Janet Guthrie hopes her recently-completed autobiography will soon make it to
print. Until then, she's keeping herself busy with her Web site
(www.janetguthrie.com), still makes regular appearances, and will continue to
be the No. 1 booster of seeing more women make it in Winston Cup racing and
other forms of motorsports.
While Guthrie admittedly was the butt of prejudice and sexual discrimination
in her NASCAR days, she also formed dozens of friendships and relationships
that she continues to maintain today.
In excerpts from her book (which can also be found on her Web page), Guthrie
lists comments from some of her contemporaries and fellow drivers during her
racing career. For the most part, they all looked at her as a racer first,
and woman second. Guthrie wouldn't want it any other way.
Asked to name competitors against whom he did not mind battling inches
apart at 200 miles per hour, former Indy car competitor Tom Sneva said, "Foyt
and Janet Guthrie. They know their equipment and they know how to drive."
Fellow NASCAR driver Cale Yarborough: "There is no question about her
ability to race with us. More power to her. She has 'made it' in what I think
is the most competitive racing circuit in the world."
Indy car driver Gordon Johncock: "She's done a helluva job. The woman drove
500 miles with a broken wrist (in the 1978 Indianapolis 500 after crashing
during practice a few days earlier). I don't know if I could have done it."
NASCAR driver Buddy Baker: "Look what she did at Atlanta (in spring
1977). She got right up there and ran with (David) Pearson. I think now
instead of making smart cracks about her, (other drivers are) looking at her
as a race driver."
Indy car great Mario Andretti: "I think she has done a hell of a job.
She's got a good head on her shoulders. I've seen many guys who had much more
trouble with Indy than she has had, from the standpoint of belonging on the
course. Anyone who says she doesn't belong, just feels threatened."
Stock Car Racing Magazine, March 1978: "One of the best races of the
afternoon (on the Winston Cup race at Ontario, Calif., in late Nov. 1977) was
between Bobby Allison and Janet Guthrie. They swapped positions back and
forth and ran side-by-side trying to outbrave each other in action that had
the veterans shaking their heads. It was some fine show."
Winston Cup driver Ricky Rudd, who battled it out with (and eventually
defeated) Guthrie for Rookie of the Year honors in 1977: "I probably ran more
laps next to her than anybody else. She'll give you just enough room but no
more...she has proved to me that she can run up front. And as daring as she
is, I'd never think she was a woman."
Former Winston Cup driver David Pearson in August 1977: "I think the
drivers respect her now."
Former Indy car driver Bobby Unser in 1979: "She's done a good job. I
gotta admit that I had my doubts about her. But she's proven her point...she
can be up there in the top 10. There are a lotta guys who can't say that."
The late Neil Bonnett in August 1977: "Janet's a serious racer with some
good race-car stuff. She can get the job done. I respect her as a racer."
Richard Petty following the 1978 Daytona 500: "If she had a better ride,
she'd probably win one of these [Winston Cup] events."
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