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LATEST
SNIPPET
Lyn raced her Messenger IV this last Saturday
(7/29/06) on the streets of San Jose (California)
as part of the Historic Stock Car racing series.
She finished her first HSCRC race with a 6th place
finish. 
Lyn will be at the IndyCar race in Kentucky this
weekend (8/12-13/06) to watch two of the women, she
has worked with, race. This is the second time in
history that two women have raced in the same
IndyCar race (Lyn and Fisher in 2001.) This time
it's Patrick and Fisher.
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Snippets
History
Messenger IV
Women in the Winner's
Circle Luncheon - 8/3/06
Photo
Gallery
Article
about Driver
Development
Survey: Attidues
Toward Women in
Motorsports
2007
Schedule
"Women in the Winner's Circle", 57D
Gasoline Alley, Indianapolis, IN 46222 or
317.244.9790 or www.lynstjames.com
or E-Mail.
See "Women
in the Winner's Circle"
More of Lyn St James pics at www.lynstjames.com/lsj_links_driver.htm
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Snippets
Won the IMSA Camel GT Rookie of the Year 1984,
named IMSA, Norelco “Driver of the Year”
in 1985, becomes President of the
“Women’s Sports Foundation” in 1990
-first woman awarded Rookie of the Year at the Indy
500 (1992)
Lyn St. James has set thirty-one national and
international speed records during her professional
racing career, and is renowned as one of the top
race car drivers in he world. Her driving ambition
to be one of the best in her field has moved with
precision, speed, determination and focus.
Lyn developed her love for cars early. By
spending time in her father's shop, she learned
about mechanics and quickly developed a proficiency
and respect for things mechanical. During her
teenage years, Lyn's fascination with cars
developed. One day, Lyn attended the drag races in
Louisville, Kentucky. A male companion entered
their GTO and lost. When Lyn made a remark
about her friend's driving ability, he suggested
that she race it herself. She did, and won her
class.
In 1992, Lyn raced for the first time in the
Indianapolis 500. The only woman in the race, she
placed eleventh, and was voted Rookie of the Year.
She has followed that accomplishment by qualifying
for a position in six consecutive Indy 500s.
As the leading woman competing head-to-head with
men in a male-dominated sport, Lyn has gained
recognition as one of the world's stop female role
models. As a woman as dedicated to advancing
opportunities for female athletes as she is to her
driving career, she served as president of the
Women's Sports Foundation from 1990 to 1993.
Lyn established the Lyn St. James Foundation in
1994, a nonprofit organization dedicated to
professional race car driver development,
especially for aspiring young women. Also in 1994,
Lyn created the "Make a Difference" campaign, a
program which helps girls in the Indianapolis area
gain self-esteem through sports and leadership
programs. The top female race car driver in the
world, she is an inspiring role model to millions,
and is not only changing the rules for women, but
redefining their roles and changing perceptions as
well. "It's not a case of us against them," say Lyn
of the roles of men and women. "It's a matter of
melding all people's skills and resources to create
a better world for everyone."
Lyn drove IRL cars and once out qualified Nigel
Mansell at the Indy 500.
Lyn St. James has had 15 Indy car starts. She is
founder of the Lyn
St. James Foundation and Driver
Development Program, which trains young racers;
served as president of the Women’s Sport
Foundation (1990-1993); and was named one of the
Top
100 Women Athletes of the Century by Sports
Illustrated for Women.
Lyn is also the author of two very special
books. “Oh, By The Way…” recounts a
letter Lyn’s mother wrote to her about life
– a letter “so profound, so global and
timeless, so poetic, so extraordinary” as Lyn
writes. Lyn shares this letter with love, with the
hope that other mothers might share it with their
daughters; friends might share it with friends;
family members might share it with their loved ones
on a special occasion.
“Ride
Of Your Life – A Race Car Driver’s
Journey” is Lyn’s critically
acclaimed intimate look inside the world of racing.
Lyn’s book will appeal not only to fans of the
sport, but also to anyone interested in a
remarkable story of overcoming the odds.
“A second ago is gone, and a second from
now might be. Now is all you’ve got. Go for
it!” - Lyn St. James
Messenger IV
This passionate purple car was born in July of 2001
in honor of the Kick Of party drivnig the
fundraising efforts of Air Systems 13th Car Sow
& Family Fun-fest. It was the forth of the now
six various Messenger vehicles that campaign the
message that "together we can build our children's
future."
As the Messenger IV took its first lap
in 2001 as an icon for our dedication to many o the
charitable needs for the children of Santa Clara
County, it continues to be used on race tracks and
exhibitions throughout California each year driven
by John Davis. Every two years donors of $1,000 and
above enjoy their names displayed on the car during
that two year period. Each lap takes helps improve
the life of a child!
Check out www.asifoundation.org
for more information on the Air Systems Foundation,
Inc., and over 0 children's programs and
organizations that have been beneficiaries.
Kids are our driving force!
