Cheryl Linn Glass

Cheryl Linn Glass (December 24, 1961 - July 15, 1997) was an American professional racing driver. She was the first black female professional race car driver in the United States.[1]

Cheryl Glass
Glass on the cover of Pacific Northwest magazine, May 1984.
Nationality American
BornCheryl Linn Glass
(1961-12-24)December 24, 1961
Mountain View, California
DiedJuly 15, 1997(1997-07-15) (aged 35)
Seattle, Washington
Indy Lights career
Debut season1990
Current teamGlass Racing
Car numberNo. 18
Starts3
Wins0
Poles0
Fastest laps0
Best finish22nd in 1990

Biography

Glass was born on December 24, 1961, in Mountain View, California, the first of two daughters born to Marvin and Shirley Glass. She moved with her family to Seattle in 1963. Her father was a vice president of Pacific Northwest Bell and her mother was an engineer for Boeing. She attended Nathan Hale High School, graduating with honors at 16, and studied electrical engineering at Seattle University.[2]

At the age of 9 she started her own business, making high-end ceramic dolls and selling them to local businesses such as Frederick & Nelson. The dolls, which took about three months to complete, sold for $150-$300 each. At around the same time, she became interested in racing after reading a newspaper article about local children driving quarter-midget race cars. She was able to buy equipment with her own earnings, and with her father's support began racing in the midget circuit. In her first year of competition she was the first girl ever to be named Rookie of the Year. For five consecutive years she was state and regional champion, and was one of the top ten drivers nationally. She later switched to racing the heavier, faster, half-midgets.[3]

At 18 she dropped out of college, bought her first sprint car, and began racing at Skagit Speedway in Mount Vernon, Washington, where she was the first woman sprint car driver. That year the Northwest Sprint Car Association named her Rookie of the Year. After winning the season championship race at Skagit Speedway, she went on to compete in more than 100 professional races, making her the first African-American female professional race car driver. She was nicknamed "The Lady." Her dream was to race in the Indianapolis 500 and eventually become a Formula One driver. Her career was cut short, however, either due to injuries, as reported by the LA Times,[4] or lack of funds.[2] Her last race, at the Phoenix International Raceway in April 1991, ended in a crash.[5]

In February 1983 she married Richard Lindwall, designing her own silk and lace gown for the ceremony. Soon afterwards she opened a custom design studio, Cheryl Glass Designs, where she worked for 12 years designing wedding and formal evening wear. She also gave speeches to groups of students and political action groups;[2] for example, she spoke to 1,500 junior high school students in Washington D.C. in support of the U.S. Department of Transportation's drunk driving and drug abuse prevention program.[6]

In 1991, she survived a rape that occurred in her home during a burglary. The intruders also defaced her wall with a swastika. Authorities dismissed her rape report, claiming there was not enough evidence to bring charges. On July 15, 1997, she committed suicide by jumping from the Aurora Bridge in Washington.[2]

Honors and awards

References
  1. "HONORING 7 WHO 'DO AND DO'". The New York Times. June 19, 1987.
  2. "Cheryl Linn Glass; She Accomplished Much In A Short Life". The Seattle Times. July 23, 1997.
  3. Robinson, Louie (January 1980). "Racing Against the Odds: Amateur racer Cheryl Glass begins long drive to Indy 500". Ebony.
  4. "The Hall Welcomes a Black Pioneer". The Los Angeles Times. August 1, 2003.
  5. "1991-02". Racing Reference Info.
  6. "Obituary" (PDF). Cheryl Glass.
  7. "CANDACE AWARD RECIPIENTS 1982-1990, Page 1". National Coalition of 100 Black Women. Archived from the original on March 14, 2003.
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