by Laura Kruty

She may have had to travel nearly 6,500 miles to achieve it, but for Danica Patrick, the trip to Motegi, Japan, was well worth it.

It was there that she made racing history by becoming the first female driver ever in a major motor sports event to take the checkered flag, winning April's Indy Japan 300.

Patrick, who started sixth that race, chose not to pit when the majority of the field did on lap 143 of the 200-lap race. Instead, she fueled up five laps later, and when the race's leaders pitted again with five laps remaining, Patrick passed them by, claiming her first IndyCar Series victory.

"Finally!" Patrick said after the race. "It was a fuel strategy race, but my team called it perfectly for me. This is fabulous.

"It's a first, and firsts are in history books."

And finally, maybe the critics' can-she-or-can't-she-win monkey is off her back for good. Fans, however, don't seem to mind that Patrick's first IndyCar win took 50 starts.

Find the complete article in this month's Indianapolis Woman. Click here to subscribe.