Before Danica Patrick, This NASCAR Trailblazer Broke the Glass Ceiling at the Highest Level of Motorsports

The NASCAR world will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. There was a contribution from a lot of people and their stories that shaped NASCAR that fans witness today. One such woman who challenged the era in the 70s and become the first woman to race in NASCAR. Her name was Janet Guthrie.

In the modern world today fans witness the drive and charisma of Danica Patrick, but it was legendary Janet Guthrie who changed everything in a male-dominated sport. Guthrie, a pilot and flight instructor, was an aerospace engineer, a technical editor, and a public representative for a lot of major corporations in the country. She had a significant experience of 13 years in the sports car world before she moved to IndyCar and NASCAR. She became the first woman ever to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500.

Guthrie’s achievements despite discrimination and funding issues

Janet, in the ’70s, became the first woman who changed the history of NASCAR. But of course, that came with a price. Though she was talented and could have done far better than she did, she faced a lot of discrimination just because she was a female. All of this is because the sport was male-dominated back then. Because of this, even after competing in races like the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, Coca-Cola 500, etc, she had a lot of challenges in getting sponsors. Her highest finish was sixth at Bristol in 1977. She finished ahead of stars such as Richard Petty, Buddy Baker, Neil Bonnett, Bobby Allison, Ricky Rudd, and even future team owner Richard Childress.

The woman made sure she left quite made a mark for herself. From winning Rookie of the Year honors to making it to the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame (1980), International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2006), and Automotive Hall of Fame (2019) she has a lot of firsts to her name. Being the first woman, she also has her helmet and driver’s suit for display at the Smithsonian Institution. Janet will always be remembered as a ground-breaking woman who made her mark in the world of motorsport. 

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Danica Patrick tied Janet Guthrie for career’s best finish in NASCAR Cup history

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Danica Patrick is a very popular name today in the world of NASCAR. Whether it be her very vocal opinions or the race tracks. With her journey and career graph, she has a lot of wins to her name and has achieved a lot. Patrick also became the first woman since 1974, to race in the Toyota Atlantic Series in 2003. There is something in common between Danica and the legendary Janet Guthrie. Janet’s highest finish was sixth place at Bristol in 1977, which is the best finish by a woman in a top-tier NASCAR race. She is currently level with Danica Patrick, who finished sixth in 2014. Danica, with all her passion for racing, has created a place for herself at NASCAR. 

The legendary NASCAR star Janet Guthrie has surely paved the road for women with all her courage and contribution to the sport. Looks like she certainly is a role model to a lot of them out there. All the women in the house, what do you think about it?

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