

Kids[link]

Radio[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Sky Go

Crepuscular rays of light shining through clouds near the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

The sky, also known as the celestial dome, commonly refers to everything that lies a certain distance above the surface of Earth, including the atmosphere and the rest of outer space. In the field of astronomy, the sky is also called the celestial sphere. This is an imaginary dome where the sun, stars, planets, and the moon are seen to be traveling. The celestial sphere is divided into regions called constellations. Usually, the term sky is used from the point of view of the Earth's surface. However, the exact meaning of the term can vary; in some cases, the sky is defined as only the denser portions of the atmosphere, for example.

During daylight, the sky appears to be blue because air scatters blue sunlight more than it scatters red.^[1][2][3][4] At night, the sky appears to be a mostly dark surface or region scattered with stars. During the day, the Sun can be seen in the sky, unless obscured by clouds. In the night sky (and to some extent during the day) the moon, planets and stars are visible in the sky. Some of the natural phenomena seen in the sky are clouds, rainbows, and aurorae. Lightning and precipitation can also be seen in the sky during storms. Birds, insects, aircraft, and kites are often considered to fly in the sky. As a result of human activities, smog during the day and light pollution during the night are often seen above large cities.

During the day[link]

A greater proportion of blue light scattered by the atmosphere relative to red light.

When seen from high altitudes, the gradient in the sky's color varies from pale to dark at elevations approaching the zenith

Except for light that comes directly from the sun, most of the light in the day sky is a result of scattering, which is dominated by a small-particle limit called Rayleigh Scattering. The scattering due to molecule sized particles (as in air) is greater in the forward and backward directions than it is in the lateral direction.^[5] Scattering is significant for light at all visible wavelengths, but it is stronger at the shorter (bluer) end of the visible spectrum, meaning that that the scattered light is more blue than its source, the sun. The remaining sunlight, having lost some of its short wavelength components, appears slightly less blue.

Scattering also occurs even more strongly in clouds. Individual water droplets exposed to white light will create a set of colored rings. If a cloud is thick enough, scattering from multiple water droplets will wash out the set of colored rings and create a washed out white color.^[6]

Orange clouds at sunset

The sky can turn a multitude of colors such as red, orange, purple and yellow (especially near sunset or sunrise) when the light must pass through a much longer path (or optical depth) through the atmosphere. Scattering effects also partially polarize light from the sky, most pronounced at an angle 90° from the sun. Scattered light from the horizon has traveled through as much as 38 times the atmosphere than has light from the zenith, causing it to lose blue components. The result is a blue gradient — vivid at the zenith, pale near the horizon.^[7] Because red light scatters as well if there is enough air in between the source and the observer, these longer wavelengths of light will also scatter significantly, making parts of the sky change color during a sunset. As the amount of atmosphere nears infinity, the scattered light appears more and more white.^[8]

The sun is not the only object that may appear less blue in atmosphere. Far away clouds or snowy mountaintops will seem yellow as well; that effect is not obvious on clear days, but very pronounced when clouds are covering the line of sight reducing the blue hue from scattered sunlight.^[8] At higher altitudes, the sky trends to darker colors, since scattering is reduced due to lower air density; an extreme example is the moon, where there is no atmosphere and no scattering, making the sky on the moon black even when the sun is visible.^[9]

Sky luminance distribution models have been recommended by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) for the design of daylighting schemes. Recent developments relate to “all sky models” for modelling sky luminance under weather conditions ranging from clear sky to overcast.^[10]

Dusk and dawn[link]

The intensity of the sky varies greatly over the day and the primary cause differs as well. When the sun is well above the horizon, direct scattering of sunlight (Rayleigh scattering) is the overwhelmingly dominant source of light. However, in twilight, the period of time between sunset and sunrise, the situation is more complicated, and a further differentiation is required. Some of the more common phenomenae that can be observed during this period are described below.

Green flashes and green rays are optical phenomena that occur shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when a green spot is visible, usually for no more than a second or two, above the sun, or it may resemble a green ray shooting up from the sunset point. Green flashes are a group of phenomena stemming from different causes,^[11] most of which occur when there is a temperature inversion (when temperatures increase with altitude rather than the normal decrease in temperature with altitude). Green flashes may be observed from any altitude (even from an aircraft). They usually are seen at an unobstructed horizon, such as over the ocean, but are possible over cloud tops and mountain tops as well. A green flash also may be observed in association with the Moon and bright planets at the horizon, including Venus and Jupiter.^[12][13]

The Earth's shadow is the shadow that the Earth itself casts on its atmosphere, which is often visible from the surface of the Earth, as a dark band in the sky near the horizon. This atmospheric phenomenon can sometimes be seen twice a day, around the times of sunset and sunrise. When the weather conditions and the observer's viewing point permit a clear sight of the horizon, the shadow can be seen as a dark blue or greyish-blue band. Assuming the sky is clear, the Earth's shadow is visible in the opposite half of the sky to the sunset or sunrise, and is seen right above the horizon as a dark blue band. A related phenomenon is the "Belt of Venus" or "anti-twilight arch" (sometimes written as "antitwilight arch"), a pink band that is visible above the dark blue of the Earth's shadow, in the same part of the sky. There is no clear dividing line between the Earth's shadow and the Belt of Venus; one colored band shades into the other in the sky.^[14][15]

Twilight is divided into three segments according to how far the sun is below the horizon in segments of 6°. After sunset the civil twilight sets in, and ends when the sun drops more than 6° below the horizon. This is followed by the nautical twilight, when the sun reaches heights of -6° and -12°, after which comes the astronomical twilight defined as the period from -12° to -18°. When the sun drops more than 18° below the horizon the sky generally attains its minimum brightness.^[16]

Several sources can be identified as the source of the intrinsic brightness of the sky, namely airglow, indirect scattering of sunlight, scattering of starlight, and artificial light pollution.

