Before there was Janet Guthrie or Danica Patrick, there was Denise McCluggage and her famous polka dot helmet tearing up the tracks in the company of Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, and Jim Clark.



Besides her phenomenal driving career, she provided years of great reading in her monthly contributions to Autoweek for 50 years.

Rest in Peace, and thanks for the memories Denise.

Denise McCluggage: 1927-2015 | Autoweek

 

RIP, girl you were a pioneer!!!

 

Dang straight Oldblue, even up into her mid 80's she could wheel a racecar like they did "in the day".

Foot hard down, engine howling, and in a four wheel drift that was a sight to behold. She wasn't afraid to take a $20 million dollar museum piece Ferrari and drive it like it was meant to be driven, flat friggin' out.

With Dan Gurney, A.J. Foyt, and Parnelli Jones all in failing health, the end of the era of the motor racing giants grows closer with each passing year.

 

RIP Denise

 

God Speed!

Glad we were graced to know her in our life time!

 

Thank you, 843de, for posting this. She was one of my favorite writers ever. It could have have been her female slant on things, but I do not know. She always made me feel like _I_ could do it, given the right equipment.

We have lost a great one, who was one of the people, yet could run your socks off, even in old age:

Denise McCluggage should be your hero

I hope her family understands that many many people out her loved this old lady, and we will miss her going forward. We we were all blessed - for a very long time. And, we thank her family for allowing her to be what she became.