Jennie Pauline Talbert

From: Ulysses, Kansas
Born: 30th November 1920.
Jennie Talbert ranked third out of eight cars in a Powder Puff Derby at the Grant County Fairgrounds at Ulysses, Kansas on 8th August 1958 on her Ford.


There were only two places in Kansas: Cejay Stadium, Wichita and Jayhawk Amusement Park Speedway, Newton where women and men could compete against each other before World War 2.

Ionamae Rebenstorf

From: Wichita, Kansas
Born: 11th July 1915
Ionamae with her husband Bert Rebenstorf took part in race competitively together in Cee Jay Stadium throughout 1949.



Ileen Merle Dessie Goodman

From: Argonia, Kansas
Born: 31st January 1916
Ileen won the Women’s Championship at the Cejay Stadium.



There were many racing drivers in her family like her two brothers and one nephew.



Shirley Hamilton Messenger

From: Kansas
Born: 1939
Shirley won her first race at the age of 17 at the McCarthy Speedway in Dodge City. She took part in three races and the last race was also a victorious one and after it she joined accountancy group as a career.



Elfrieda (Hellman) Mais

From: 19th June 1892
Born: Indianapolis, Indiana
Elfrieda started her racing career as an aeroplane woman and wing walker. She took part in car racing at the age of 20. She started successful career in stunt driving exhibitions and speed trials but unluckily died in 1934 in a failed stunt at the Alabama State Fair.



Roberta Johnson

From: Larned, Kansas
Born: 1936?
Roberta Johnson competed at the Cee Jay Speedway on 29th July 1956, and ranked third position. The race could have turned out better for Roberta as, unfortunately, she rolled her car three times and it needed hoisted off the track as the photo below will attest.



Leola Sylvia ‘Lee’ (Clary) Cornish

From: Bedford, Iowa
Born: 1st October 1916
Leola Sylvia won the race when her competitors were dropped out of the race in Cee Jay Stadium, Wichita. In another race, she was just about to start a race in the newly opened Robbins Speedway in 1955 when an official told her that she wouldn’t be allowed to compete because she was a woman.



Sara Christian

From Atlanta, Georgia
Born 1918
Her famous race was the 1949 NASCAR where she ranked fifth (behind four men) Let’s hope it’s not another 62 years before the record falls again.



Maria Teresa de Filippis

There are only five female drivers in the history of Formula 1. Maria Teresa de Filippis of Naples, Italy was first of all these. On 18th May 1958 she started her small career and ranked tenth in the Belgian Grand Prix. By the next year she left the sport to start a family.



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