During the night[link]

The Milky Way can be seen as a large band across the night sky, and is distorted into an arch in this 360° panorama.

The term night sky refers to the sky as seen at night. The term is usually associated with skygazing and astronomy, with reference to views of celestial bodies such as stars, the Moon, and planets that become visible on a clear night after the Sun has set. Natural light sources in a night sky include moonlight, starlight, and airglow, depending on location and timing. The fact that the sky is not completely dark at night can be easily observed. Were the sky (in the absence of moon and city lights) absolutely dark, one would not be able to see the silhouette of an object against the sky.

The night sky and studies of it have a historical place in both ancient and modern cultures. In the past, for instance, farmers have used the state of the night sky as a calendar to determine when to plant crops. The ancient belief in astrology is generally based on the belief that relationships between heavenly bodies influence or convey information about events on Earth. The scientific study of the night sky and bodies observed within it, meanwhile, takes place in the science of astronomy.

Within visible-light astronomy, the visibility of celestial objects in the night sky is affected by light pollution. The presence of the Moon in the night sky has historically hindered astronomical observation by increasing the amount of ambient lighting. With the advent of artificial light sources, however, light pollution has been a growing problem for viewing the night sky. Special filters and modifications to light fixtures can help to alleviate this problem, but for the best views, both professional and amateur optical astronomers seek viewing sites located far from major urban areas.

Use within weather forecasting[link]

Marestail shows moisture at high altitude, signalling the later arrival of wet weather.

Along with pressure tendency, the condition of the sky is one of the more important parameters used to forecast weather in mountainous areas. Thickening of cloud cover or the invasion of a higher cloud deck is indicative of rain in the near future. At night, high thin cirrostratus clouds can lead to halos around the moon, which indicates an approach of a warm front and its associated rain.^[17] Morning fog portends fair conditions and can be associated with a marine layer, an indication of a stable atmosphere.^[18] Rainy conditions are preceded by wind or clouds which prevent fog formation. The approach of a line of thunderstorms could indicate the approach of a cold front. Cloud-free skies are indicative of fair weather for the near future.^[19] The use of sky cover in weather prediction has led to various weather lore over the centuries.^[20]

Tropical cyclones[link]

Picture of the sky within the eye of a tropical cyclone

Within 36 hours of the passage of a tropical cyclone's center, the pressure begins to fall and a veil of white cirrus clouds approaches from the cyclone's direction. Within 24 hours of the closest approach to the center, low clouds begin to move in, also known as the bar of a tropical cyclone, as the barometric pressure begins to fall more rapidly and the winds begin to increase. Within 18 hours of the center's approach, squally weather is common, with sudden increases in wind accompanied by rain showers or thunderstorms. Within six hours of the center's arrival, rain becomes continuous. Within an hour of the center, the rain becomes very heavy and the highest winds within the tropical cyclone are experienced. When the center arrives with a strong tropical cyclone, weather conditions improve and the sun becomes visible as the eye moves overhead. Once the system departs, winds reverse and, along with the rain, suddenly increase. One day after the center's passage, the low overcast is replaced with a higher overcast, and the rain becomes intermittent. By 36 hours after the center's passage, the high overcast breaks and the pressure begins to level off.^[21]

Use within transportation[link]

A Barn Swallow in flight

Flight is the process by which an object moves, through or beyond the sky (as in the case of spaceflight), by generating aerodynamic lift, propulsive thrust, aerostatically using buoyancy, or by ballistic movement, without any direct mechanical support from the ground. The engineering aspects of flight are studied in aerospace engineering which is subdivided into aeronautics, which is the study of vehicles that travel through the air, and astronautics, the study of vehicles that travel through space, and in ballistics, the study of the flight of projectiles. While human beings have been capable of flight via hot air balloons since 1783,^[22] other species have used flight for significantly longer. Animals, such as birds, bats, and insects are capable of flight. Spores and seeds from plants use flight, via use of the wind, as a method of propagating their species.^[23]

Significance in mythology[link]

Jupiter, Ancient Roman sky deity

This section requires expansion.

Many mythologies have deities especially associated with the sky. The Egyptian god Horus was the god of the Sky. Zeus was the god of the sky and thunder in Greek mythology. The Roman god Jupiter was the god of sky and thunder. Many cultures have drawn constellations between stars in the sky, using them in association with legends and mythology about their deities.

See also[link]

• Cyanometer

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sky

• Day sky images
• Night Sky images
• Sky photo gallery
• Why is the sky blue?

Shawn Chrystopher Garrett, II (born July 22, 1986) better known by his stage name Shawn Chrystopher, is an American rapper and music producer. He first gained major attention with the release of his debut mixtape "I.W.G.: I Wear Glasses" in 2008, which was sponsored by urban-clothing powerhouse LRG.^[1] Chrystopher also worked with artist MANN, XV, Mike Posner, Big Sean, N.O.R.E., Owl City, and many other artists spanning a handful of different genres.^[2]

Early life[link]

Shawn Chrystopher was born and raised in Inglewood, California. His mother, a hospital secretary, raised Shawn as a single mother while his father, a barber, worked odd jobs until shawn was on the basketball team. In 2009, Shawn's father, Shawn Garrett Sr., died, leaving Shawn Chrystopher to be the only bearer of his family surname.

In grade school, Chrystopher skipped from kindergarten to 2nd grade, resulting in him graduating high school at the age of 16. Upon graduation, Shawn was awarded a 4 1/2 year scholarship to the University of Southern California where he would major in political science.

