Mary McGee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mary McGee |
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|---|---|
| Born | December 12, 1936 Juneau, Alaska Territory, U.S. |
| Died | November 27, 2024 (aged 87) Gardnerville, Nevada, U.S. |
| Motocross career | |
| Years active | 1957–1976 |
Mary McGee (born Connor; December 12, 1936 – November 27, 2024) was an amazing American motorsport racing pioneer. She was the very first woman to race motorcycles in road racing and motocross events in the United States.
Mary started her racing journey in sports cars. Later, from 1960 to 1976, she competed in motorcycle road racing and motocross. She even started racing again in 2000 in special vintage motocross events. Her last race was in 2012. Because of her incredible career, Mary McGee was named an FIM Legend in 2013. She was also added to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Early Life and First Races
Mary McGee was born in Juneau, Alaska Territory, on December 12, 1936. During World War II, she moved to Iowa to live with her grandparents. This was because Alaska was thought to be at risk of an invasion. In 1944, her family settled in Phoenix, Arizona.
Later, she met and married Don McGee in 1956. Don was a mechanic who loved racing. He introduced Mary to racing cars, which then led her to motorcycles. Mary was tall, about 5 feet 11 inches. She described herself as "fast on my feet, fast with my brain." Even though she sometimes lacked confidence in other areas, she felt completely confident on the race track.
Racing Sports Cars
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Mary McGee started racing sports cars in December 1957. Her first car was a Mercedes 300SL. She raced with the Sports Car Club of America. Mary often won her races, which made her famous in the media. An article in Motor Trend magazine in 1962 even encouraged other women to try racing! She continued racing sports cars until 1964.
Mary raced many different kinds of cars, such as:
She raced on famous tracks like:
- Riverside International Raceway, California
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Laguna Seca Raceway, California (later for motorcycles)
Mary achieved great success in sports car racing:
- In 1961, she placed 1st in the over 1500cc Modified class with the SCCA.
- In 1963 and 1964, she placed 2nd in the Pacific Coast Championship.
Motorcycle Road Racing
Mary bought her first motorcycle in 1957. It was a 200cc 1956 Triumph Tiger Cub. She didn't know much about motorcycles at first, but she quickly fell in love with riding. In 1960, while racing a Porsche car, a famous car owner suggested that Mary should ride a motorcycle to improve her car racing skills. Mary thought, "Okay. Why not?"
Having a female road racer in the United States was very new! The American Federation of Motorcyclists (AFM) wanted to make sure Mary could handle a motorcycle. So, she had to try out first. She passed and became the first woman in the United States to road race. She also earned a special FIM license. She raced on a 125 Honda CB92 and always wore her pink polka-dot helmet.
Mary raced motorcycles from 1960 to 1963. By 1962, she had earned enough points to use the special #20 AFM number plate on her bike in 1963. She stopped road racing in the fall of 1963. There were talks about new rules for women racers, but these rules never actually happened.
Some of the tracks Mary raced motorcycles on include:
- Riverside International Raceway, California
- Las Vegas, Nevada (on city streets!)
- Willows Spring, CA (where she raced in a big international race in 1961)
- Laguna Seca Raceway, California (1962 – the first time motorcycles were allowed there)
Dirt Bike Racing
In 1963, Mary's friend, the famous actor Steve McQueen, told her, "McGee, you’ve got to get off that easy road-racing bike and come out to the desert."
A few months later, Mary entered her first desert race. It was an AMA District 37 Enduro in Jawbone Canyon, California. Mary rode a 1962 CL72 250cc Honda Scrambler. Her friends, who were also racers, told her it would be easy. But Mary remembered it being very tough, cold, and snowy!
In 1966, Mary bought a 250cc CZ motorcycle. She raced it through 1967 before switching to Husqvarna motorcycles. In 1967, Mary started desert racing in Baja California events.
A big highlight of her dirt bike career was in 1975. She rode a 250 Husqvarna by herself in the Baja 500 race. She passed 17 teams that had two riders! Mary said that racing in Baja was the hardest thing she ever did. It was a very wild place with no electricity or doctors. She carried medicine in case she got hurt, but luckily, she never had to use it.
Mary stopped motocross and long-distance dirt racing around 1976. But in 2000, after moving to Northern Nevada, she started again! She bought a 1974 250cc Husqvarna and entered women's classes in vintage motocross events. She raced in the over 60 class, and then later in the over 70 class.
Personal Life
Mary married Don McGee in 1956, but they later divorced in 1976.
In 1964, Mary's brother, Jim, sadly died in a car race. That same year, Mary was in a serious car accident herself. While she was in the hospital recovering, she found out she was going to have a baby. In 1965, Mary gave birth to her son.
Mary lived near Carson City, Nevada, and also had a granddaughter.
Mary McGee passed away in Gardnerville, Nevada, on November 27, 2024, at 87 years old. Her death happened just one day before a documentary film about her life, called Motorcycle Mary, was released.
Achievements and Recognition
Mary McGee achieved many amazing things:
- She was a Past Pacific Coast Champion in Sports and Formula Cars.
- She was the first woman to race in a US MC/FIM sanctioned motorcycle race in the US (1960).
- She was the first woman to finish the Baja 1000 (1968).
- She was the first woman to Road Race motorcycles in the US.
- She was the first woman to race Motocross in the US.
- She was the first person and only woman to ride the Baja 500 solo (1975).
- She was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame (2018).
- She was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (2023).
In August 2012, Mary was asked to be the main speaker at the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference. On December 2, 2012, Mary was given the special honor of being the FIM Woman Legend of 2012. This happened at a big event in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and it was Mary's first trip to Europe!
On April 5, 2014, Mary McGee was inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame. In 2015, she received the Extreme Sports Award. In November 2016, a special "McGee Cup" was created in her honor. It is awarded to the highest point rider in any class at a racing event in Arizona, recognizing Mary's many accomplishments.
Film About Mary McGee
A short documentary film about Mary McGee's life and racing career is called Motorcycle Mary. It first showed at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on June 7, 2024. The film was directed by Haley Watson. Famous people like Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot helped produce the film.
See also
- List of Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductees
- Female motorcycle racers
