Lyn St. James

Lyn St. James always had a passion for cars, but it took years before her dream of driving professionally came to fruition. As a child, St. James followed her mother's wishes to become an educated, self-sufficient woman. She attended the Andrews School for Girls in Ohio and followed a typical path, majoring in business, playing sports, and continuing to play the piano. After high school, she became an accomplished classical pianist.

In 1966, St. James and her friends attended the Indianapolis 500-mile race. "I was mesmerized," she says, "it was the most incredible experience of my life." This race turned the pianist away from music. She realized that she had to make cars her life. St. James's love of cars carried her through the next 13 years. 1979 marked her first season as a pro driver. She made history in the IMSA American Challenge Series with a second-place finish. St. James's success took off after her first pro season. She acquired Ford as a sponsor, won her first professional race at Elkhart Lake, was named IMSA Camel GT Rookie of the Year in 1984, and IMSA Norelco Driver of the Year in 1985. Her name recognition continued to grow and she also won titles on the way to finishing 11th in her first Indianapolis 500 in 1992. The only woman in the race that year, St. James also took away a Rookie of the Year award. Since then, she has qualified for six more Indy 500's, and has competed in seven Indy 500s and 15 Indy Car races, twice at the 24 Hours of LeMans.

St. James's success has followed her off the racetrack as well. She helped establish Human Performance International Inc., which is devoted to personal development programs for optimizing competitive performance. She remains a minority owner and board member. She served as President of the Women's Sports Foundation from 1990 to 1993, established the Lyn St. James Foundation in 1994, created the "make a difference" campaign, served as spokesperson for "Drive Safer America!", and has also served as a consumer advisor for the Ford Motor Company. She created the Project Podium Scholarship grant for women in racing and serves as an ambassador for the RPM Foundation.

A published author, St. James wrote "Lyn St. James Car Owner’s Manual", "The Ride of Your Life", and "An Incredible Journey," and is a commentator for ESPN, Showtime, and ABC. She delivered a TEDx talk at Alva Park titled "Create a New Future with Horsepower," offering insights on high performance in business and organizational contexts.

Acknowledged as the American Woman Racing Icon of the Century, St. James is not only recognized as one of the top female race car drivers but also as a leading figure challenging gender norms in a male-dominated sport. She resides in Arizona, where she continues to influence and inspire others through her speaking and advocacy work.