Music career[link]

Whilst in grade school, Shawn perfected his ability to play over 5 different instruments, resulting in him learning how to produce his own music. In the fall of 2009, Shawn released his debut LP "A City With No Seasons" via his website, Honourrolestudent.com. With the majority of the production done by Chrystopher, Okayplayer.com and HipHopOfficial.com both co-signed the project, calling it one of the "most artistic projects of the year".^[3]

In March 2010, Shawn released his follow-up project "The Audition EP", hosted by world-renowned DJs Mick Boogie and Terry Urban. Continuing where his previous project left off, "The Audition" garnered over 35,000 downloads within its first week of release.

After two nationwide tours, in December 2010 Shawn released his third full length album, "You, And Only You" to critical acclaim. Lead by his hit single "Catch Me If You Can", which premiered on BET's 106 and Park as the New Joint of the Day on Jan 5th 2011,^[4] it received features in all of the music industry's top magazines and television networks (including VIBE Magazine who covered Shawn's album release event in Times Square New York.^[5] In the months following, viral interest grew world-wide, garnering over 4.5 million viral internet views/plays of his music videos, songs, and interviews.^[6]

Interest in Shawn continued to grow with several top selling artists expressing interest in collaborating with him on various projects, most recently the artist Owl City who tapped him to record two verses on their lead off (and number one charting) single Alligator Sky on its latest album All Things Bright and Beautiful which was released on June 14, 2011.

On October 3, 2011, Shawn Chrystopher released his 4th free album [Silent Films For The Blind]. This 15 track project was sponsored by Xbox.com and has features from Ashly, El Prez, Mann, and more.

On January 17, 2012, Shawn Chrystopher announced his debut album will be released on July 10, 2012 and will be titled "My Name Is Shawn". Speaking on the album, Shawn said: "its the most personal ive ever gotten..best music ive ever created...and will prove us all right!"

Endorsements[link]

LRG clothing[link]

In 2009 Shawn Chrystopher inked an endorsement deal with clothing company LRG. After sponsoring and showcasing Chrystopher's first two mixtapes, LRG featured Shawn Chrystopher in a full page ad in July 2009 during their 10th Anniversary campaign. The ad not only promoted LRG's Fall 2009 line, but Shaw but digital album "A City With No Seasons." The ad was printed in August issue of XXL magazine and used online advertisting on many well known music and fashion blogs throughout the internet.^[7]

Xbox[link]

On May 12, 2011, Xbox introduced Shawn Chrystopher to the gaming world by letting Chrystopher 'takeover' their social networking accounts.^[8] Shawn answered questions from fans spanning from games, upcoming music releases, touring, etc. Both sides hinted at a much deeper relationship in the following months including more cross-promotion and Shawn Chrystopher personalized Xbox items.

Discography[link]

• A City With No Seasons Released for Download: August 2009^[9]

• The Audition Released for download: March 2010^[10]

• You And Only You Released for sale: December 2010^[11]

• Silent Films For The Blind

• My Name Is Shawn (Debut Album) (July 2012)

Singles[link]

"Catch Me If You Can"^[12]

Featured singles[link]

"Alligator Sky" (Owl City featuring Shawn Chrystopher)

References[link]

ihouhkuhn]

External links[link]

• http://www.honourrolestudent.com
• http://twitter.com/shawnchrys
• http://Myspace.com/ShawnChrystopher
• http://facebook.com/mrchrystopher
• http://facebook.com/shawnchrystopher

Danica Patrick
Born	(1982-03-25) March 25, 1982 (age 30) Beloit, Wisconsin, United States
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
3 race(s) run over 1 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 10 (Stewart-Haas Racing)
First race	2012 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
Last race	2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
36 race(s) run over 3 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 7 (JR Motorsports)
2011 position	26th
Best finish	26th (2011)
First race	2010 DRIVE4COPD 300 (Daytona)
Last race	2012 History 300 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 4 1
Statistics current as of May 26, 2012.

Danica Sue Patrick (born March 25, 1982) is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd place. She competed in the series from 2005 to 2011. She currently competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Starting in kart racing, she later raced Formula Ford in England before moving back to the US and moving up to IndyCars. Patrick was named the Rookie of the Year for both the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and the 2005 IndyCar Series season. With her win in the 2008 Indy Japan 300, Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy car race. She placed 3rd in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, which was both a personal best for her at the track, and the highest finish by a woman in the event's history. Patrick holds the IRL record for most consecutive races running at the finish. As of October 2, 2011, she has completed 50 consecutive races in the running (the next highest total in the record book is 32).^[1] During her time in IndyCar, Patrick drove for Rahal Letterman Racing from 2005–2006, and Andretti Autosport from 2007-2011.

In 2010, Patrick began racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, driving the #7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet Impala for JR Motorsports part-time. She also has an equity stake in her #7 team.^[2] She had her best career finish of 4th in series on March 5, 2011 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway—the best finish by a woman in a NASCAR top-circuit.

Early life[link]

Patrick was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, the daughter of Beverly Ann (née Flaten) and Terry Jose Patrick, Jr. Her mother's family is of entirely Norwegian descent.^[3] She grew up in nearby Roscoe, Illinois. Her parents met on a blind date at a snowmobile event in the 1970s when Bev was a mechanic for a friend's snowmobile.^[4][5] T.J. raced snowmobiles, motocross, and midget cars. They have owned a Java Hut and a plate glass company.

