Cheryl Linn Glass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cheryl Glass |
|
|---|---|
Glass on the cover of Pacific Northwest magazine, May 1984.
|
|
| Nationality |  American |
| Born | Cheryl Linn Glass December 24, 1961 Mountain View, California |
| Died | July 15, 1997 (aged 35) Seattle, Washington |
| Indy Lights career | |
| Debut season | 1990 |
| Current team | Glass Racing |
| Car no. | No. 18 |
| Starts | 3 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | 22nd in 1990 |
Cheryl Linn Glass (December 24, 1961 – July 15, 1997) was an amazing American race car driver. She made history as the first black female professional race car driver in the United States. Cheryl was known for her speed and determination on the track.
Contents
Who Was Cheryl Glass?
Cheryl Glass was born on December 24, 1961, in Mountain View, California. Her family moved to Seattle, Washington, in 1963. Her father worked for a phone company, and her mother was an engineer for Boeing. Cheryl was very smart, graduating high school early at 16. She even studied electrical engineering in college.
Her Early Life and Talents
When she was just 9 years old, Cheryl started her own business! She made beautiful ceramic dolls and sold them for a good price. Around the same time, she discovered racing. She read a newspaper article about kids driving quarter-midget race cars.
Cheryl used her own money to buy racing equipment. With her father's help, she started racing. In her very first year, she was named Rookie of the Year. This was a big deal because she was the first girl to win it! For five years in a row, she was a state and regional champion. She was also one of the top ten drivers in the whole country. Later, she started racing faster, heavier half-midgets.
Chasing Her Racing Dream
At 18, Cheryl bought her first sprint car. She started racing at Skagit Speedway in Mount Vernon, Washington. She was the first woman sprint car driver there. That year, she was named Rookie of the Year again by the Northwest Sprint Car Association.
After winning a big race at Skagit Speedway, she competed in over 100 professional races. This made her the first African-American female professional race car driver. People called her "The Lady" because of her racing skills. Her biggest dream was to race in the famous Indianapolis 500. She also hoped to become a Formula One driver one day. Her racing career ended after a crash in April 1991.
Life Beyond the Racetrack
In February 1983, Cheryl married Richard Lindwall. She even designed her own wedding dress! Soon after, she opened her own design studio called Cheryl Glass Designs. For 12 years, she designed wedding gowns and fancy evening wear. Cheryl also gave speeches to students and other groups, sharing her inspiring story. She passed away in Washington on July 15, 1997.
Awards and Recognition
Cheryl Glass received many honors for her achievements:
- The Candace Award for Trailblazing from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women in 1987.
- The Wendell Scott Greased Lightning Award from the Wendell Scott Foundation.
- She was named one of America's Top 100 Black Business and Professional Women by Dollars and Sense magazine.
- She was one of five African Americans featured in a special TV show called The Achievers on TBS during Black History Month in 1988.
