Janet Guthrie - First Woman at the Indy 500

In 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 - the biggest race in American motorsport. Guthrie, a former aerospace engineer, had faced opposition and scepticism from male drivers and some sections of the press. She talks to Rachael Gillman.

(Photo: Janet Guthrie after qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 in 1977. Credit: Getty Images)