Patrick was a cheerleader at Hononegah Community High School in Rockton, IL in 1996 and spent her off time babysitting for a family down the road when she wasn't racing.^[6] She dropped out of high school and attained a GED.^[7]

Her father, T.J., helps his daughter by driving her motor coach and managing her website and merchandise trailer, while her mother, Bev, handles Patrick's business affairs.^{[citation needed]}

Early racing career[link]

Patrick began go-karting in 1992 at the age of 10^[8] at the Sugar River Raceway in Brodhead, Wisconsin.

At age 16 she moved to Milton Keynes, England in order to advance her racing career,^[9] racing in British national series events against drivers including future Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button. During a three year period she raced in Formula Ford, Formula Vauxhall and earned a second-place in Britain's Formula Ford Festival, the highest finish by a woman in the event.^[10]

In 2002, Patrick started driving for Rahal Letterman Racing in the United States. After making several starts in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, she moved to the Toyota Atlantic Championship for 2003. Patrick won one pole position and was a consistent podium finisher (top three); however, she never won a race. In 2004, Patrick finished third in the Championship.^[11]

IRL IndyCar Series[link]

2005[link]

Patrick at the 2006 Indianapolis 500

After the 2004 racing season, Rahal Letterman Racing officially announced that Patrick would drive in the IRL IndyCar Series for 2005.

On May 29, 2005, Patrick became the fourth woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500, following Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher. After posting the fastest practice speed of the month (229.880 mph/369.956 km/h) during the morning practice session on the first day of qualifications (May 15), she made an error in the first turn of her first qualifying lap, and failed to capture the pole position, which went to Tony Kanaan. Patrick's fourth starting position was the highest ever attained for the race by a female driver.

Patrick became the first female driver to lead the race at Indianapolis, first when acquiring it for a lap near the 125-mile (201 km) mark while cycling through pit stops, and late in the race when she stayed out one lap longer than her rivals during a set of green-flag pit stops. Patrick overcame two crucial errors to finish fourth, the same position she started in. Patrick's car stalled in the pits about halfway through the 500-mile (800 km) race, dropping her to the middle of the field; and shortly after reclaiming a spot in the top 10, Patrick spun on a caution period just before an intended green flag leading to a four car accident. The accident caused damage to Patrick's car that was limited to the nose and front wing. Her pit crew promptly made repairs, and due to the subsequent yellow, Patrick was able to rejoin the field, losing only one position. When the leaders pitted for fuel on lap 172, Patrick stayed out to take the lead. On lap 194, eventual race winner and 2005 series champion Dan Wheldon passed her as she was forced to slow in order to conserve fuel. Patrick was subsequently passed by both Bryan Herta and her teammate Vitor Meira. Patrick's fourth place was the highest ever finish for a female driver at the Indy 500, besting the previous record of ninth set by Janet Guthrie in 1978. Patrick led 19 laps overall.

On July 2, 2005, Patrick won her first pole position, leading a 1-2-3 sweep by Rahal Letterman Racing at Kansas Speedway. She became the second woman to accomplish this feat in the IndyCar Series, the first being Sarah Fisher in 2002 at Kentucky Speedway. On August 13, 2005, she won her second pole at Kentucky Speedway, although this time, rain prematurely ended qualifying and position was determined by speeds achieved during practice. She took a third pole at Chicagoland Speedway which tied her with Tomas Scheckter's record for number of pole positions earned in a rookie season.

In 2005, Patrick finished 12th in the IndyCar Series championship, with 325 points. She was named Rookie of the Year for both the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and the 2005 IndyCar Series season.

During the offseason following the 2005 racing year, Patrick competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona along with co-driver Rusty Wallace in January 2006. The car did not finish and they ended the race in 50th place.^[12]

2006[link]

Patrick competed in the 2006 IndyCar Series season giving her another chance at qualifying and racing in the Indianapolis 500. In the first race of the season, the Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead, Patrick qualified third behind the Penske Racing teammates of Helio Castroneves and Sam Hornish, Jr. However, tragedy struck as RLR teammate Paul Dana was killed in a crash during practice the morning of the race. Patrick and Buddy Rice withdrew from the race immediately. The two resumed their 2006 IndyCar campaign with the second race of the year at St. Petersburg

At the Indy 500, Patrick started eighth and finished eighth. After Watkins Glen, RLR switched to the Dallara chassis and the team struggled to adapt. Patrick struggled to remain competitive, but her fourth place finishes at Nashville and Milwaukee tied her career best IndyCar finishes. At Michigan, Patrick's car ran out of fuel with three laps to go and she fell to 17th. She rebounded at Kentucky and Infineon to finish 8th in both races.

In her final race with RLR at Chicagoland, Patrick recorded a 12th place finish and a 9th place finish in the IndyCar Series Championship point standings, besting her 12th place points finish as a rookie.

In November, the March of Dimes awarded her the title of Sportswoman of the Year in celebration of her dedication and success.^[13]

2007[link]

Danica Patrick after qualifying for the 2007 Indianapolis 500

On July 25, 2006, Patrick announced she had signed a deal to drive for Andretti Green Racing, replacing Bryan Herta in the number 7 Dallara Honda car beginning in 2007.^[14] Patrick's car is sponsored by Motorola, XM radio and Go Daddy.^[15][16]

In Patrick's first race with Andretti Green Racing at Homestead on March 24 she finished 14th after crashing into the pit wall on lap 154. She finished 8th at St. Pete and 11th at Japan. At Kansas she had her best finish of the year at that point, finishing 7th.

Patrick ended up starting and finishing eighth in the 91st running of the Indianapolis 500. She ran as high as 2nd to Tony Kanaan after the mid-race rain delay. After a pit stop, she dropped back in the field. Patrick was working her way back to the front until the race was ended under the caution caused by Marco Andretti's accident due to the subsequent rain on lap 166.

