List of female Indianapolis 500 drivers facts for kids
The Indianapolis 500 is one of the most famous car races in the world. It's held every year in Speedway, Indiana, and drivers go super fast around an oval track. For a long time, it was mostly men who raced in it. But over the years, many brave and talented women have joined the race, making history!
This article tells the story of the amazing female drivers who have entered the Indianapolis 500. So far, ten women have officially entered the race. Janet Guthrie was the very first. Sarah Fisher has raced the most times, with nine starts. Danica Patrick achieved the best result, finishing third in 2009. Other women like Lyn St. James, Patrick, and Simona de Silvestro have also won the "Rookie of the Year" award, which is given to the best new driver.
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History of Women at Indy
For many years, it was very hard for women to be involved in the Indianapolis 500. They weren't even allowed in the pit area (where the cars get fixed during the race) until 1971! A journalist named Denise McCluggage helped change this old rule.
Even though women couldn't race, some were involved in other ways. For example, women often performed during the pre-race ceremonies. Many also worked at the track in offices or selling tickets. The first woman to own a winning car was Maude "M.A." Yagle. Her car, driven by Ray Keech, won the race in 1929.
In 1935, the famous pilot Amelia Earhart was chosen as the "Honorary Referee." This was a special role for an important person at the race. Later, in 1972, Dolly Cole became the first woman to ride in the pace car at the start of the race. The pace car leads the race cars for the first few laps.
In 1974, Johnny Rutherford's wife, Betty, helped his team in the pit area. She was probably the first driver's wife to stay in the pits for the whole race. Johnny won, and Betty's presence got a lot of attention. After that, many other wives started helping in the pits too.
Pioneering Women Drivers
The first woman to try and qualify for the Indianapolis 500 was Janet Guthrie in 1976. She was fast enough to pass her rookie test, but her car had many mechanical problems. On the last day, racing legend A. J. Foyt loaned her a backup car. She quickly got up to speed but didn't get to qualify that year.
Guthrie came back in 1977 and successfully qualified for the race! She raced three times in total. In 1978, she finished an amazing ninth place, even though she had a broken wrist from a tennis match! Janet faced challenges, like engine problems and no women's restrooms in the garage area. But she was mostly seen as a positive figure by the media.
In the early 1980s, Desiré Wilson also tried to make the race but didn't qualify. Then, Lyn St. James entered the 1992 race. She had some trouble with her engine at first. But later, her team got a better engine, and St. James qualified at over 220 miles per hour! She started 27th and finished 11th, earning the "Rookie of the Year" award. Lyn raced seven times in the Indy 500. In 1994, she qualified in sixth place, which was very impressive.
Women in the 21st Century
In 2000, for the first time, two women started the race: Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher. From 2007 to 2015, at least two women raced in every Indy 500. Since 2001, seven different women have started the race, with five of them being international drivers.
Before 2005, Janet Guthrie held the record for the best finish by a woman. But that year, Danica Patrick made her debut. She qualified fourth and even led 19 laps during the race! She finished fourth and also won "Rookie of the Year." In 2008, Danica became the first woman to win an IndyCar race in Japan. In 2009, she broke her own record by finishing third in the Indy 500. She also led laps in the 2011 race. Danica Patrick is the first woman to lead laps in the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, and the Coca-Cola 600.
In 2010, four women started the race: Danica Patrick, Sarah Fisher, Ana Beatriz, and Simona de Silvestro. A fifth woman, Milka Duno, tried but didn't qualify. Danica finished sixth, and Simona de Silvestro won the "Rookie of the Year" award. Four women also raced in 2011 and 2013.
However, in 2020, no female drivers were entered in the race. This was the first time since 1999 that no woman was in the starting lineup. Pippa Mann, who had raced seven times, couldn't find enough money from sponsors to race that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Famous "Starting Command"
A special tradition at the Indy 500 is the "starting command." Usually, the person in charge says, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" But when female drivers are racing, they change it to "Lady and Gentlemen..." or "Ladies and Gentlemen..."
In 1977, when Janet Guthrie qualified, there was a bit of a discussion about the command. Officials didn't want to change the old phrase. But after some complaints, on race morning, Tony Hulman, the owner of the track, said:
In company with the first lady ever to qualify at Indianapolis, gentlemen, start your engines.
This was a special way to include Janet. In recent years, the command has sometimes been "Drivers, start your engines," to include everyone.
