Patrick hunts for win at Kansas Speedway

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Danica Patrick's face is everywhere these days.

And for that, the Indy Racing League's popular rookie from Roscoe, Ill., makes no apologies.

The important thing, Patrick said Tuesday during the IRL's weekly teleconference, is to succeed on the track -- not to worry about talk that she's exploiting her looks to gain marketing opportunities.

"I don't care what they say," said Patrick, who will race Sunday at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. "As long as I'm driving a race car, I don't care what they say."

In May, Patrick was the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 before finishing fourth -- the highest place ever by a woman and a match for her career-best finish.

She acknowledged that her strong showing boosted the sport's visibility and proved that women could compete at the circuit's highest level. But other female drivers will still have to prove themselves on their own merits, she said.

"I think talent, marketability and everything like that is individually based," said Patrick, who leads the Rookie of the Year standings and is 11th in points overall headed into Sunday's Argent Mortgage Indy 300. "Just because of the hype that has happened with me, that doesn't mean that all women are going to be in the hot seat for a sponsor. They still have to do the job and still have to fit the marketing plan for the company they're with."