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It's clear ratings are down for IndyCar and up for Nationwide this season, but it's unclear whether that's because of Danica Patrick's series switch.

Danica Patrick wants to race in the Indianapolis 500 again; her NASCAR schedule brings her to Charlotte, N.C., for the Coca-Cola 600 on the same weekend each year. Why not do both?

Watching Pole Day stirred memories for Danica Patrick, and she admitted she'd like another crack at open-wheel's greatest event.

The open-wheel icon financed Danica Patrick's early development and, in 2005, gave her the major opportunity she had been waiting for -- a shot at the Indy 500. The rest is history.

There were a record-tying four women in the field at Sunday's Indianapolis 500, but all walked away from the racetrack frustrated and wanting more.

Finding a team capable of winning will be a prime factor in determining what Danica Patrick does next. She says her options are wide open: it could be IndyCar, NASCAR, or another season of both.

An hour before Danica's dramatic Indy 500 Bump Day qualifying run, espnW sat with Bev Patrick. She talked about her daughter's early days, the whirlwind of 2005, and -- well, don't even ask her about NASCAR.

Racing is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete side by side with identical rules and equipment. The winner is determined by skill set and preparation more than physical strength.

She's the only female mechanic in the IndyCar series and is thought to be the first and only woman to work over the wall in the Indy 500.

From an early age, she's been driven to race cars, and nothing -- not even a fiery, spectacular crash -- can keep her out of them.

From Janet Guthrie to Sarah Fisher to Danica Patrick, women have had success at the highest levels of IndyCar racing, and more young drivers are emerging. Here's the history of women in the race.

On the last day to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, setback after setback left Danica Patrick facing an unimaginable prospect: failure.

On the road to Indianapolis, the 22-year-old racer must contend with a competitive field, not to mention second-degree burns sustained in a fiery crash just days ago.

Whether as a curiosity, an inspiration or a benchmark of performance, Danica Patrick wields incredible influence with girls of varying ages and aspirations.

Danica Patrick has a penchant for doing her best in the biggest moment; there's none bigger than Sunday in the Daytona 500.