Former Navy SEAL on Coming Out of Shadows












It used to be that Navy SEALs didn't just operate in the shadows. They trained in them too. Their whole story stayed shrouded in mystery. Their secret missions stayed secret to the rest of us.


But when they got Osama Bin Laden, snatched back an American cargo ship taken by pirates and rescued two air workers held hostage in Somalia, then suddenly, it seemed that SEALs were headline-makers.


Add to that some SEALs wrote books about SEAL adventures and even acted in a movie about the SEAL experience using live ammunition when they made "Act of Valor." They can't quite be called "the military unit that no one ever talked about" any longer.


Watch the full story on "Nightline" TONIGHT at 12:35 a.m. ET


Rorke Denver played Lt. Commander Rorke in "Act of Valor," a film that used dozens of SEALs and went on to gross $80 million at the box office. Now, with the help of a writer, Denver is doing some pretty decent storytelling in a new book, "Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior."


He agrees that with SEALs like him telling their stories that these guys are out in the open like never before.


"We are, at this moment in our history, when the heat is on, the missions are getting press and coverage," Denver said.










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When asked if it was a good thing, he said, "time will tell."


"We are in the public eye and I think that mythology is something that people are hugely, hugely interested in and they have an appetite for it," Denver said. "So for us with the movie and then also with 'Damn Few' I had an opportunity, I feel, to authentically represent and hopefully do it from an honorable point of view and accurately do so."


It's mostly his own story Denver tells in "Damn Few," how he joined the SEALs after college -- they didn't want him at first.


"I put in my first application and they said no, and I am glad it went that way. I think the community really values resiliency and toughness and focus and a 'never quit' attitude. For me, when they said no I thought, that ain't going to cut it."


Denver didn't quit. He reapplied and went on to survive the SEALs brutal Hell Week and training, joined the team and deployed all over the world, including the deadly Al Anbar province in Iraq when the war there was at its hottest. His family waited for him to return stateside.


"The families, I feel, are the ones who pay the price of our choices," Denver said. "But I didn't appreciate how much I was asking my family to bear and experience it with me. They really are every bit a part of our experience and frankly they are the ones who are back home and praying and believing that you are going to come home."


But even his family didn't quite know what Denver did at work every day.


"I never ask questions about what he does," said his wife, Tracy.



But "Act of Valor" was revealing in that way, and Denver's wife watched the film.


"For me it was incredibly eye-opening to actually see a submarine mission or running around in the jungle, jumping out of a plane, shooting his weapons," she said. "For me, it was like, oh, so this is what you are doing when you are away. I appreciated it actually."






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Insert real news events into your mobile game



Paul Marks, chief technology correspondent


2.jpg

(Image: MultiPlay.io)


Seen it in the news? Now play it: a mobile-game programming system allows 3D depictions of news events to be introduced into the action. It's been developed by MultiPlay.io, a British start-up that says the technology could make gameplay more current and provide new ways for designers and coders to make cash - perhaps selling "news injection" rights to news agencies, TV stations or newspapers.






The firm's HTML5 games creator, also called MultiPlay.io, lets users import 3D animations during gameplay, allowing, for instance, last week's meteor explosion over Russia to be pasted in above the game action, says one of the company's founders, Ashraf Samy Hegab. Similarly, he says, if a millionaire footballer hits the news in, say, a fight with a nightclub bouncer, lookalike avatars could engage in just such a fracas as you motor by in a driving game.

The system creates games for Apple iOS, Google Android and Windows Phone devices. Changes to games need to be made in a browser on a PC or Mac, but can be made in real time without you having to download an app update.


"We're using a clever way of splitting the game logic that lets you change the game on the fly, as easy as a drag-and-drop task in a browser," says Hegab. "You don't need to know anything about servers or 3D programming using our engine." The idea also lets you extend the game's virtual playing area by expanding the game map, or add 3D vehicles you've designed yourself, such as glitzy spacecraft or cars. You could even add a model of yourself.


But news injection is MultiPlay.io's main aim - and its founders are hoping to interest news agencies when Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona, Spain, later this month. They are not alone: adding news to make games more relevant is becoming popular, with some websites beginning to offer games with news-related activities built in, such as the fascinating Game The News, which "creates its own twists on news events in a playable form".




