Cheryl Linn Glass
Cheryl Linn Glass was the first Black Women professional race car driver in the U.S. She was born on December 24, 1961, in Seattle, WA, and passed on July 15, 1997, at 36 years old. Cheryl became interested in racing at 9 years old after reading an article about local children driving small race cars. She then started to buy parts to build a car from the money she made selling dolls growing up. With her father’s help, she began racing in the midget circuit. Cheryl’s mother and younger sister encouraged her interest in racing as well and her sister, later on, followed in her footsteps.
In 1970, during her first year of competing in the midget circuit, she was the first girl ever to be named Rookie of the Year and she went on to be state and regional champion for the next 5 years. She was also one of the top ten drivers in the nation. Later on, Cheryl changed from the midget circuit to driving half-midgets which were heavier and faster.
Cheryl was accepted into Seattle University where she studied electrical engineering for two years before dropping out at 18 to pursue sprint car racing full-time in Mount Vernon, Washington at Skagit Speedway. There she became the first women sprint car driver. In October of 1980, Cheryl crashed at the Western World Championships in Manzanita, Phoenix. She suffered major damage to the tissue in her neck, back, and knees. She then needed four operations on her knees to fix her torn ligaments. This event didn’t stop her. In 1981 she won the title of Northwest Sprint Car Association Rookie of the Year. Cheryl won the season championship race at Skagit, and she proceeded to compete in over 100 professional races. That makes her the first African-American Women professional race car driver. Cheryl was given the nickname “The Lady”. After all the racing she’s had in her lifetime she decided not to continue on with it but to focus on her business career. Cheryl co-founded an engineering program for minority students at the University of Washington with her father. She also became involved in local politics and speaking up for schools in underprivileged communities. Cheryl said this to anyone and everyone interested in racing and the speed of life itself, “I sure loved it while it lasted.”
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