How is Danica Patrick a hero?

Answer 1

She is only the fourth woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, following Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher. I don't see how qualifying for a race warrants the title of Hero -- or else the bar has been lowered to qualify a Hero. If that's the case, we have hundreds of thousands of Heroes all over the world, from beginners to the pro levels in all forms of racing.

Answer 2

She isn't. But she is treated as important because she is a woman and because she appears in prolific advertising by her primary sponsor, GoDaddy.

Answer 3

She isn't, but is portrayed as such because of her gender.