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Companies paying more bills on time






SINGAPORE: Companies are paying more bills on time, according to the Commercial Credit Bureau.

The bureau said the number of prompt commercial payments rose to 51.59 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year. That is up by a moderate 2.29 percentage points from 49.3 per cent in the previous quarter.

Prompt payment means a company has paid at least 90 per cent of its total bills within agreed upon payment terms.

It was the first time in two years that 50 per cent of prompt commercial payment transactions were recorded. This comes on the heels of a slight economic uptick in the fourth quarter last year. The Ministry of Trade and Industry estimates the economy grew by 1.1 per cent year-on-year in Q4 2012.

Year-on-year payment promptness also increased 12.09 per cent per cent from 39.5 per cent last year. Payment promptness was at its peak in Q3 2012 when it made up 61.2 per cent of all commercial transactions in Singapore.

But the number of slow payments (when a company pays less than 50 per cent of its bills on time) increased slightly last quarter, up 0.79 percentage points to 40.99 per cent.

The construction industry saw the biggest drop in defaults. Slow payments fell 8.24 percentage points to 41.19 per cent quarter-on-quarter. A year-on-year comparison shows a decline of 17.11 percentage points in payment defaults.

With heavy government investments in industrial projects and a strong pipeline of nationwide rail transit and road infrastructure projects, the downward trend in slow payments is likely to continue into the next quarter.

The retail industry - traditionally the worst paymaster - also saw defaults fall on the back of strong seasonal sales in December.

The retail sector registered 54.73 per cent slow payments, a decrease of 4.98 percentage points from Q3 2012.

The wholesale sector registered the lowest proportion of slow payments at 35.7 per cent a 4.68 percentage point increase from the previous quarter.

- CNA/fa



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Murder charge against Oscar Pistorius upgraded




Oscar Pistorius is pictured with Reeva Steenkamp in Johannesburg, South Africa, in January.




STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • NEW: The upgraded charge of premeditated murder makes his case for bail more difficult

  • Pistorius' defense says he shot his girlfriend thinking she was a burglar

  • A prosecutor asks why a burglar would lock up in a bathroom

  • Friends and family mourn the death of Reeva Steenkamp at her funeral Tuesday




Pretoria, South Africa (CNN) -- In an emotionally wrenching hearing Tuesday, a judge upgraded the charge against Oscar Pistorius to premeditated murder, saying he could not rule out the possibility that the track star planned the shooting death of girlfriend.


But the judge said he will consider downgrading the charge later.


Pistorius had been charged with murder for the Valentine's Day shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, and the hearing Tuesday was to determine whether he should be allowed to post bail.


But prosecutors had said they would try to get the charge upgraded. And throughout the proceeding, they hammered away at the possibility that Steenkamp's killing was premeditated. The defense countered by contending Pistorius thought his girlfriend was an intruder.


With the new charge, Pistorius' case for bail may prove much more difficult. The defense must now try to argue that "exceptional circumstances" exist that would justify bail.


Different accounts for shooting


Both the defense and prosecution agreed Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend in a tragic Valentine's Day confrontation inside his upscale Pretoria home.


But the two sides gave wildly different accounts of what led to the model's death.


Pistorius sobbed uncontrollably during the hearing as prosecutors described how they say he murdered his girlfriend.


Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said Steenkamp had come over to spend the night, but the couple got in a heated argument.


The state said Pistorius armed himself, attached his prosthetic legs and walked 7 meters to shoot Steenkamp through a bathroom door.


Pistorius fired four times, Nel said; Steenkamp was struck thrice inside the locked bathroom.


Steenkamp locked the door for a reason, Nel said. "We will get to that."


As Nel spoke, Pistorius buried his face in his hands.


But defense attorney Barry Roux said the shooting was not premeditated.


Pistorius shot his girlfriend thinking she was a burglar, he said.


The prosecution doubted that assertion, asking why a burglar would lock up in a bathroom.


Roux countered by questioning how the prosecution would know that Pistorius attached his prosthetic legs and walked to the bathroom.


Police have said Pistorius and Steenkamp were the only ones in the home.


Final farewells for Steenkamp


As the drama in court unfolded, friends and family mourned Steenkamp at a private funeral in her hometown of Port Elizabeth.


