Janet Guthrie - The first Woman at Indy 500 (Part 2)

Macmillan Ring Free Oil Ad with the Motor Maids

The Macmillan Ring-Free Oil Company seeing women were more than competent drivers in races decided to sponsor an all women's team- the Macmillan Ring-Free Motor Maids.  Compromised of Smokey Drolet, Rosemary Smith, Suzy Dietrich, Donna Mae Mims, Liane Engeman, and Janet Guthrie.  Janet raced with the Motor Maids until the early 1970's.  She not only raced but was also the spokeswoman for the team to the media giving public talks and tv appearances.  Racing for Macmillan gave her the chance to drive and learn about many different cars, from a Ford Mustang to a Sunbeam Alpine.  While racing for Macmillan she also raced in her own time in amateur races

In 1971, she was asked to join another racing team made up of Toyotas.  And won several races with this team, driving a Celica, including  the North Atlantic Road Racing championship and 1973 and the Vanderbilt Cup in 1975.

1970's Championship Cars

In 1975, Janet was contacted by Rolla Vollstedt, to see if she wanted to race in one of his Indy 500 championship cars.  He chose her from the recommendation of the SCCA stating she was the best woman driver out of the 100 women drivers participating.  But since the  cars of Indianapolis are three times as powerful as the SCCA cars, she had to pass two tests first.  The first was a speed test at a track in Los Angeles and the second was to compete at the Trenton 200.  She passed the former by impressing both Rolla and Rolla's professional Indy driver Dick Simon.

Having passed her first test, news was sent out that she was to compete in the Trenton 200, the first woman ever to do this.  This rocked the sports community across the country.  Many were supporting her but as well just as many were against allowing a woman into a man's sport. Before she could compete at Trenton she had to qualify.  After practicing the track several times, she showed the USAC (United States Auto Club) she could keep pace (158mph) and drive professionally.  

Janet in her championship car

Her race at the Trenton 200 was where she showed the USCA and the other drivers that she was a very capable driver.  The race was going well for her until the 70th lap when she hit the gravel and spun out.  She had rejoined the race right after her mishap but heard something terrible coming from the transmission.  Not wanting to damage her car any further, she pulled into the pits and ended the race.  By the 70th lap she was 11th out of the remaining 14 racers.  Having to quit the race early put her into 15th place, a place where she showed the USCA what kind of driver she was.

Having completed her race at Trenton so well she was off to try to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.  To do this she had to pass the "rookie test" which all new Indy drivers had to pass.  This required her to do 20 laps (equivalent to 50 miles) at 160mph and then do another 20 laps at 165mph.  If she completed this she could try to qualify for the Indy 500.  Her day of testing was fraught with a non behaving race car.  Anything that could go wrong was and made her testing that much more difficult.  Eventually, the crew made the car behave long enough so Janet could complete both tests and be allowed to qualify for the big race.  But there was a slight problem, experienced drivers were posting record making times of 182mph to 188mph, and everyone wondered if Janet's car could hold those speeds without breaking down.

Janet Guthrie and her crew

To have a chance of qualifying Janet needed to post a speed of 180mph or greater.  Her championship race car though was not behaving as it should and would not top 175mph.  Realizing Janet may not be able to even qualify for the 500, Rolla Vollstedt phoned A.J. Foyt, a veteran Indy racer, to see if he could borrow his back up race car, The Coyote, to have Janet qualify in.  Foyt being a good natured man agreed to lend it to Janet.  Once Janet was familiar with the car she took it out for a couple of practice laps and easily hit 181mph, meaning she could definitely qualify for the big race.  But there had seemed to be a misunderstanding between Foyt and Vollstedt, Foyt thought he was only lending the car not letting Jane qualify in it.  He would not risk letting her qualify in it since he needed the car for a race very soon.  This then halted any chance of Janet qualifying for the Indy 500 this year.

No sooner had Janet lost her chance at the Indy 500 she received an offer from out of the blue from Lynda Ferrari (a bank vice president and avid racing fan of Janet's) to sponsor Janet at the World 600 stock car race (a NASCAR event).  The race was to be held the same day the Indy 500 was to run.  While every other race was qualifying for the 500, Janet was in Charlotte, North Carolina learning about stock cars and the new type of racing a week before the race.  As with Trenton, Janet faced much negativity with her entering the race; not just as a female but as a rookie driver not trying lesser races before hand as well.  Janet became the first woman to qualify for a major NASCAR event in 27th position out of 40 racers.  By the end of the 600, she had finished 15th, moving past twelve other drivers during the race.   With such a good start to NASCAR racing, Janet continued to race here and began placing a consistent 15th place at Daytona and in 1977 she improved her placing to 12th at Virginia State Fairgrounds.  

Janet and her stock car for NASCAR

Even though Janet enjoyed the NASCAR races, she still wanted to qualify for the Indy 500.  In 1976, Vollstedt and Janet began their path to the 500 again.  At the start they achieved no greater luck then they had when Janet first tried to at the Indy 500.  But soon afterwards, Vollstedt obtained a great race car for the 500, the Lindsey Hopkins Lightning.  On February 8th, 1977 Janet and Vollstedt announced they would be competing to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.  When they arrived to do practice laps, Janet made her presence known by hitting speeds of 191mph and during qualifying of 188mph.  With this she had earned her spot in the Indy 500.  But the race itself for Janet was a disappointment, full of mechanical problems and frustration.  By the 27th lap, Janet was forced to pull into the pits and end the race.  By the end of the race, Janet placed 29th overall.

Janet raced in the three major racing series - sports car, championship car, and stock car - a major feat for anyone.  Janet proved too many that women can be as good as drivers as any man can be no matter what the race. Janet helped remove some of the discrimination women faced entering into professional racing by remaining cool and collected during her career and never stopping to achieve her goals.   She made a great impact in the world of racing and will always be remembered through history as the first woman to take part in the Indianapolis 500.