Why Have Only Two Women Ever Driven The Indy 500 Pace Car?
The 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada is a novelty among Indianapolis 500 pace cars—not only was it was the first SUV to pace the field, but its driver was the first woman to lead the ceremonial opening laps. Elaine Irwin, who was then living in Bloomington with John Mellencamp (she’s now married to racing royalty Jay Penske), called the milestone a “great honor.” After a training session with two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., Irwin described the huge track as “a little intimidating,” but once she got the hang of it, she didn’t want to stop. “It felt entirely different with the stands filled,” she says. “I was nervous and I took a deep breath, put the pedal down, listened to race control, and the rest is history.”
Little did anyone know the extent of the history Irwin was making, that she would remain one of only two women to pace the 500 by now; the other was Robin Roberts in 2010. At that pace, we’re overdue for another woman behind the wheel. Allison Melangton, senior vice president at Penske Entertainment, which owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, says that the IMS coordinates with Chevrolet to find the right personality each year, and women are always on the short list. But the three-day training commitment over Memorial Day weekend often poses a challenge in finding the right driver.
See complete article here