"There's a space missing inside all the people she knew that can't be filled again," her brother Adam Steenkamp told reporters outside.


Steenkamp was a law school graduate whose modeling career was on the rise. She landed the cover of FHM magazine and recently appeared on a reality TV show.


On Sunday, South Africans heard Steenkamp's voice one last time after her death, when the national broadcaster aired a pre-recorded episode of the show. The model talked about her exit from "Tropika Island of Treasure," on which local celebrities compete for prize money.


"I'm going to miss you all so much and I love you very, very much," she said, blowing a kiss to the camera.


Police: Neighbors "heard things earlier"










Authorities have released little about a possible motive in the shooting.


Items found in Pistorius' home suggest Steenkamp intended to stay the night. She had an overnight bag and her iPad, a South African official familiar with a case said Monday.


The 29-year-old model was alive after she was shot, and Pistorius carried her wounded body downstairs, said the official, who was not authorized to release details to the media.


Police were alerted to the shooting by neighbors, and residents had "heard things earlier," spokeswoman Denise Beukes said.


Police said there had been "previous incidents" at the home, including "allegations of a domestic nature." They did not detail what those may been.


Detectives are investigating a blood-stained cricket bat in the home, Johannesburg's City Press newspaper reported, and are trying to determine whether it was used to attack Steenkamp, if she used the bat in self-defense, or if Pistorius used it to try to break down the bathroom door.


Pistorius, 26, has rejected the murder allegation "in the strongest terms," his agent said in a statement.


Case rivets fans


The case of the global sports hero known as the "Blade Runner" has riveted stunned fans around the world.


As he walked into court in a blue shirt and gray suit, frenzied photographers snapped away, prompting a magistrate to demand they stop.


The case of the global sports hero known as the "Blade Runner" has riveted stunned fans around the world.


As he walked into court in a blue shirt and gray suit, frenzied photographers snapped away, prompting a magistrate to demand they stop.


The scene was a far cry from the packed stadiums that erupted in applause whenever the double-amputee competed against men with legs.


Robyn Curnow reported from South Africa; Holly Yan reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Nkepile Mabuse also contributed to this report.






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WH: Leaked immigration plan is only partial draft

(CBS News) WASHINGTON -- Over the weekend, a partial White House plan for immigration reform leaked to the press and caused an uproar.

White House officials tell CBS News that what was leaked is real -- it's a partial draft of half a bill. What we know is the administration's current thinking about what to do about the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States right now.

The administration wants a temporary four-year visa to provide legal status -- meaning no more deportations -- that could be renewed. After eight years, they can apply for what's known as permanent legal residency, or, more commonly, a Green Card.

(At left, watch White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough discuss the leaked immigration plan on "Face the Nation.")



There's also administration thinking on border security and an unspecified increase in border security, subject to negotiations with Congress. For workers who try to find jobs in the future and who might not have documents, the plan includes an E-Verify system to make sure undocumented workers aren't given jobs.


GOP: Leaked WH immigration plan "counterproductive"
W.H. immigration plan circulating in case Congress talks "break down," McDonough says

What's missing is a section dealing with all future legal immigration issues: high-skilled workers, seasonal farm workers and workers who work in hotels or restaurants. Without that, this plan doesn't have much of a chance.

The plan is not likely to get through Congress without the section dealing with legal immigration. That's why Republicans were so critical this weekend.

Last year, Republicans criticized the president for being missing in action and failing to draft a bill. Now that he admits he is, Republicans say he's contaminating that process; they argue that if you don't have a comprehensive bill -- one that can pass Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate -- this is a futile effort.

The White House says Republicans are going to be dared to vote up or down eventually, and that they better get used to that.

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Russian Meteor: Close Encounter, Preventing Impacts





Feb 18, 2013 7:03pm



MOSCOW — As if Friday’s massive meteor explosion over central Russia weren’t enough, just hours later a large asteroid buzzed dangerously close to Earth.


And that evening, the California sky was lit up by a fireball, apparently entering Earth’s atmosphere.


It’s a barrage from space that has people asking: Are we ready for the big one?


Nearly 100 tons of space debris enters Earth’s atmosphere every day. Most of it burns up or falls harmlessly into the ocean, but experts still worry that eventually something big will come our way.