Female Drivers at the Indianapolis 500
| Name | Country | First Race | Last Race | Entries | Starts | Best Start | Best Finish | Wins | Top Ten |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janet Guthrie |  United States |
1977 | 1980 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Desiré Wilson |  South Africa |
1982 | 1984 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Amber Furst* | United States |
1983 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Lyn St. James | United States |
1992 | 2000 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Sarah Fisher | United States |
2000 | 2010 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Danica Patrick | United States |
2005 | 2018 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Milka Duno |  Venezuela |
2007 | 2010 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Simona de Silvestro |  Switzerland |
2010 | 2021 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Ana Beatriz Figuereido |  Brazil |
2010 | 2013 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Pippa Mann |  United Kingdom |
2011 | 2019 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Katherine Legge | United Kingdom |
2012 | 2023 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
Drivers by Country
| Country | Drivers | Entries | Starts | Top 10 Finishes | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil |
1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
 South Africa |
1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Switzerland |
1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| United Kingdom |
2 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| United States |
4 | 31 | 27 | 7 | 0 |
| Venezuela |
1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Female Records at Indy
- Most career starts:
- 9: Sarah Fisher (2000–2004, 2007–2010)
- 8: Danica Patrick (2005–2011, 2018)
- 7: Lyn St. James (1992–1997, 2000)
- 7: Pippa Mann (2011, 2013–2017, 2019)
- Best starting position:
- 4th: Danica Patrick (2005)
- 5th: Danica Patrick (2008)
- 6th: Lyn St. James (1994)
- Best finishing position:
- 3rd: Danica Patrick (2009)
- 4th: Danica Patrick (2005)
- 6th: Danica Patrick (2006)
- Most laps led in a career:
- 29: Danica Patrick
- Most female drivers in the starting field:
- 4: 2010 (Danica Patrick, Sarah Fisher, Ana Beatriz, Simona de Silvestro)
- 4: 2011 (Danica Patrick, Ana Beatriz, Simona de Silvestro, Pippa Mann)
- 4: 2013 (Simona de Silvestro, Ana Beatriz, Pippa Mann, Katherine Legge)
- Fastest 4-lap qualifying average by a female driver:
- 231.070 mph: Katherine Legge (2023)
- Fastest 1-lap qualifying speed by a female driver:
- 231.627 mph: Katherine Legge (2023)
- Female "Rookie of the Year" winners:
- Lyn St. James (1992)
- Danica Patrick (2005)
- Simona de Silvestro (2010)
- Oldest female to start an Indy 500:
- Lyn St. James (53 years, 76 days in 2000)
- Youngest female to start an Indy 500:
- Sarah Fisher (19 years, 237 days in 2000)
Other Important Women at Indianapolis
After Tony Hulman, the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, passed away in 1977, his wife, Mary Fendrich Hulman, became the chairman. Later, their daughter, Mari Hulman George, took over this important role.
There have also been several female car owners at the Indianapolis 500. The first and only female car owner to win was Maude "M.A." Yagle in 1929. Other notable female owners include Mari Hulman George and former driver Sarah Fisher.
The first professional competition for women at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway wasn't a car race. It was a golf tournament called the LPGA 500 Ladies Classic in 1968, played on the Speedway's golf course.
Some women have also raced in the Freedom 100, a support race held at IMS. Pippa Mann even won the pole position (starting first) for this race in 2010.
In 2022, Angela Ashmore became the first female crew member to win the Indianapolis 500. She was an assistant race engineer for Marcus Ericsson's winning team.
Twice, a woman has driven the pace car at the start of the race: Elaine Irwin Mellencamp (2001) and Robin Roberts (2010).
Only two female drivers have tried to qualify for NASCAR's Brickyard 400, another big race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In 2013, Danica Patrick became the first woman to qualify for the Brickyard 400. This made her one of the few drivers to compete in both the Indy 500 and the Brickyard 400.
Female Car Owners and Teams
- Maude "M.A." Yagle – Owned a team from 1929–1932; won the 1929 race with Ray Keech.
- Marion Batton – 1929.
- Bessie Lee Paoli – 1952–1953.
- Mari Hulman – 1962–1963.
- Lydia Laughrey – 1987.
- Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing – 2008–2014.
See also
- List of female Formula One drivers
- List of female 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers
- List of female NASCAR drivers
- List of female racing drivers
