Janet Guthrie's encyclopedic mind and ability to recall even the smallest details from events and experiences she lived through during her racing career are the backbone for her autobiography, which she hopes will soon be in print.

"It was almost like I had to write this book," Guthrie said. "It was like racing for me, I simply had to tell the story.

	Janet Guthrie opened the door for women in racing.

"I had two objectives in writing this book. First, I don't know of any book that conveys the passion and complexion of these sports -- Indy car racing, stock car racing and sports car racing -- as I have tried to convey it. I tried to put the reader inside my skin, make the reader feel that she or he is lapping the track at close to 200 mph.

"Second, I wanted to record the tenor of those times back then when I first got my chance at the top levels, all those cries of 'Women in race cars are going to endanger our lives' and so on. I think today's women will find a lot of humor in it."

But until the book finds a publisher, Guthrie was gracious enough to share a few of the more vivid stories she recalls from her illustrious career. Here are a few of those stories:

ESPN.com: When you came to Charlotte in May 1976 for your first NASCAR race, did any driver take you under their wing or help break the ice?

Guthrie:"Eventually, almost every one of them came around. But at the beginning, Donny Allison was the only driver who would even speak to me. He was very helpful with some tips.

"What was funny was the way he and I met. The car that I was supposed to drive wasn't at the track yet, practice was going on, the first qualifying session had already taken place, the second qualifying session was about to take place, and my car is nowhere to be seen. It was still back at the shop. Hoss Ellington had sold this car to Lynda Ferreri, my team owner, and was also fielding a car for Donny Allison, and Donny wasn't at the track.

"So, I was urged to get into Donny's car totally cold. I had just come from Indianapolis where I had drove A.J. Foyt's backup car in practice only, on the last day of qualifying. After that kind of pressure, I figured I could stand anything. That was A.J.'s backup car, and here I was being told to get into Donny Allison's actual race car, for my first time ever in a stock car and take it out into the middle of practice in Charlotte. I can't say I was totally eager to do that because I sure didn't want to damage Donny Allison's car.

"Anyway, I climbed into it and am sitting there in the garage area, feeling things out, getting an imprint, moving the gearshift around, checking the seat. All of a sudden, the window fills with this big shadow, and it's Donny Allison. He didn't say a word, just came up to the window. I looked up and said, 'Whoops.' I turned beet red and climbed out. Donny thought it was very funny. I guess something just clicked. Donny was a real prince anyway. I was able to ask him a few questions, and he did give me a few tips when everybody else was still pretty negative. I haven't seen him in a very, very long time, but I do have the fondest memories of him."

ESPN.com: Some fellow drivers went out of their way to help you. Can you recall one instance that stands out in your mind?

Guthrie:"At Atlanta in March 1977, I lost an engine in the last practice session and hadn't qualified yet. Cecil Gordon hadn't qualified yet, either. So, we had an emergency engine change going on. It was the first time I'd ever picked up the wrenches in Winston Cup; it was the first time I needed to, but we were still a bit short on crew. So here we were, tearing this engine out in a great mad fury to get it changed in something like an hour and half before the last qualifying session began. Cecil hadn't qualified yet, either. If I didn't get my engine changed, that would be one less competitor for him to beat. Yet, he came up to me and said, 'You'll never get the engine shards out of the oil sump without a scavenger pump. I'll lend you mine.'"

ESPN.com: Donny Allison was a good friend, but you also had some strong runs with Bobby Allison, as well. Can you recall one of your top run-ins with Bobby?

Guthrie:"At Ontario (Calif.) in November 1977, I went back and forth with Bobby for lap after lap after lap. It was the most fun I think I ever had at any great length. It was good. Every time he looked in his mirror, I think all he saw was teeth. I was grinning from ear to ear. I'd get ahead of him and then he'd get ahead of me. It was just terrific. And then, halfway through the race, a cylinder head cracked and the engine went some 20 laps from the end or something. But boy, that was a day I'll never forget for the rest of my life. And then I lost 75 percent of my sponsorship, which handicapped my car. It was the last race of the year, Bobby got another ride and won the Daytona 500. But gee, I sure had a good time that day."

ESPN.com: Can you talk about some of today's top female racers outside of NASCAR competition?:

Guthrie:"I think all these hotshots that come along, Dannika Patrick, Sarah Fisher, and so on, every racing driver, I guarantee you -- and I was no exception -- they think they're the greatest thing since Juan Fangio. It never fails. He's the best race car driver that ever existed. I know Dannika, for example, isn't shy about proclaiming that.

"What they, the drivers, need to remember is that they are only going to be 15 percent of any success they have. The other 85 percent will come from the car, the team, the driver's interaction with the people that set the car up, the driver's connections with the people that know the secrets of how to make a car go fast on a given racetrack under certain conditions. I think that's the single most important thing that young drivers have to remember.

"That said, could Sarah make it in NASCAR? Sure, she could. She's about a couple inches shorter than Mark Martin. Motorsports is the great leveler physically. Could I throw a baseball at 100 mph? Not a chance. I don't have the broad shoulders and big muscles. But can I drive a race car at 200 mph? No problem. Broad shoulders and big muscles don't matter."

ESPN.com: Can you recall some of the sly forms of discrimination you faced in NASCAR competition as a driver?

Guthrie: "When I was leading that race at Ontario in November 1977, we were coming up to a restart and James Hilton jumped the start like you wouldn't believe. I had my restart all thought out. I figured I could hold the lead for another lap or even longer. As we were coming out of turn 4 to take the green flag, here comes James Hilton. He passes me and I think he's probably going into the pits. Well, he passes the pace car, he's like 200 yards in front of the pace car and a hell of a long way in front of the pack, and I said to myself that NASCAR wasn't going to throw the green (flag) on this. Well, guess what? They did. I've got it on videotape. So, I did not get credit for leading any further laps.

"Another thing I remember, and I think was our single biggest problem in our rookie year was how we were always tech-inspected last. You're supposed to be tech-inspected in the order of how you arrived at the pit gates and signed in. No matter if we got there a week ahead of time, we'd always be tech-inspected last. It kept us from practicing. We'd be up on jack stands with our hood up, and everybody would be roaring around, including the guys I'd lap 10 times in a race, and the tech inspectors would say things like, 'Oh, fancy that, we just forgot about you.' So, it cut sharply into our practice time, which made life difficult."