PHOTOS: Meteorite Crashes in Russia


epa russia meteor Chebarkul lake jt 130217 wblog Russian Meteor: Close Encounters and Plans to Prevent Impacts

Image credit: Chelyabinsk Region Branch of Russian Interior Ministry/HO/EPA


The prospect of Earth getting hit by a giant hunk of space rock is concerning enough that the United Nations is gathering top minds in Italy this week to discuss it.


Scientists say the idea of blowing up an asteroid — as Bruce Willis’ character did in the movie “Armageddon” — is pure Hollywood fantasy. Even if we could hit it, it’s unlikely to stop it.


Existing sky-watching programs run by NASA and others can only spot the biggest asteroids, not the small ones that sneak up on us.


But fear not, citizens of Earth. Scientists have a plan.


RELATED: Russian Meteor: Rushing to Cash in on the Blast


One group, the non-profit B612 Foundation, proposes sending a telescope, called Sentinel, into space to detect incoming objects decades before their orbits intersect ours. Then, unmanned spacecraft could fly to them and nudge them clear of Earth’s path.


The group is trying to raise $200 million to make it happen and hopes to launch the telescope by 2016.


Another project, proposed by the University of Hawaii, aims to give earthlings a heads-up when necessary, starting by 2015.


RELATED: Meteor Events: Rare, but Dangerous


It is called the Atlas program, and the plan is to deploy a string of telescopes that would search for even smaller objects in the sky, hoping to be able to give people at least a few day’s notice that could allow time for an evacuation.


Until then, better keep Bruce Willis on speed dial.



SHOWS: World News






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The fish with a rainbow eye



Michael Marshall, environment reporter


R_Benton_Nature_11.jpg

(Image: Randall Benton/The Sacramento Bee)


These eyes are positively spectral. They belong to a Caribbean trumpetfish, and their many colours are created by the refraction of light.



Rays of light bend as they pass in and out of the fish's eyes, and different colours of light bend different amounts. As a result, what was previously white light splinters into bands of different colours, like a rainbow. From bottom to top in the photo, the colours in the eye follow part of the usual rainbow sequence, from orange to blue.






Like all trumpetfish, Aulostomus maculatus has a long thin body rather like that of an eel. It often swims vertically, disguising itself among vertical corals. But it also camouflages itself by swimming along the lateral lines of larger fish.



The photograph, by Randall Benton, has just won third prize in the Nature category of the World Press Photo of the Year awards 2012.




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Budget to include schemes to develop manpower for SMEs: Teo Ser Luck






SINGAPORE: The upcoming Singapore budget will include schemes to develop a larger pool of Singaporean workers to cater to the needs of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck on Monday.

Mr Teo revealed this during a visit to a Soup Spoon outlet on Monday morning.

The minister said that the Singapore government is looking at how to help SMEs expand while managing business costs, given the rising cost of manpower in Singapore. Special attention will also be paid to smaller SMEs, he said.

"It is important for us not just to tighten labour, but to invest in our own resources, our local talents, to groom them and to grow them and to feed them into the pipeline for SMEs. That creates job opportunities for them, (and) also a career path for many of our local Singaporeans," said the minister.

Mr Teo said details of the schemes will be announced after Budget Day next week.

The Soup Spoon, for example, has rolled out initiatives to streamline business operations and improve workflow.

The food chain lowered rentals by reducing their outlets' kitchen sizes by two-thirds. It also adopted a new manpower scheduling system late last year, which helped the company optimise its workers by allocating manpower according to demand. The system has helped save the company an estimated S$150,000 annually in manpower costs.

The company's management has also expressed hopes to centralise the use of its part-timers so that it can be even more efficient in deploying workers to its 18 outlets.

Part-timers now form the majority, or 60 per cent, of the company's 300-strong staff, a twofold increase in proportion from the 30 per cent the company had in 2010.

With its revenue growing by 25 per cent annually since 2007, The Soup Spoon says it is focused on improving its productivity.

"For a lot of the food based companies, growth largely comes from outlets. So if you try to grow more outlets, and if you know (that) there are constraints like high rentals and low manpower, then the more you grow the more your problem grows significantly... It's a business model review (problem)," said Andrew Chan, managing director of The Soup Spoon.

