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The circumstances were eerily similar to a day in which she made history.
On lap 179 during Sunday's Indianapolis 500, a flurry of pit stops gave Danica Patrick the lead of the race, the second time a woman has done that in the 100 years in which it has existed.
She had the first time as well in 2005, when she took the lead on Lap 172 and held it for 13, then gave it up to Dan Wheldon, took it back for three laps till 193, when the Englishman passed a fuel-conserving Patrick for the win.
Unlike that year-when she worked with Rahal Letterman Racing-she went all out in pursuit of her first 500 mile race victory.
"It's win or bust here for the most part," said Patrick, who elected to stay out while other pitted to attempt to get the lead and hold on down the stretch. "
Fuel and Bertrand Baguette eventually caught up with her, as the driver of the number 30 car caught her in turn one on lap 189 and Patrick pitted shortly after.
"Everytime I come here and see someone else win, I hate it more everytime," said Patrick, who finished tenth. "The more times I come here the more I love it, the more I want it."
Nearly in the Bag-uette
Speaking of Baguette and Rahal Letterman Racing, the duo nearly took over for Patrick and brough home an Indianapolis 500 victory.
Like Patrick, Baguette's team gambled on fuel, hoping they could stay out and save enough to get to the end of the race.
"We knew it would be difficult. We knew we would need a yellow flag," said Baguette of fuel concerns. "We had 30 laps to get a yellow but it didn't come."
Two laps is all that he came short, coming into pit at lap 198 and settling with a seventh place finish.
What's next now for Baguette is unknown, since his deal with Rahal Letterman Racing was only for the month of May. Whether
"Something really special, really great to lead the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500," said Baguette. "I really enjoyed."
A Tireless Worker?
In a rare change of mood, there was little to smile about this month with Team Penske.
The 15-time Indianapolis 500 champions only got one driver into the fast nine of qualifying and then had no higher than a 14th place finish in the race.
That distinction belongs to Will Power, who had to deal with an ususual predicament early in the race. On his first pit stop, the number 12 car pulled out on Lap 20 only to watch his left rear tire go rolling down the pit exit lane.
Eventually it was picked up, but the time lost was never gained back by Power, who was considered the team's best threat for a title after a slugglish qualifying.
"At the first pit stop, the wheel came loose and knocked the lead screw off, so I had no brakes," said Power. "So we did a stint like that, came in, and had to fix that, got a lap down, and that was it for the day.