At Milwaukee, Patrick started second to last but moved quickly to 5th before contact with Dan Wheldon. Patrick managed to keep the car from hitting anything, but the wreck caused aerodynamic damage. She used a caution to regain the lead lap and finish 8th. After the race, she and Wheldon had a heated exchange when she tried to confront him about the wreck.

Patrick rebounded at Texas in the Bombardier Learjet 550. She ran with the lead pack through the entire race and led a race for the first time since 2005. She finished less than a second behind the winner, Sam Hornish, Jr., a then career-best third and her first "podium" finish.

She was involved in a crash at Iowa and finished 13th. At Richmond she ran in the top 10 all night before finishing 6th.

She had an 11th place finish at Watkins Glen, before running in the top 5 all day and finishing 3rd at Nashville. At Mid-Ohio she finished 5th (her best road course finish) despite being involved in a lap 1 accident that sent her into the grass briefly.

Patrick had bad luck at Michigan International Speedway, where previous years saw her retire early due to fuel and other problems. In 2007, a flat tire late in the race forced Patrick to pit and dropped her to finish 7th.

Her bad luck continued at Kentucky, and she ran in the lead group all night and appeared headed towards another podium finish when she spun out exiting pit road with less than 50 laps to go. After restarting from that spin, a rear tire on Patrick's car blew leading to a crash and forcing her to retire from the race.

Her luck would get a little better at Infineon as she ran in the top 10 and finished 6th. However a series of slow pit stops kept her from what could have been an even better finish.

At Belle Isle, Patrick started 11th and was involved in two accidents from which she was able to restart without damage, eventually driving to the front and leading 9 laps of the race before falling back after having to pit. On the final lap, while Patrick was running in 5th, Buddy Rice, Scott Dixon and teammate Dario Franchitti were involved in an accident immediately in front of her. Patrick was able to avoid the wreck and finish in second place, a career-high in the IndyCar Series and tying her with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing driver Sarah Fisher for best finish in IndyCar racing by a female.

At the season finale in Chicagoland Speedway, Patrick ran most of the race in the top 6, but had to make a pit stop for fuel with 7 laps to go. When entering pit lane, Patrick spun-out but avoided damage to her car. With assistance from her pit crew, Patrick was able to refire the engine, make a complete pit stop and reenter the race, finishing 11th overall.

For the 2007 season as a whole, Patrick scored her first three career podium finishes to finish with 4 top 5's and 11 top 10's while leading 17 laps on the season. She also scored her career best championship points finish of 7th with 424 points.

2008[link]

Patrick at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008.

Patrick won her first IRL race at the 2008 Indy Japan 300, and became first woman to win an IndyCar Series race.

To begin the 2008 season, her second with Andretti Green Racing, Patrick scored her best career Homestead finish of 6th. She followed that up with another top 10 by scoring a 10th place finish at St. Petersburg.

Patrick won at Twin Ring Motegi in the Indy Japan 300 on April 20, 2008, becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar race,^[2] joining the ranks of drag racer Shirley Muldowney, who won three NHRA Top Fuel Championships,^[17] as a "first female" winner in the top tier of American motorsports. Patrick took the Indy Japan 300 after the race leaders were forced to pit for fuel in the final laps. She finished 5.8594 seconds ahead of the Brazilian pole-sitter Helio Castroneves, who ran out of fuel in the final turns on the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) Twin Ring Motegi oval.

Her team owner, Michael Andretti, commented, "I'm thrilled for her that the monkey is finally off of her back."^[18]

A mechanical problem late in the race RoadRunner Turbo 300 at Kansas Speedway forced Patrick to retire early from the race.

During practice for the 2008 Indianapolis 500, Patrick's car struck a member of Dale Coyne Racing's pit crew when she came into the pits on May 9. During the Indianapolis 500 on May 25, 2008, she retired from the race early after a collision in the pitlane. As Ryan Briscoe exited his pitbox the two cars collided, damaging Patrick's left rear suspension and eliminating both from the race. After being pushed back to her own pit, Patrick left her car and headed down pit road towards Briscoe's pit at which point IMS security intervened, preventing an on-track confrontation.^[19]

Following Indy, Patrick finished 9th at Milwaukee and 10th at Texas, with both races ending under yellow flag conditions. At Iowa and Richmond she stayed out of the many crashes during these races and finished 6th in each event.

Overall, she finished the 2008 IndyCar Series season in sixth place — the highest championship finish among American drivers for the 2008 season.

During the offseason following the 2008 racing year, Patrick made her second appearance in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January 2009 ^[20]

2009[link]

Patrick's car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2009

Danica Patrick at 2008 Indy 500 Pole Day

On May 24, Patrick raced at the Indianapolis 500. She finished third behind winner Helio Castroneves and second-place Dan Wheldon.^[21][22] It was her best finish in five attempts, one spot better than her 2005 finish, and a new record high finish for a female driver in the race. The following weekend in Milwaukee Patrick raced to 5th position at the flag. On June 6, she finished the Bombardier Learjet 550 in 6th place, dropping her to fifth place in the IndyCar Series point standings.

Patrick began the season with the Motorola sponsorship from her previous two seasons with AGR; however, her car was rebranded for Boost Mobile following the Kansas race. The changes were made public with a drive down the tarmac at the Indianapolis International Airport.^[23]

In what was a difficult Honda Indy Toronto qualifying and practice for the entire Andretti Green team, Patrick started the race in the 18th position (her teammates also starting in the rear of the field in 17th, 20th, and 22nd). Patrick had the best finish of the Andretti Green team moving up 12 positions to finish 6th, putting her only three points behind Castroneves for the 4th position in the 2009 points championship.

