— The Danica Patrick phenomenon isn't hype.

It's historic.

First woman to win the pole position in the Daytona 500. First woman to lead a lap in the Daytona 500. First woman to finish eighth in the Daytona 500, the best finish by a woman ever.

She drove hard and smart, avoiding the managed mess that took out great drivers — from her team owner, Tony Stewart, to Carl Edwards — to survive the 500-mile grind of endurance.

Her shot at winning got lost in the last two laps, when she fell from third to eighth as cars scrambled to catch leader Jimmie Johnson.

But still, what a ride.

"Nothing super-duper eventful," she said.

Oh, it was.

That was the competitor talking— disappointed that she didn't get any help in the final scramble, especially when Dale Earnhardt Jr. ditched her as a running mate to try to make a run at Johnson.

"She's going to make a lot of history all year long," Earnhardt Jr. said.

She was cool and calm all week, despite the media crush. As the world swarmed in on her, Danica Patrick simply shrugged and took it all in.

Been there, done that.

She has done the fishbowl thing since her days in open-wheel racing, competing in the Indianapolis 500 and proving she belonged there, too.

So she was ready to mess with the 42 guys on the track if need be.

The biggest wreck of the day involving Danica involved actor James Franco, definitely not a Wizard of Oz when it comes to NASCAR knowledge.

"Drivers and Danica, start your engines" he said as the honorary starter, perhaps trying to be too creative but ignoring the simple fact that Danica was a driver, too.

She proved that Sunday afternoon.

Danica Patrick isn't along to hitch a ride with history.

She's here to make it.