In auto racing, the month of May belongs to the Indianapolis 500, the world’s largest single-day sporting event. In 91 years it has been crammed with drama, innovations, surprises and significant change. Trends begin there.
This year is no exception. As qualifications approach for the big event on May 27, three women will make strong bids to get into the field of 33. Veterans Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher, who have turned in previous respectable performances, will be joined by rookie Milka Duno. She is the first woman to win a major international sports car race.
That’s a far cry from the days when they hung out the “Men Only” sign in Gasoline Alley. That sign was removed in 1970, and seven years later, Janet Guthrie, an aeronautical engineer, qualified but finished 29th with engine troubles. She would compete in two more Indy 500s, finishing ninth in the 1978 race.
Several years later, in 1992, Lynn St. James finished 12th and was named rookie of the year. She competed in six 500s, qualifying fifth fastest in 1994 but finishing 19th. St. James has organized the Lynn St. James Foundation and Driver Development Program, which trains young racers.
In 2000, Fisher was next and competed in five 500s with disappointing results, although she did qualify ninth in 2002. She had raced in the sprint car and midget ranks, winning the 1995 Dirt Track Racing Round-Up rookie of the year award.
Patrick turned in the best showing of the four, qualifying fourth fastest, briefly leading the race and finishing fourth two years ago. She earned rookie of the year honors. After her participation in the 2005 Indianapolis 500, she was asked by Playboy to have her pictures taken to be published in a future edition of its magazine. She declined.
Although young, Duno, of Venezuela, has already won her country’s Driver of the Year honor. A naval engineer she has earned four master’s degrees. She intends to enter 10 IndyCar Series events this season besides the Indy 500.
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The Cajon Classic Cruise, billed as the largest weekly classic car show in Southern California, returns to downtown El Cajon. Presented by the nonprofit El Cajon Community Development Corporation, it is centered on East Main Street at Prescott Promenade, just east of the intersection of Main and Magnolia.
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I enjoy these things. Road and Track magazine came up with another one of those car lists. This time, it’s the 12 best cars under $30,000. In the mix were the supercharged Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Ford’s Mustang GT, Honda’s Civic Si, Mazda’s MX-5 Miata PRHT, Mazda Speed3, Mini’s Cooper 5 JCW, Mitsubishi’s Evolution R5, Nissan’s 0350Z, Pontiac’s Solstice GXP, Scion’s tC TRD, Subaru’s Impeza WA Limited and Volkswagen’s GTI. The editors voted for the Nissan 350Z, winning by a shade over Mitsubishi and Mustang. They deemed the ageless sporty coupe as still impressive.
