Guthrie was a motorsport trailblazer.
The NASCAR season starts Sunday with the Daytona 500, and in addition to watching this year’s race, it’s a time to remember drivers who made history in that race, including Richard Petty (seven-time winner), Cale Yarborough (four-time winner), Bobby Allison and Jeff Gordon (three-time winners). And let’s not forget Janet Guthrie, who, in 1977, opened the door for female drivers by entering the Daytona, finishing 12th.
The daughter of pilots, Janet Guthrie, was born in Iowa and never envisioned a career in racing. She studied physics at the University of Michigan and, in 1960, earned her physics degree and worked at Republic Aviation as a research and development engineer.
Photo courtesy Sports Brief
But racing was in her future. She began racing on a minor circuit, the Sports Car Club of America, where she drove a Jaguar XK 140. By 1972, she started racing on a full-time basis. In 1976, Guthrie became the first woman to compete in a NASCAR Winston Cup Race, the World 600. 1977 was a big year for Guthrie, as she competed in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 that year—the first woman to qualify and race in both races.
Guthrie had five Top 10 finishes in her racing career. Her best finish came in Bristol in 1977, when she placed 6th. In between her NASCAR career, she competed in many IndyCar events. Her highest finish was 5th place. Janet Guthrie retired from racing in 1980.
Guthrie was inducted into several halls of fame, including the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, the Automotive Hall of Fame, and (most recently) the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Guthrie was a pilot, too, having earned her license when only 17 years of age. She was a flight instructor when off the track.
A person of multiple talents, it was in racing that she earned an international reputation. And there’s no question that Janet Guthrie paved the way for other females in the motorsports world.
