Patricia Mernone

Last updated
Patricia Mernone
Born1940
Other namesPat Mernone, Pat Young (after marriage)
OccupationAutomobile racer, organic chemist
Years active1960s

Patricia Ann Lynn Mernone (born 1940) was an American automobile racer and organic chemist. In 1964, she became the first American woman driver to compete for a national racing title, when she drove in the first American Road Race of Champions. Her portrait, portrayed by Norman Rockwell, is displayed in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.

Contents

Early life

Mernone was the daughter of Edward Mernone Jr. and Mattie Powell Mernone. [1] [2] She was from Falls Church, Virginia, and attended nearby Annandale High School. [3] Her father was a rally driver and race track owner, [4] and he encouraged her to learn how to drive racing cars at Carroll Shelby's school. [5] [6] She was a graduate student in chemistry at American University during her racing career. [7] [8]

Career

Mernone began driving competitively in 1961, in Sports Car Club of America events. She worked with tuner and driver Peter van der Vate from 1962 to 1964, sharing the wheel of an Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite. Together the pair won the Class G Production category in 1963. [9] In 1963 she was also part of an "all-girl team" with Donna Mae Mims, driving a Renault Dauphine at Marlboro in Maryland. [10]

Mernone was the points leader that summer in the Class G Production category, and "the only woman driver of 200" entries in an event at Thompson Raceway in Connecticut, where she drove a Morgan tuned by van der Vate. [7] On the basis of her regional wins in the Class H Production category in 1964, [11] Mernone was invited to compete in the first American Road Race of Champions in Riverside, California, making her the first American woman driver to compete for a national racing title. [12] [13]

In 1964 and 1965, Mernone and teammate Marianne "Pinkie" Rollo  [ de ] [14] drove a Peugeot 404 together at several events. [5] [15] [16] She raced her Morgan again in 1965, [17] and won an event at Virginia International Raceway. [18] In 1966, she competed in a Formula Vee race in New Jersey. [19] She was an editorial assistant for the American Chemical Society [20] when she raced a Porsche 911 at Virginia International Raceway in 1967. [21] In 1969, Mernone was the subject of a portrait drawing by painter Norman Rockwell, now in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. [12]

Personal life

Patricia Mernone married a fellow racing driver, Bill Young, who was also her father's business partner. [4] [22] Patricia Young was alive and living in Canyon Lake, California, in 2002, when her stepfather Charles M. Kugel died.

Related Research Articles

Greg Moore (racing driver) Canadian open-wheel racing driver (1975–1999)

Gregory William Moore was a Canadian race car driver who competed in the Indy Lights and Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series from 1993 to 1999. He began competitive karting at the age of ten and achieved early success, before progressing to open-wheel car racing in the Canadian Formula Ford Championship in 1991. Moore won the 1992 USAC FF2000 Western Division Championship and the 1995 Indy Lights Championship.

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Motorsport track in the United States

Laguna Seca Raceway is a paved road racing track in central California used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, built in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, United States.

Rodger Ward American racecar driver

Rodger M. Ward was a World War II P-38 aviator in the United States Army Air Forces, and an American race driver with 26 victories in top echelon open-wheel racing in North America, two Indianapolis 500 victories, and two USAC National Championships, who conceived the classic tri-oval design and layout of Pocono International Raceway, modeled after his three favorite signature turns, at Trenton, Indianapolis and Milwaukee.

Roger Penske American businessman and entrepreneur

Roger Searle Penske is an American businessman and entrepreneur involved in professional auto racing and a retired professional auto racing driver. He is most famous for his ownership of Team Penske, DJR Team Penske, the Penske Corporation, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar, and other automotive-related businesses.

Bobby Ball (racing driver) American racecar driver (1925–1954)

Robert Kay Ball was an American racecar driver.

Sarah Fisher American racecar driver

Sarah Marie Fisher is an American retired professional race car driver who competed in the Indy Racing League (IRL) and the Indianapolis 500 intermittently from 1999 to 2010. She also raced in the NASCAR West Series in 2004 and 2005. Fisher took part in 81 IndyCar Series events, achieving a career-best finish of second at the 2001 Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami—the highest placing for a woman in the IRL until Danica Patrick's victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300. In 2002, Fisher was the first female driver to win a pole position in a major American open-wheel race and competed in the Indianapolis 500 nine times, more than any other woman.

Curtis Turner American racing driver (1924–1970)

Curtis Morton Turner was an American stock car racer. Throughout his life, he developed a reputation for drinking and partying. In 1999, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

Wisconsin International Raceway Racetrack

The Wisconsin International Raceway is an asphalt stock car racing oval and dragstrip in the Town of Buchanan, in Outagamie County, just outside Kaukauna, Wisconsin, USA.

The Marlboro Challenge was an all-star race in the CART series race held from 1987–1992, sponsored by cigarette brand Marlboro. After 1992, the race was discontinued, in part because Phillip Morris reorganized its race sponsorship after the Marlboro Grand Prix of New York fell through. The race was considered a non-points exhibition race, and did not count towards championship standings or official statistics.

Carb Night Classic

The Dave Steele Carb Night Classic is a United States Auto Club dirt track car race held near Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, which takes place in late May before the Indianapolis 500 at the nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Over its history, the event has been held at several different short tracks in Indiana, but since 1980, it has permanently been hosted at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Indiana. The event has long been considered one of the Indianapolis 500 traditions, along with the Hoosier Hundred and Little 500, which are also held over the same weekend at different venues in Indiana. Over the course of its history, numerous Indy 500 drivers have competed in the Night Before the 500, some winning.

The 1972 USAC Championship Car season consisted of ten races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 18 and concluding at the same location on November 4. The USAC National Champion was Joe Leonard and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Mark Donohue. Jim Malloy was killed at Indianapolis in practice; he was 40 years old.

