Danica Patrick makes history for women in NASCAR

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - Popular driver Danica Patrick made history over the weekend in the male-dominated sport of auto racing.

The 30-year-old NASCAR driver became the first woman to secure the top spot in the upcoming Daytona 500 race.

Patrick is not the first woman to qualify, however. Janet Guthrie started ninth in 1977 at Bristol and Talladega.

Despite her achievement, Patrick said that she was trained to “be the fastest driver, not the fastest girl.”

Some women say that the record-breaker will make many re-think gender roles in sports.

“It's extremely exciting. I think that there are so many sports that frequently you think about men and women as competitors, and really if we think about it as just more competitors, who knows what can happen?” Lisa Ritchie of Easthampton said.

This is not the first time that she has made history. Patrick was also the only woman to have won an IndyCar race, which she won in Japan back in 2008. 

The Daytona 500 race will get started this Sunday at 1:00 P.M.