RRDC member Janet Guthrie – the first woman to compete at the Indianapolis 500 and in NASCAR – received the second annual “Spirit Of Competition” Award from the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Presenting the award was David Donohue, winner of the 2009 Daytona 24 Hours, and son of the late Mark Donohue. Guthrie joins inaugural honoree Mario Andretti in being a “Spirit of Competition” Award recipient.

Janet Guthrie receives her award from Dr. Frederick A. Simeone

“Auto racing is the one of the very few sports where women can compete equally with men – and win,” commented Dr. Frederick A. Simeone, executive director of the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. “More than 30 years ago Janet Guthrie paved the way for women drivers to be able to participate today in events like the Indy 500 and NASCAR. Her quote, which we have on the wall in our lobby, says it all: ‘Racing is a matter of spirit, not strength.’

Before becoming the first woman ever to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, Janet Guthrie was a pilot, flight instructor, and an aerospace engineer – a modern day Amelia Earhart. In 1977, she became the first woman to qualify for and compete in the Indianapolis 500. That same year she was also the first woman and Top Rookie at the Daytona 500. She finished ninth in the Indianapolis 500 in 1978. Janet Guthrie was one of the first athletes named to the Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, and her driver’s suit and helmet are on display at the Smithsonian Institution.

The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum encompasses many of the most significant racing sports cars ever built. The Museum, which has been open to the public since June 2008, differs from most other automotive collections in that the cars are used to tell a story: that competition and racing improves the breed.