SCCA National Championship Runoffs Championship road racing series

The SCCA National Championship Runoffs is the end-of-year championship race meeting for Sports Car Club of America Club Racing competitors. Divisional champions and other top drivers from the SCCA's 116 regions are invited to participate at the Runoffs. National championships are awarded to the winners of each class.

Jim Parsley American race car driver (1927-2014)

James Roger Parsley was an American stock car racing driver. Born in Wheaton, Maryland, he competed in the NASCAR Grand National Series in his career, earning five top-ten finishes in eleven races.

Natalie Decker American racing driver

Natalie Marie Decker is an American professional stock car racing driver. She competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 33 Toyota Supra for Reaume Brothers Racing, the No. 28 Ford Mustang for RSS Racing, and the No. 13 Ford Mustang for MBM Motorsports. She has also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series in the past. Decker was a 2016 Alan Kulwicki Driver Development competitor and 2015 Drive for Diversity participant.

Suzy Dietrich American amateur sports car racing driver

Suzanne Ruth Dietrich was an American amateur sports car racing driver, described as one of the pioneers of female motor racing. A school librarian, Dietrich was introduced into sports car racing by her husband. She spent most of her motor racing career in regional Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) races, however in the late 1960s, she took part in international-standard endurance events at Sebring and Daytona. During the early years of her career, she typically drove an MG TC, while later she raced a variety of Elvas and Porsches.

Circle K/Fiesta Bowl 200 IndyCar Series race at Phoenix International Raceway

The Circle K/Fiesta Bowl 200 was the final name of a PPG IndyCar World Series race held annually at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, from 1979 though 1986; it was known as the Miller High Life 150 for five editions during that period. The race was known by multiple other names, operated under other sanctioning bodies, and was run at other distances during a much longer history before IndyCar.

Elaine Van Blunk is an American long-distance runner who finished third at the 1994 Chicago Marathon. She was the 1989 winner of the 3000 meters at the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships, and finished seventh in the 10,000 meters event at the 1991 Pan American Games.

Ona Speedway Motorsport track in the United States

Ona Speedway is an Auto racing oval short track venue located in Ona, West Virginia. Ona Speedway is known for being the only paved oval race track in West Virginia and hosting NASCAR Cup Series races in 1963, 1964, 1970, & 1971. It is located adjacent to the Ona Airpark between the cities of Huntington and Charleston.

The 1964 American Road Race of Champions was the first running of the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. It took place on 14 and 15 November 1964 at the Riverside International Raceway. The ARRC was held as the non-championship final round of the SCCA National Sports Car Championship and the SCCA Divisional Championships. Most competitive drivers from SCCA's six divisions were invited to the event. No championships were contested that year as part of the Runoffs, and therefore, ARRC champions were not SCCA National Champions.

Lee USA Speedway Race track in the U.S. state of New Hampshire

Lee USA Speedway is a short-track oval race track located in Lee, New Hampshire.

References

  1. ↑ "Mrs. Mattie Powell". Florence Morning News. August 12, 1970. p. 2. Retrieved July 22, 2020– via NewspaperArchive.com.
  2. ↑ "Powell--Mernone". Monmouth Democrat. 1936-11-05. p. 5. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ Antenna. Annandale High School. 1957. p. 31 – via Internet Archive.
  4. 1 2 "WIR: 'Summit Point bills will be paid'". The Morning Herald. 1972-09-29. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 Staff (August 24, 1964). "The Furious Fun of Pinkie and Pat". Sports Illustrated Vault. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  6. ↑ Reimler, Kay (1965-12-11). "The Lady is a Sports Car Racer". The Charlotte News. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 "Pat Mernone Races at Thompson Today". The New York Times. 1964-07-05. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  8. ↑ "Lady Chemist in Road Race". The Record. 1964-07-03. p. 21. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Pete van der Vate". The Road Racing Drivers Club. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  10. ↑ Blunk, Frank M. (August 18, 1963). "37 Cars Entered in Marlboro Race". The New York Times. p. 160 – via ProQuest.
  11. ↑ "Not Spectacular". The Baltimore Sun. 1964-01-04. p. 14. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
  12. 1 2 "Patricia Mernone". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  13. ↑ McCormack, Jim (November 13, 1964). "Spotlight on Ascot, Riverside". Long Beach Press-Telegram. p. 28. Retrieved July 22, 2020– via NewspaperArchive.com.
  14. ↑ "Sports Cars at Vineland Speedway Sunday". The Daily Journal. 1964-09-11. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ Shelsby, Earl (1964-08-01). "Two Women Enter Marlboro 12-Hour Endurance Race". The Baltimore Sun. p. 16. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ Blunk, Frank M. (March 21, 1965). "Mrs. Rollo's Team to Compete In Virginia Auto Race April 10". The New York Times. p. S22 – via ProQuest.
  17. ↑ "Pat Mernone, Dick Staples Stage Thrilling VIR Race". The Danville Register. 1965-10-17. p. 37. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Mernone Wins Top Duel at VIR". The Bee. 1965-10-18. p. 26. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ Blunk, Frank M. (April 17, 1966). "150 Cars Tune Up at Jersey Track". The New York Times. p. 239 – via ProQuest.
  20. ↑ "Masthead". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 16 (5): 714. May 1968. doi:10.1021/jf60159a700. ISSN   0021-8561.
  21. ↑ Wilkinson, Sylvia (October 1967). "Virginia International Raceway Event Draws Jennings, Mernone". The Daily Tarheel. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  22. ↑ "New Car Raceway Planned". The Evening Sun. 1972-09-27. p. 48. Retrieved 2020-07-22– via Newspapers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.