Patrick finished the season 5th overall in the point standings, her highest finish to date. This 5th place finish was not only the highest of any of the Andretti Green Racing drivers, but of any non-Penske or Ganassi driver for the 2009 season.^[24] It was also the highest finish by an American driver in 2009.

2010[link]

The 2010 season saw Patrick returning to drive with the newly renamed Andretti Autosport in the IZOD Indycar Series, as well as a limited schedule with JR Motorsports in the Nascar Nationwide Series.^[25] She would be sponsored by GoDaddy.com in both series.^[26]

The 2010 Indianapolis 500 got off to a rough start for Patrick when difficulties with the car setup led her to publicly removing blame from herself for poor qualifying results. Her comments that the car was "absolutely awful" and that "it's not my fault," led the crowd to boo Patrick loudly as they took it as her blaming her team and not taking any responsibility for a disappointing session.^[27] Patrick was also booed during driver intros.^[28] Despite starting in 23rd position, Patrick moved up 17 positions to finish in 6th.

Patrick's top finishes of the season came at Texas and Homestead-Miami. She finished in 2nd place in both races, making it the first season since 2007 in which she had placed on the podium in multiple races during a season. She finished 10th in the championship points for the season, moving just 6 points ahead of Justin Wilson during the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

During the 2010 season, Patrick set the Indycar Series record for consecutive races finished running, having finished every race of the 2010 season as well as all but the first race of the 2009 season, for a total of 33 races.^[29]

The 2010 season would also see Patrick participating in the Drive4COPD campaign along with Patty Loveless, Bruce Jenner, Michael Strahan, and Jim Belushi. The team is working as part of a multi-year initiative to bring awareness of the dangers of COPD (which includes Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema), the 4th leading cause of death in the US today.^[30]

Patrick's car at Indianapolis in May 2010.

2011[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2011)

Patrick would return for the 2011 IndyCar Series season driving again for Andretti Autosport, as well as competing part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driving for JR Motorsports, sponsored by GoDaddy.com in both. In the season opener at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Patrick started in 19th and finished 12th after sustaining front wing damage and having to pit for a replacement twice, first after being hit by Ana Beatriz, and later in a similar incident by Justin Wilson. She was also penalized for "avoidable contact" with J.R. Hildebrand, putting her back by one position.

In the second race of the season that took place at Barber Motorsports Park, Patrick would have a strong run starting from 22nd position, working her way up to 7th; however, unfortunate pit strategy involving her tires not being changed over would cause her to finish 17th instead. In her third race, the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Patrick started 20th and finished 7th, moving up 13 positions, more than anyone else in the race.

In her fourth race of the season, the São Paulo Indy 300, Patrick would start in 17th position. Heavy rainfall would ensue early on in the race that would result in a collision in Turn 2 between her and former teammate Tony Kanaan, along with Helio Castroneves and Simona de Silvestro, putting them all out of the race. After numerous other accidents caused by the weather and poor visibility, the race itself was postponed and scheduled to restart the next morning from Lap 14. Unfortunately, because Patrick's accident took place nine laps prior to the race being stopped, she, along with others involved were forced to restart nine laps down. She would finish the race in 23rd.

On May 21, due to unexplainable team-wide flaws with the cars, Patrick, along with the rest of her full-time teammates would fail to qualify for the 2011 Indianapolis 500, forcing them all to have to attempt to qualify on the following day for the last nine positions in the race. Despite being one of the fastest in the following morning's practice, when it came time for qualifying, her car failed tech, and she was thus placed in the back of the qualifying line. She would almost be denied an opportunity for a qualifying attempt because it started to rain. The rain stopped just in time for her to make a qualifying effort that put her safely in the race, qualifying 26th.

On the day of the race, May 29, she would start in 25th because of Ryan Hunter-Reay being reinstated into the race and starting in the back of the field. Despite strong showings in a car she was struggling with getting speed out of throughout the race and eventually taking the lead, she began to run out of fuel and this would cost her the win, causing her to finish 10th.

Ongoing handling issues with her racecar would follow Patrick to her next race at Texas Motor Speedway for the Firestone Twin 275's: a set of two individual races that took place the same night. She started 10th in the first race but finished 16th. The second race starting grid was determined by a drawing. The results of the drawing would have her start 20th, but she would overtake several cars early on in the race and would actually end up finishing 8th. Patrick tweeted, however, that she was still upset with both finishes. Like almost all the other drivers, she criticized the drawing to determine the starting positions for the 2nd race, stating that it would have been better that the field had been inverted instead like the original twin races.

Her next race at the Milwaukee Mile saw her starting 15th and finishing 5th after climbing 10 positions, her first top 5 finish of the season. Her next race was the Iowa Corn Indy 250 night race. Despite a successful qualifying run, starting 2nd, things took a severe turn for the worse when handling problems showed up at the final practice just prior to the race. As a result, Patrick lost positions very quickly in the opening laps and spent most of the time mid-pack, hardly passing anyone, however, was able to hold her position somewhat, and made a few passes late in the race, finishing 10th. At the Edmonton Indy she managed to finish 9th after starting 22nd, her best ever result on the City Centre Airport. Because this was the year of the 2011 IndyCar World Championships tragedy, Kentucky was the last race in which Patrick was able to edge out Helio Castroneves for 10th in the points championship. Patrick announced that she would no longer be driving full-time in the IZOD IndyCar Series after this season and would focus her full attention to driving stock cars in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

NASCAR/ARCA career[link]

