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Denise McCluggage passes at age 88

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aeronca65t

aeronca65t

Great Pumpkin
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By all accounts, she was a lovely person. She raced with and knew all the true "greats" of motorsports.

~Denise McCluggage passes at age 88~

denise-mccluggage.jpg
 
I was sorry to hear that. I loved her Autoweek columns. I became aware of her as a teenager when she was interviewed on one of Bill Gauer's (sp?) "Sounds of Sebring" records. 1958 I think, when she was driving a Fiat-Abarth. ("It looks like a little bug") - still have the record. Her "By Brooks Too Broad for Leaping" has some great stories about her early days in Greenwich Village.

She finished 12th at Lime Rock in 1957 in "The Race" in a 550 Spyder. This is the one Roger Ward won in a midget against some very heavy competition. John Fitch called it possibly the best race, ever, anywhere.
por550.JPG
 
Nial, Was she from Australia originally? Or am I thinking of another lady driver? PJ
 
There was discussion on another car blog I frequent about why so few female race car drivers and why do they have to dress up in hot pants and halter tops (i.e. Danica Patrick, Susie Wolff).

Denise showed the way 50 years ago, racing against the men, including legends like Moss, winning her class it Sebring outright in '61 in in a Ferrari 250, she seemed to be able to compete and mix with the racing fraternity on her own terms back in the day, and was spent the rest of life career, as an ambassador and leading figure in the racing an journalistic community. Never go a chance to meet her, but the more you read the more you like.

Was an editor and columnist for Autoweek for some time after she stopped racing competitively.

RIP, life well lived
 
I knew her from the old days at Lime Rock and Thompson. Saw her last a few years ago at a concours at the Stamford Museum where she autographed a book about racing in the 1950s for me. Pretty good race driver. I always picture her in coveralls.
 
NOOOOO!!! - I read her column in Autoweek,from back in '68.when it was still like a newspaper. One of the few people that I'd always hoped to meet in person.Denise - RIP! - Doug
 
coldplugs said:
.......She finished 12th at Lime Rock in 1957 in "The Race" in a 550 Spyder. This is the one Roger Ward won in a midget against some very heavy competition. John Fitch called it possibly the best race, ever, anywhere.......
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that was '59, but Fitch was probably right about it being the best race of all time. And surely the most interesting.

In fact when I searched to check the date I found ~This Article~ by you on "The Race".

And Fitch would know about interesting races: I remember Fitch along with Sam Posey (and even Posey's mom) had a backwards race around Lime Rock (cars going backwards). Posey used his Gullwing, but Fitch beat him in a Pontiac Fiero! :friendly_wink:

I've reminded the folks at NY Times about Denise's passing. Not sure if that made a difference but they ran a nice obit on her today ~HERE~
 
Going to miss her articles and bright smile at events. Very bright, excellent driver and well storied. Great Lady, hope she is in the great Hall of Fame and hope she gets all the honors that a good journalist should receive.
 
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I remember reading her columns in Car and Driver years ago. I think I was in jr. hi.- 1958 to 1960. My thirteen year old mind had trouble with the name was it Denise, a girl's name or was it French person- a guy Dennis? I saw her on the a TV show - something about Who's telling the truth."
 
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