DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Janet Guthrie #68 stands in front of her car before the 1977 Winston Cup Daytona 500 on February 20, 1977 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images)

Janet Guthrie through the years

By Staff report | Published: 7 Mar, 2022 10

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Today, Janet Guthrie turns 84. Take a look at some of the most memorable moments of her historic, influential NASCAR career.

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1978: Janet Guthrie became the first woman to hold a major corporate sponsorship (Texaco) in domestic oval racing. (Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images)

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Janet Guthrie drove the No. 68 Lynda Ferreri Kelly Girl Chevrolet on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit from 1976 to 1978 for a total of 31 races. She notched five top-10 finishes.

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CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 30, 1976: David Pearson (inside front row) lines up with Dave Marcis. Pearson won the World 600, and Janet Guthrie started in her first NASCAR Cup Series event, placing 15th. (Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images)

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1976: Janet Guthrie started in her first NASCAR Cup Series event, placing 15th in the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In doing so, she became the first woman to start and finish a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway event.

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 1966: The all-female driving team of (L-R) Janet Guthrie, Suzy Dietrich and Donna Mae Mims accept a trophy at the conclusion of the 24 Hours of Daytona at Daytona International Speedway. The trio drove a Sunbeam Alpine to a 38th-place finish, completing 389 laps. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

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1976: The historic all-female driving team of (L-R) Janet Guthrie, Suzy Dietrich and Donna Mae Mims pose with their trophy at the conclusion of the 24 Hours of Daytona at Daytona International Speedway.

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 20, 1977: Janet Guthrie became the first woman to start the Daytona 500 in 1977. Prior to that, she had become the first woman to start and finish a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway event in the World 600 at Charlotte. (Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images)

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1977: Janet Guthrie became the first woman to ever start in the Daytona 500. She raced her way to a 12th-place finish, besting Richard Petty, Bobby Allison and David Pearson among others.

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - July 4, 1977: Grand Marshall Lee Petty poses with a trio of female drivers who were entered in the Firecracker 400 NASCAR Cup race at Daytona International Speedway, the first time since 1949 that three ladies had competed in the same Cup event against the men. (L-R) Janet Guthrie of the United States, Italian Lela Lombardi and Christine Beckers of Belgium all qualified for the race but each dropped out due to mechanical issues. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

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1977: Grand Marshal Lee Petty poses with Janet Guthrie, Lella Lombardi, and Christine Beckers after the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway, the second Daytona race of the season. This marked the first time since 1949 that three women competed in the same event.

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UNKNOWN: Janet Guthrie between practice sessions. Guthrie drove the No. 68 Lynda Ferreri Kelly Girl Chevrolet on the Winston Cup circuit from 1976 to 1978 for a total of 31 races and five top-10 finishes. (Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images)

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1980: Janet Guthrie became the first woman to hold a major corporate sponsorship in domestic oval racing by partnering with Texaco Star.

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 11, 1980: Janet Guthrie drove for Rod Osterlund in the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, bringing her Texaco Star Chevrolet home in 11th place. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

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1980: In her second and final appearance in the Daytona 500, Janet Guthrie finished 11th, driving for Rod Osterlund in the Texaco Star Chevrolet.

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 17, 1980: Janet Guthrie's second and final appearance in the Daytona 500 came in 1980 when she finished 11th in the Rod Osterlund Chevrolet. She was later in the year inducted into the Women's Sports Hall of Fame. (Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images)

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1980: The final event of her historic barrier-breaking NASCAR Cup Series racing career came at Pocono Raceway in the Coca-Cola 500.

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1980: Janet Guthrie made her final two NASCAR Cup starts during the year driving a Chevrolet for Rod Osterlund in the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, finishing 11th, and a Ford for Alfred McClure in the Coca-Cola 500 at the Pocono (PA) International Raceway. The engine blew in that car after 134 laps and Guthrie ended up 28th. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

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1980: Upon her retirement from NASCAR in 1980, after four seasons at the sport's highest level, Janet Guthrie was inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame.

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Janet Guthrie through the years