Pictured here is your track manager Marshall Fairman with Danica Patrick and her mother Bev Patrick. Clearly Danica is the 'most famous' go karter ever to rise out of the Sugar River Raceway ranks. Danica started her racing career on a go kart as a beginner at Sugar River Raceway in the Box Stock class. This picture is from our 2005 Labor Day Blue Race. Danica has reached the top of Indy Racing League competition and became a household name as a result of her amazing performance at the 2005 Indy 500. Danica qualified 4th and finished 4th. This after setting the fastest practice lap at Indy, the fastest qualifying lap (the pole position slipped away with a turn 1, lap 1 cold tire sideways incident) and having lead 50+ laps (the first ever by a woman). Danica's words to the karters assembled at this race were interesting and inspirational. She told all she found her visit back to where it all started both surreal and inspiring. She said it felt funny to see all of the young kids doing exactly what she had done at age 10, and to have all of the memories of her time come flooding back. She told all the kids that they can do exactly what she has done if they desire to and believe they can. She further advised that they should never doubt that they can do it because they can.

Click here to read the Associated Press Story that appeared in the Fox Valley Newspaper on May 29, 2005.

So, do you think Sugar River Raceway's beginner's program is a good one?