Photo: Newsday

1960: First Female
"Indy 500" Racer Works
at Republic Aviation Co.

On May 29, 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first woman in auto racing history to compete in the Indianapolis 500. Born in Iowa City and raised in Florida, Guthrie earned a B.S. in physics at the University of Michigan in 1960. After graduating, she spent six years as an aerospace research and development engineer at Republic Aviation Corporation in Farmingdale, working on programs that were precursors to Project Apollo. In 1964, she passed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s first round of testing for the scientist-astronaut program, but was eventually eliminated. She bought a sports car and within a year was the women’s gymkhana champion of Long Island. In the 1977 Indy 500, Guthrie withdrew after experiencing engine trouble. But in 1978, she placed ninth. Guthrie later became an inspirational speaker and recently wrote her autobiography. She is shown here in a 1977 photo.

–Cynthia Blair

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