Patrick drove a part-time schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports and her sponsor GoDaddy.com.^[31] Her first competitive stock car experience was driving the #7 Chevrolet in an ARCA race on February 6, 2010 at Daytona International Speedway, in which she finished in sixth place.^[32][33] She raced at Daytona on February 13, 2010, in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for her first career start in the series, which ended when Patrick was caught up in a 12-car accident. She started 15th and finished 35th. Patrick started her second NASCAR Nationwide Series race February 20, 2010 in the Stater Brothers 300 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California from 36th place and finished in 31st place in the JR Motorsports Chevrolet. She did not qualify for the race on speed but invoked a provisional to make the grid. In her third Nationwide race, Patrick finished 36th when she crashed into Michael McDowell, her 2nd DNF in 3 races. Her next Nationwide race in June resulted in a 30th place finish. At the Chicagoland race she finished 24th, two laps down.^[34] At final race on November 20, 2010, Patrick set her best 2010 Nationwide Series result, finishing 19th in the Ford 300 Race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. After making 13 Nationwide Series starts, Patrick finished the season 43rd overall in the point standings.

On March 5, 2011, Patrick set racing history again, finishing 4th in the Sam's Town 300 Nationwide Series Race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Patrick mentioned in the post-race interview that her goal was to get a top 10 finish.^[35]

On July 7, 2011, Patrick finished 10th in the Subway Jalapeño 250 Nationwide series race at Daytona after leading a total of 13 laps during the race before being involved in an incident coming to the checkered flag on the last lap of the race.

K&N Pro Series East[link]

In Patrick's first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race, she posted her first top 10 finish (6th) at Dover but the following day, during the Nationwide race, she hit the wall after experiencing a vibration and a cut tire off turn 4 finishing 35th, 94 laps down.^[36]

NASCAR Nationwide Series[link]

Danica Patrick pitstop at the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Danica Patrick and her sponsor GoDaddy.com announced on August 25, 2011 that Patrick will be leaving the IndyCar series to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series full time for JR Motorsports in 2012.

She won the pole for the season-opening event of the 2012 season, only the second woman to do so in NASCAR history, the first being Shawna Robinson in a Busch Series event in 1994.^[37]

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series[link]

It was also announced that Patrick will be running a limited schedule in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2012 with Godaddy.com as primary sponsor. On November 4, 2011, in a press conference at Texas Motor Speedway, it was revealed that Patrick will be driving the #10 (Robby Gordon would not give up ownership of the #7) car for Stewart-Haas Racing. In addition, former Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Greg Zipadelli would become crew chief for Danica's Cup Series debut at Daytona. Patrick is guaranteed a spot at the Daytona 500 through an alliance with Tommy Baldwin Racing, which is using the 33rd place owner's points from the TBR #36 entry.

In her first Sprint Cup race, Patrick finished 38th in the 2012 Daytona 500, having been temporarily taken out of the race in a wreck on lap 2 that also collected Jimmie Johnson, David Ragan, Trevor Bayne, and Kurt Busch.Her second race,the Southern 500, she started 38th and finished 31st.^[38]

Formula One speculations[link]

Patrick was scheduled to test for Formula One team Honda in November 2008,^[39] but this was called off due to the Honda team pulling out of the sport.^[40] In late 2009, the stillborn American F1 team US F1 allegedly considered testing Patrick for a potential drive in 2010.^[41] However, she stated that she wasn't contacted by anyone from the team, and that she had no plans to leave the IndyCar Series for Formula One at the time.^[42] After the announcement of the return of Formula One to the USA in 2012, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said that "to have someone like Danica Patrick in F1 would be a perfect advert."^[43]

Criticism[link]

Robby Gordon has claimed that Danica Patrick's comparatively low body weight constitutes unfair competition due to the inverse proportionality of the combined mass of a car and its driver, and its maximum velocity. However, the body weight of male drivers have the higher muscle mass, which is a key component in distance and endurance.^[44][45] After Patrick's IRL win, she was praised by many drivers, including NASCAR driver and former IRL champion Tony Stewart, who said "I think obviously she's got talent; she's been successful in every form of racing she's been in so far and I don't see why she wouldn't be successful here [in NASCAR]."^[46]

Media work[link]

Patrick at the 2007 Red Dress Collection for the Heart Truth campaign.

Patrick has hosted several TV shows on Spike TV, including "Powerblock", and she was featured in the 2005 documentary Girl Racers. On the August 23, 2007 episode of Diggnation, hosts Alex Albrecht and Kevin Rose shot live at Infineon Raceway, where they were treated to a lap around the track in the IndyCar Safety Car driven by Patrick. On April 24, 2008, Patrick was a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night With Conan O'Brien on April 25, 2008.

Patrick was featured on the cover of the June 6, 2005 issue of Sports Illustrated, making her the first Indianapolis 500 driver on the cover since Al Unser, in victory lane, following his upset fourth victory in 1987. After her participation in the 2005 Indianapolis 500, she was asked by Playboy to have her pictures taken to be published in a future edition of its magazine. She declined the offer, but she did participate in a "20 Questions" interview with Jason Buhrmester for the magazine's July 2007 issue.^[47] She had also previously posed for FHM, appearing in the April 2003 issue. She was on the cover of the September/October 2006 issue of travelgirl magazine and the October 2006 issue of American Libraries. Patrick appears in the February 15, 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She is featured in a 4-page photo spread.^[48]

She appeared in commercials for Secret deodorant in 2005 and 2006 until she was replaced by Rihanna in 2007. A spot for the Honda Civic Coupe features Patrick trying to avoid a speeding ticket.

Patrick on Pole Day at Indy, 2007.

