How to Break Into Indy Car Racing as a Woman

For years, Janet Guthrie was the sole woman to compete in the Indy Car Racing Series. In 2007, three women (Danica Patrick, Sarah Fisher and Milka Dunno) participated in the Indy 500, which was a first. While it is extremely difficult for a woman to break into Indy Car Racing, these four women had the fortitude to make it happen.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Break into Indy Car Racing as a woman by first establishing success in the lesser circuits. Most race car drivers break into the Indy circuit by competing at go-kart or midget racing, working through stock car racing and eventually into Formula 1 and Indy-type vehicles. Even as a woman, success is determined by winning races and nothing else.
2. Be marketable in order to break into Indy Car Racing as a woman. While it may seem shallow or superficial, a lot of Danica Patrick's success in the Indy Car circuit is because she's very attractive to men. Being attractive or having a winning personality often translates to more endorsement deals. More endorsement deals means more money for your racing team and more money for your racing team means better equipment and more wins.
3. Maintain excellent physical health and conditioning in order to break into Indy Car racing as a woman. Women may have an advantage in car racing by being smaller than men, which lessens the overall weight of the car. Car racing, however, demands sheer physical strength and stamina and the ability to spend several hours in a vehicle where interior temperatures can exceed 120 degrees.
4. Have a thick skin about the fact you're a woman. Indy Car racers such as Patrick, Fisher and Dunno have had to weather many sexist comments from both fellow drivers and the media. The best strategy is simply to ignore these comments and let your driving do the talking for you.
5. Develop a great working relationship with your sponsors and racing team and be cooperative and supportive at all times. Since there is so much marketing potential for a woman in Indy Car Racing, you may be asked to promote and market yourself in a way that may or may not be offensive to you. As long as you can maintain your dignity and integrity on the race track, you will be helping your support team to support you by generating revenue.

Tips & Warnings

• Some female Indy Car racers, such as Sarah Fisher, stay competitive by participating in stock car racing in the off-season.