Have Your Own First Moment in Motorsports
4/2/08
Any Woman Can Be a Driving Pioneer
In honor of Women’s History Month last month (OK, you caught me, I totally blew my deadline on this), I wanted to offer a little history of women in motorsports.
There’s plenty of material there. I could tell you about Janet Guthrie, who was the first woman to compete in a NASCAR Winston Cup Race and was also one of the first women inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame. And then there’s Shirley Muldowney, who was the first woman licensed to race a top fuel dragster and is known as the first lady of drag racing.
There’s more, but in thinking about these women and their accomplishments, and even their first times behind the wheel, I was reminded — albeit humbly — about some of my own “motorsports” firsts. Not just my first time driving or when I got my license, but the first time I, as part of this Mother Proof team, slid around on a skid pad. Or the first time I took a course at the Bridgestone Winter Driving School and understood how a vehicle handles in the snow. Or the first time I understood the whole weight-transfer business.
I recall the first time I realized I could drive a car like it was meant to be driven, understanding I could be better at something I didn’t think I needed to be. It’s huge and empowering, and a priceless boon to the safety of your family.
So instead of a highly educational treatise on women who drive, let’s think about how we drive and how we can expand our horizons when it comes to our cars. Sign up for a driving skills course. Take an auto shop class or change your own tire (BEFORE an emergency, that is). Learn something new about driving. Learn something new about your car. Make Janet and Shirley proud; create your own first in motorsports.
Comments
Oh my gosh, Lyn St. James! For those of you not in the know, Ms. St. James was the very first Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, and the second woman to compete in that race. Ms. St. James is also an advocate for women in racing with her Women In The Winner's Circle Foundation. I'm so excited you read my article!
Posted by: Sara Lacey | Apr 7, 2008 10:12:34 AM
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Sara,
You got it! Thanks for sharing your experiences and learning where the rubber meets the road. I wish all women could have the same experience and understanding.
Posted by: Lyn St. James | Apr 4, 2008 10:14:44 AM