Patrick was featured in an ESPN "This Is SportsCenter" commercial, which showed then-anchor Dan Patrick towing her IndyCar due to a reserved space misunderstanding (the space in question being reserved for "D. Patrick"). She can also be seen in award winning corporate training videos Four Weeks In May and T.E.A.M.W.O.R.K. In May 2006, she published her autobiography, Danica: Crossing the Line.

During testing at Phoenix International Raceway, GoDaddy filmed a commercial with Patrick that has also aired nationally. During the same test, at the invitation of GoDaddy, Patrick met with Paul Teutul, Sr. and Mikey Teutul, and subsequently appeared on an episode of American Chopper. Patrick was also in a 2008 "inspirational, feel-good" Go Daddy commercial called "Kart" that features a young girl who aspires to be like Patrick.^[49] On February 1, 2009, Patrick appeared in two GoDaddy.com commercials advertised during Super Bowl XLIII. The Most Watched Super Bowl commercial of 2009, according to TiVo, was Patrick's "Enhancement" ad for GoDaddy.com.^[50]

In 2007 she was voted sexiest athlete in the Victoria's Secret "What is Sexy" list.^[51] Patrick also was voted #42 in 2006 and #85 in 2007 in FHM's 100 sexiest women in the world.

She won the 2008 Kids Choice Award for favorite female athlete and again in 2012.^[52]

Patrick made a second appearance in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in February 2009, posing with a Shelby Cobra 427.^[53]

In October 2011, Patrick appeared on Cake Boss to order a special surprise cake for Michael Kalish, an established artist that created an art display called "24M", representing the 24 million people affected with COPD. The artwork consists of 24 giant pinwheels made from U.S. license plates. The custom cake designed by Buddy Valastro of Cake Boss included a racetrack with moving cars and pinwheels.

Patrick is represented by IMG talent agency.

Acting[link]

Patrick made her acting debut in the February 10, 2010 episode of CSI: NY where she played a racing driver suspected of murder.^[54]

Patrick also voiced herself in The Simpsons episode "How Munched is That Birdie in the Window?".

She also appeared in Jay-Z's music video "Show Me What You Got," where she drove a Pagani Zonda Roadster.^[55]

Personal life[link]

Patrick is married to Paul Edward Hospenthal, who had previously been her physical therapist while she was recovering from a yoga injury.^[56] She converted to Roman Catholicism upon marrying Hospenthal in 2005.^[57]

Patrick is the celebrity spokesperson for Drive4COPD,^[58] an awareness campaign for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, of which her grandmother died.

Motorsports career results[link]

Career summary[link]

Season	Series	Team	Car No.	Races	Wins	Poles	FLaps	Points	Position
1998	Formula Vauxhall Winter Series
1999	British Formula Vauxhall Championship							31	9th
2000	British Formula Ford Championship	Andy Welch Racing		14	0	0	0	3	19th
	Formula Ford Festival	Haywood Racing	89	1	0	0	0	N/A	2nd
	European Formula Ford Championship	Haywood Racing
2001	British Formula Ford Championship	Haywood Racing			0	0	0	10	25th
2002	Barber Dodge Pro Series	Team Rahal	89	5	0	0	0	35	13th
2003	American Le Mans Series GTS class	Veloqx Prodrive Racing	80	1	0	0	0	10	23rd
	Toyota Atlantic Championship	Team Rahal	24	12	0	0	0	109	6th
2004	Toyota Atlantic Championship	Team Rahal	24	12	0	1	1	269	3rd
2005	IndyCar Series	Rahal Letterman	16	17	0	3	1	325	12th
2006	IndyCar Series	Rahal Letterman	16	13	0	0	0	302	9th
	Rolex Sports Car Series (24 Hours of Daytona) DP class	Howard-Boss Motorsports	2	1	0	0	0	7	106th
2007	IndyCar Series	Andretti Green Racing	7	17	0	0	1	424	7th
2008	IndyCar Series	Andretti Green Racing	7	18	1	0	0	379	6th
2009	IndyCar Series	Andretti Green Racing	7	17	0	0	0	393	5th
	Rolex Sports Car Series (24 Hours of Daytona) DP class	Childress-Howard Motorsports	2	1	0	0	0	23	43rd
2010	IndyCar Series	Andretti Autosport	7	17	0	0	0	367	10th
	NASCAR Nationwide Series	JR Motorsports	7	13	0	0	0	1032	43rd
	NASCAR K&N Pro Series East	JR Motorsports	83	1	0	0	0	155	45th
	ARCA Racing Series	Bob Schacht Motorsport	7	1	0	0	0	200	85th
2011	IndyCar Series	Andretti Autosport	7	17*	0	0	0	314	10th
	NASCAR Nationwide Series	JR Motorsports	7	12	0	0	0	321	26th

* IndyCar Series Race 18 was abandoned due to the death of Dan Wheldon after 13 laps.

American Open-Wheel[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Barber Dodge Pro Series[link]

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Rank	Points
2002	Team Rahal	SEB	LIM	LS	POR	TOR 7	CLE 7	VAN 4	MDO 11	ROA	MTL 22	13th	35

Toyota Atlantic Championship[link]

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Rank	Points
2003	Team Rahal	MTY 3	LBH 14	MIL 6	LS 13	POR 6	CLE 5	TOR 10	TRR 5	MDO 10	MTL 7	DEN 5	MIA 2	6th	109
2004	Team Rahal	LBH 5	MTY 3	MIL 4	POR1 2	POR2 7	CLE 3	TOR 4	VAN 4	ROA 4	DEN 5	MTL 4	LS 8	3rd	269