Women in the
Winner's Circle Luncheon - 8/3/06
The Lyn St. James Foundation recognized the late
Barbara Parks’ achievements in the world of
NHRA drag racing today by presenting the Mildred
Marcum Pioneer Award in her honor during the fourth
annual Women in the Winner’s Circle luncheon
at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Mrs. Parks, wife of NHRA founder Wally Parks and
a driving force behind the early successes of the
54-year-old sanctioning body, succumbed to cancer
in late January after a long battle with the
devastating illness. In contrast to the many women
who take the much deserved spotlight as a result of
their untiring efforts to contribute to the
progress of automotive hobbies and racing, Mrs.
Parks, by her own choice remained in the
background. But she was a force — an
important, determined and very creative influence
— in the earliest days of the founding of hot
rodding and, of course, the National Hot Rod
Association and championship drag racing.
She was active to the end, remaining at her
husband’s side as he pursued with painstaking
effectiveness the efficient operation of an NHRA
museum, a monument to the sport’s illustrious
history and a showcase of the archival record of
NHRA drag racing. Many of the features showcased in
the museum, now named for its founder as The Wally
Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, are the product of
Barbara’s vision, creativeness and
talents.
The Mildred Marcum Pioneer Award annually
recognizes the achievements of a woman who through
her passion and dedication for many years,
demonstrates how much women have contributed to the
motorsports industry.
NHRA President Tom Compton accepted the
prestigious award and read a statement from
Barbara’s devoted husband, who was unable to
attend the event.
“On behalf of Barbara and all of us at
NHRA, let me express our genuine appreciation for
this premium recognition and for the years of
friendship she enjoyed among you – especially
here in Indianapolis,” Wally Parks said in the
statement. “She was a trooper – totally
dedicated to a very special sport’s
advancements in which the ladies have been active
in important roles since day one. As she often
pointed out, it was the people involved – not
the race cars – that she appreciated most in
five decades with NHRA. Thank you for honoring her
memory with this very special tribute.”
Said Compton: “On behalf of Wally and the
entire NHRA family, we want to thank Lyn St. James
and the Lyn St. James Foundation for recognizing
Barbara’s immeasurable contribution to the
sport and honoring her with the Mildred Marcum
Pioneer Award as part of the Women in the
Winner’s Circle Luncheon. The entire NHRA
family owes a tremendous amount of thanks to
Barbara Parks for what she accomplished and her
influence on the sport will be
everlasting.”
NHRA Top Fuel driver Melanie Troxel was the
surprise recipient the USAC Kara Hendrick Spirit
Award, which honors a female driver whose spirit,
determination and driving ability are reminiscent
of the excellence demonstrated by the promising
Western States Midget Series driver before her
untimely death in Oct. 1991 due to injuries
suffered in a racing accident.
Troxel has raced to two victories this season in
seven final round appearances in her Skull
Shine/Torco Race Fuels dragster and posted two No.
1 qualifying efforts as she is trying to become
only the second female in NHRA history to win a Top
Fuel world championship title. The quickest (4.458
seconds) and fastest (331.04 mph) woman in NHRA
history, Troxel’s other season highlights
include being nominated for two ESPY awards and
named the first quarter recipient of the Driver of
the Year award.
"This was totally unexpected," Troxel said, "and
I am extremely honored to receive this very special
award. I've been very fortunate with the
opportunities I have been given and I also thank
Lyn for everything that she has done. I am very
fortunate to have the opportunity to race for Don
Schumacher Racing and I'm grateful to everyone
involved with the team. It takes a talented group
of people to put a car out there that can win races
and have success. When I first started coming to
Lyn's events I was in between rides and she has
been a great source of inspiration to me over the
years, encouraging me to stick with it and stay out
there in front of the teams and sponsors and the
people who would make it possible for me to get
back out there."
Two high-profile NHRA race teams -- Don
Schumacher Racing and Frank Pedregon Racing --also
received Opportunity Awards during the event for
creating racing opportunities for female
drivers.
The event was hosted by St. James and basketball
legend Nancy Lieberman. Anne Stevens, executive
vice president and chief operating officer of Ford
Motor Company, was the featured speaker. More than
30 professional female drivers from all forms of
auto racing were in attendance, including
NHRA’s Troxel, Ashley Force and Hillary
Will.
"The 'Women in the Winner's Circle' luncheons
have proved to be a great success," said St. James,
the first female driver to be named Indy 500 Rookie
of the Year and named one of the top 100 women
athletes of the century by Sports Illustrated for
Women. She started the Lyn St. James Foundation and
Driver Development Program to provide leadership,
vision, resources and financial support in order to
create an open environment for women’s growth
in automotive fields.
"Bringing together the top female drivers and
technical experts in motorsports has helped in
discussing the opportunities currently available to
women in the industry,” she continued.
“It is our goal to continue to expand these
opportunities and encourage more women to
experience the thrill of motorsports."
NHRA has had 39 different women earn national
event victories during its 55-year history,
including eight at the professional level. Shirley
Muldowney, a three-time NHRA Top Fuel world
champion with 18 career victories, was the first
woman to win a professional category race (1976,
Columbus, Ohio) and the first to ever earn an NHRA
season championship (1977). Angelle Sampey is
NHRA’s winningest female driver, with 40
career victories and three world championship
titles in Pro Stock Motorcycle. More than 150 women
currently hold competition licenses at NHRA’s
top levels of racing.
Photo
Gallery
Photos: San Jose Grand Prix,
July 29-30, 2006 by Gordon Clay
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