- CNA/jc



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Pope delivers one of his final messages








By Hada Messia and Josh Levs, CNN


updated 5:46 AM EST, Mon February 18, 2013









STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • It's the pope's second-to-last Angelus prayer as pontiff

  • Pope Benedict XVI thanks his flock for prayers and support

  • He discusses "decisive moments of our lives"

  • Cardinals may meet before March 15




(CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI led tens of thousands in a prayer for strength Sunday and thanked followers for their support during his second-to-last Angelus prayer as pontiff.


"Today we contemplate Christ in the desert, fasting, praying, and being tempted," the pope said to an unusually large crowd at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City.


"As we begin our Lenten journey, we join him and we ask him to give us strength to fight our weaknesses. Let me also thank you for the prayers and support you have shown me in these days. May God bless all of you!"






Benedict, 85, shocked millions across the world last week when he announced his intention to stand down at the end of the month, citing the frailty of old age.


The decision makes him the first pope to step down in nearly 600 years.


Referring Sunday to a Bible passage, the pope said, "During the decisive moments of our lives, and in fact at every moment, we are in front of a crossroads: Do we want to follow the I or God? The individual interest or the true good, that which really is the good?"


The crowd appeared to have about 100,000 people


He also tweeted a message to followers worldwide, calling on them to "rediscover faith" as a foundation.


Cardinals may meet before March 15 to choose the next pope if they are all in Rome, a Vatican spokesman said Saturday. The conclave will bring together the 117 cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church.












Part of complete coverage on








What do you think about the Pope's decision to resign? If you are a Catholic, how will it affect you? Send us your thoughts and recollections.








Read all of the latest updates, including standards for the next pope and possible successors on CNN's Belief Blog.








They are the largest group in the Roman Catholic Church, and the next pope might even come from their midst. Yet few have heard how Latino Catholics regard the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI.







updated 11:07 AM EST, Tue February 12, 2013



Before he was Pope Benedict XVI, before he earned the nickname "Cardinal No" as the enforcer of church doctrine, he was Joseph Ratzinger.








The news stunned both the Church's 1.2 billion followers and the rest of the world. Here's a collection of your views from social media.







updated 11:02 AM EST, Tue February 12, 2013



Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign caught a lot of Vatican watchers, apparently even some in his inner circle, off-guard. They should not have been so surprised.







updated 9:36 AM EST, Mon February 11, 2013



Pope Benedict's German background has always been a talking point. CNN's Fred Pletigen takes a look at Pope's German roots.







updated 7:27 PM EST, Mon February 11, 2013



Pope Benedict XVI on Monday said he plans on resigning the papal office on February 28. Click here for the full text of Benedict's declaration.







updated 12:30 PM EST, Mon February 11, 2013



Assuming Pope Benedict XVI steps down as planned at the end of February, his tenure on Twitter will have been fleeting.







updated 6:26 AM EST, Tue February 12, 2013



After his resignation, Benedict, 85, will probably retire to a monastery and devote himself to a life of prayer. Look back at his time as Pope.







updated 2:12 PM EST, Mon February 11, 2013



The surprising news from Rome, Monday, leaves the church and the world in unfamiliar, but not entirely uncharted, territory.







updated 9:13 AM EST, Mon February 11, 2013



Pope Benedict directed the church's response to decades of abuse by its priests. CNN's Nic Robertson reports.







updated 11:06 AM EST, Tue February 12, 2013



We explore what the surprise announcement means for the Catholic Church.







updated 8:58 AM EST, Mon February 11, 2013



CNN's Jim Bittermann looks at the legacy and controversies that have marked Pope Benedict XVI's reign.







updated 10:56 AM EST, Fri November 23, 2012



A book released by Pope Benedict XVI last year looks at the early life of Jesus -- and debunks several myths about how the Nativity unfolded.





















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Danica Patrick makes NASCAR history

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Danica Patrick has made history before — as a woman and a racer, in Indianapolis and Japan.

The spotlight is nothing new. But never has it been this bright before.

Patrick won the Daytona 500 pole Sunday, becoming the first woman to secure the top spot for any race in NASCAR's premier circuit. It's by far the biggest achievement of her stock-car career.




29 Photos


Danica Patrick



"I was brought up to be the fastest driver, not the fastest girl," she said. "That was instilled in me from very young, from the beginning. Then I feel like thriving in those moments, where the pressure's on, has also been a help for me. I also feel like I've been lucky in my career to be with good teams and have good people around me. I don't think any of it would have been possible without that.

