No female driver in Indy 500 for second time in three years

The Indianapolis 500 was once a land of opportunity for female racers but for the second time in three years there will be no female drivers on the starting grid at The Brickyard when the green flag drops on Sunday.

Pioneers like Janet Guthriewho became the first woman to start an Indy 500 in 1977, has left her mark on motorsport, but recent progress has been slower than quicker when it comes to “racing’s greatest spectacle.”

In 2010 and 2011, with four women spread over the 33 automotive fields, IndyCar seemed to be on the path to diversity that other sports had just mastered.

Danica Patrickthe first and only woman to win an IndyCar race, had become the sport’s most recognizable and marketable name, a crossover star with appeal beyond the racetrack.

But that progress has stalled. The 2020 Indy 500 was the first without at least one woman on the field since 1999 and this year’s race will mark a second shutout in three years.

Patrick is back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week but as a TV commentator.

So is Sarah Fisher, the first woman to win an IndyCar pole, who will be on track on Sunday but at the wheel of the pace car.

“There definitely should be more women in sport, certainly in a place like this,” said Graham Rahal, who is married to former drag star Courtney Force. “We need to generate more opportunities to help out and find sponsors.”