Women of Indy

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
May 22, 2007

Women of Indy

For the first time in the 91-year history of the Indianapolis 500, three women will be in the same field: Milka Duno (far left), Sarah Fisher (second from left) and Danica Patrick (far right). Duno, a rookie driver from Venezuela, joins Fisher and Patrick, both veterans at Indy, on the 33-car grid. Here, we offer a photo essay of their careers, on and off the track, along with a few shots of the original women of Indy, Janet Guthrie and Lyn St. James. (The trio joined St. James, center, and tennis great Billie Jean King for a photo before the start of qualifications on May 12.)

Milka Duno

Duno survived bump day to become the fifth woman driver to make the starting grid at Indy. "I said all week there were 11 positions left for qualifying [on Saturday] and one of them is mine," said Dunno, who will start in the 29th position.

Danica Patrick

Patrick takes a practice spin at this year's Indy. She will start eighth in the field, in the middle of row 3.

Sarah Fisher

Fisher (surrounded here by fans) had a qualifying average speed of 221.960 mph to earn a spot in her sixth Indianapolis 500 and her first since 2004. She'll start in the 21st position.

Milka Duno

Duno successfully passed her IRL rookie test at Kansas Speedway in April. When she made the field for the Kansas Lottery 300, it was the first time in North American open wheel history that three women ran in the same race.

Danica Patrick

There was speculation last year that Patrick would consider a jump to NASCAR, but she ended up staying with the IRL.

Sarah Fisher

Fisher has driven in five consecutive Indy 500s, the first coming n 2000, and had her best finish in 2004, when she came in 21st.

Milka Duno

"You see women as presidents, ministers, economists, engineers, doctors, and race car drivers," says Duno. "When you talk about a profession, it doesn't matter if you are a woman or a man. The importance is how good you are in the same activity."

Danica Patrick

Patrick is one of the IRL's most recognizable drivers. Here she walks the runway for Marie Claire and Tissot during a fall fashion preview show at the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas.

Sarah Fisher

Fisher and Eddie Cheever share a laugh prior to the 2000 Belterra Casino Resort Indy 300 in Kentucky. Fisher became the first woman to win the pole in a major auto racing series when she pulled off the feat at the Belterra in 2002.

Janet Guthrie

In 1977, Guthrie became the first woman to race at Indy. She finished 29th with engine troubles. She competed in two more 500s, finishing as high as ninth in the 1978 race.

Janet Guthrie

Guthrie competed in 11 IndyCar events. Her highest finish was fifth at the Bettenhausen 200 in Milwaukee in 1979. She was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame on April 27, 2006.

Lyn St. James

St. James was the first woman to win the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Award. Her highest finish (15th) came in her first race, in 1992.

Lyn St. James

St. James, who had 15 IndyCar starts, created the Lyn St. James Foundation, which trains young drivers.

Milka Duno

Duno's second-place finish in the 24 Hours of Daytona earlier this year made her the highest-finishing female in the history of the race.

Danica Patrick

In 2005, Patrick became the first woman to lead a lap at the Indianapolis 500.

Sarah Fisher

Fisher recently joined Tiger Woods and Jeff Gordon as a TAG Heuer endorsers.

Milka Duno

Duno takes a spin at the famed Speedway track. Among the cars she has competed in: Porsche Supercup, Ferrari Challenge 355, Formula 2000 Dodge and the Reynard Dodge 98E.