"For those reasons, I've been lucky enough to make history, be the first woman to do many things. I really just hope that I don't stop doing that. We have a lot more history to make. We are excited to do it."

Her latest stamp in the history books came with a lap at 196.434 mph around Daytona International Speedway. Patrick went out eighth in the qualifying session, then had to wait about two hours as 37 fellow drivers tried to take her spot.

Only four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon even came close to knocking her off. Gordon was the only other driver who topped 196 mph in qualifying. He locked up the other guaranteed spot in next week's season-opening Daytona 500.

"It's great to be a part of history with Danica being on the pole," said Gordon, who joked that at least he was the fastest guy. "I think we all know how popular she is, what this will do for our sport. Congratulations to her. Proud to be on there with her."

  • Danica Patrick crashes in Daytona qualifier
  • The rest of the field will be set in duel qualifying races Thursday.

    However the lineup unfolds, all drivers will line up behind Patrick's No. 10 Chevrolet SS.

    And she knows her latest achievement will mean more public relations work.

    The routine is nothing new for Patrick, who was the first woman to lead laps in the Indianapolis 500. She finished third in 2009, the highest finish in that illustrious race for a woman. And she became the only woman to win an IndyCar race when she did it in Japan in 2008.

    Hardly anyone witnessed that victory.

    Leading the field to the green flag in NASCAR's showcase event should be must-watch television.

    "That's a huge accomplishment," team owner and fellow driver Tony Stewart said. "It's not like it's been 15 or 20 years she's been trying to do this. It's her second trip to Daytona here in a Cup car. She's made history in the sport. That's stuff that we're proud of being a part of with her. It's something she should have a huge amount of pride in.

    "It's never been done. There's only one person that can be the first to do anything. Doesn't matter how many do it after you do, accomplish that same goal. The first one that does always has that little bit more significance to it because you were the first."

    Even before her fast lap Sunday, Patrick was the talk of Speedweeks. Not only did she open up about her budding romance with fellow Sprint Cup rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr., but she was considered the front-runner for the pole after leading practice sessions Saturday.

    And she didn't disappoint.

    She kept her car at or near the bottom of the famed track and gained ground on the straightaways, showing lots of power from a Hendrick Motorsports engine.

    "It's easy to come down here in your first or second year as a driver and clip the apron trying to run too tight a line or do something and scrub speed off," Stewart said. "That's something she did an awesome job. Watching her lap, she runs so smooth. ... She did her job behind the wheel, for sure."

    The result surely felt good for Patrick, especially considering the former IndyCar driver has mostly struggled in three NASCAR seasons. Her best finish in 10 Cup races is 17th, and she has one top-five in 58 starts in the second-tier Nationwide Series.

    She raced part-time in 2010 and 2011 while still driving a full IndyCar slate. She switched solely to stock cars last season and finished 10th in the Nationwide standings.

    She made the jump to Sprint Cup this season and will battle Stenhouse for Rookie of the Year honors.

    Starting out front in an unpredictable, 500-mile race doesn't guarantee any sort of result, but securing the pole will put her in the limelight for at least the rest of the week.

    She also won the pole at Daytona for last year's Nationwide race.

    This is considerably bigger.

    The previous highest female qualifier in a Cup race was Janet Guthrie. She started ninth at Bristol and Talladega in 1977.

    "It's obviously a history-making event that will last a long, long time," Guthrie said, praising Patrick's feat. "It's a different era, of course. Different times. I can't imagine what I would do with a spotter or somebody telling me how to drive. It's rather a different sport now. Back then, there was a much greater difference from the front of the field to the back."

    Guthrie received a lukewarm reception from fellow drivers back then.

    Patrick was much more welcomed, undoubtedly because of her background and popularity.

    She's comfortable being in the spotlight, evidenced by her racing career, her television commercials and her sudden openness about her personal life.

    "I think when pressure's on and when the spotlight's on, I feel like it ultimately ends up becoming some of my better moments and my better races and better results," Patrick said. "I just understand that if you put the hard work in before you go out there that you can have a little peace and a little peace of mind knowing that you've done everything you can and just let it happen."

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