Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 1977)
auto racing Guthrie makes it and likes what she finds ■“* ■<* Frustration ends with Indy Berth By NEIL GRUENFELDER Of the Emerald "Drive a race car, and get paid for it — it's fantastic.” The author of this quote, Janet Guthrie, might have added, “It’s fortunate too." Racing in a sport dominated by men, Guthrie was the first woman to compete in oval-course racing and to qualify for the Mecca of auto racing, the Indianapolis 500. Guthrie was greeted with a bar rage of insults and false accusa tions when she announced her in tentions of racing at Indy Some called it a publicity stunt, while others said she didn't have the physical strength to finish. "The big fracas last year was in oval-track racing," she said. "There never has been any women there before, and drivers said that women would endanger their lives. “I have been driving for one and a half years now and I have not killed anyone yet. There has been a reevaluation." Guthrie, appearing at Rex Voll stedt Volkswagon, Monday, might still be an unknown road-course driver had good fortune not come her way. Car designer and builder Rolla Vollstedt, known as an inno vator for designing the first rear engined Offenhauser and for using a wing to control wind force, wanted a woman driver at Indy. Heeding the advice of one of his directors, Vollstedt picked Guthrie and telephoned her. "At first she thought I was pul ling her leg,” Vollstedt said. "We had her practice in Ontario (Cal.) and we liked what we saw. She wanted to give it a try and I gave her a try.” Guthrie s first test in oval course racing came in Trenton, N.J. in the Championship Car Race May 2. 1976. She finished 14th in a car she described as "non-conformitive" and estab lished herself as a bona fide racer. After falling short in a berth for the Indianapolis field in 1976, Janet Guthrie in 1977 became the first woman ever to race at the famed Brickyard. Although she was forced out of the race early with mechan 9 Photo by Andy Taylor ical trouble, Guthrie proved to be one of the top success stories in Indy history. At Indianapolis, she drove the #2 car, # 1 being used by team mate Dick Simon, passing the 20-lap rookie test admirably. Transmission problems pre vented her from qualifying for the Memorial Day classic even though she recorded a qualifying mark in a borrowed A.J. Foyt car. Foyt refused to let her drive his #2 car but consoled her by telling the press, "She did prove that ladies can drive race cars.” In 1977 she received a new rac ing car. Capable of 900 horse power and 200 miles per hour, her Drake-Offy Lightning racer qual ified #26 at Indy despite claiming the fastest mark for the second week of trials. Her car did not hold up in the main test, and she retired with engine problems after 17 laps. Guthrie, 39, was bom in Iowa City, Iowa, and moved to Miami, Fla., in her childhood. The 5-ft. 9-in.t 135 lb. racer whose figure and face look ten years younger, obtained a B.A. degree in physics at the University of Michigan. After graduating from Michigan, she traveled to Long Island, N.Y., where she obtained work in aerodynamics. She also became interested in race car driving and purchased a 1963 Jaguar XK140 Roadster. “By the time I went back tor my Masters, racing had a bite on me," she said. “I tried going to graduate school at night because of the rac ing during the day. Eventually, it was either racing or finals. Racing won.” Guthrie became so obsessed with racing cars that in 1967 she gave up her job as research and public engineer. Since then, she has competed in over 120 auto races. Her most notable wins were at Sebring, Fla., in 1970, in the Under Two Liter Prototype class, and in the B Sedan class in the 1973 North Atlantic Road Rac ing Championship. A good indica tion of her skills is in her first race ever. She finished second despite racing in an upper division class. A veteran of 14 oval-course races, Guthrie said the action is there rather than road-course rac ing. In road racing, such as Le Mans, the track is on a circuit with hills and turns. Oval-course racing has four left turns, with Indy being a prime example. Most of the money is made in oval-course racing although she said, “prize money never covers the cost of running.'’ That explains why few women are racing. “It's very expensive to get started. Very few women have the money. It also depends on the sponsor. That’s the major problem for women." Guthrie describes pre-race ten sion as “perfectly ghastly.’’ “I get a terrible attack of the butterfles but once that green flag comes down, thinking takes over. You’re think ing, did I take that turn right? Who’s ahead of me? It takes in tense concentration.’’ She is also thinking constantly about the tires which guide her. Each untreaded tire has small holes which are a quarter-inch deep. When spinning, the tires produce a line visible to the driver. Mtiwiy Mm* res&nts S^l ICMES A CAST OF SANDWICHES: • Flying Herbivore • Ham & Swiss • Joe s Special • Salami & Swiss • Murphy’s Special • Turkey & Avocado AND OF COURSE.YOUR FAVORITE: • Roast Beef ALSO STARRING THE FAMOUS: • Soups and Salads • Miller High Life and Loewenbrau Dark on tap • Happy Hours Mon-Thurs 2-5 and Friday 2-6 SECOND FEATURE: • Bagels & Cream Cheese with Fruit Boards • MURPHY & ME • 1475 Franklin Blvd • Right next to the Millrace • If Guthrie notices one line is dis appearing, she radios to her pit crew to have another tire ready. After the race, some drivers say they lose 14) to 15 lb. Guthrie does not notice. “All I know is that the next Wednesday I'm still the same weight — dam it.” Guthrie plans to keep racing as long as her desire holds out. She said she doesn’t think she'll try the ABC Superstars Competition again. “I got my doors blown off twice,” she said. She is also look ing forward to the 1978 In dianapolis 500. “I believe, no, I will race a hel luva good race at Indy,” she pre dicted. VEGETARIAN DELIGHT ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS RENNETLESS CHEESES NO PRESERVATIVES NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS SECRET INGRED.: TLC* CREAM CHEESE MONTEREY JACK SESAME BUTTER NESTLED IN A BED OF SUPER FRESH VEGIES NOW AVAILABLE AT NEARBY: SEVEN-ELEVEN (13th & ALDER), H1LYARD ST. MKT , SUNDANCE NATURAL FOODS, OTHER LOCAL HEALTH FOOD STORES & MARKETS * TENDER JLOYING CARE
