Denise McCluggage - carchix-carchicks-female-women-racing-racer-automotive-autoweek

Photo Credit: Mark Vaughn


Denise McCluggage was a well known and well respected female race car driver. However, she was also so much more then just that. Denise went from automotive journalism to author to race car driver. Over her lifetime she was awarded for many of her big accomplishments and had so many wonderful memories.
Denise was constantly trying to help someone out, and she did it in anyway that she could. The career path that Denise chose took many twists and turns. She went from an amazing skier and photographer to an author and automotive journalist. Denise was a race car driver and then in her spare time was a one-on-one driving instructor. Denise McCluggage worked many different jobs and accomplished so much.
Some of her accomplishments came from her writing such as her: Ken Purdy Award for excellence in automotive journalism and her Dean Bachelor Lifetime Achievement Award. Two of her writings were published and were titled “The Centered Skier” and “By Brooks Too Broad for Leaping: A Memoir”. Her journaling started when she helped founded Autoweek and wrote their progress for over 50 years. The awards that Denise received varied from writing awards to driving awards and recognitions. Denise won many women’s only races in the late 1950s and was 5th at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix in the year of 1960. In 1961 she won her class at the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the following year won the GT class at Sebring in a Ferrari 250. Many more of her races were won in her famous red and white polka dot helmet while driving her Porsche 550.
Denise McCluggage - carchix-carchicks-female-women-racing-racer-automotive-autoweek

Photo Credit: Mark Vaughn


Denise McCluggage’s biggest accomplishments were being entered into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2001 and the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) in 2006. Although Denise accomplished many things in her career, she also had many accomplishments in her personal life. She was married shortly to actor Michael Conrad and was close friends with Miles Davis while she lived in New York. After founding Autoweek, writing, racing, and photographing Denise picked up and moved from NY to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Here she held the court at the Tuesday Car Table weekly. Denise also helped out with the Santa Fe Concorso Vintage Car and Airplane event each fall. Denise accomplished many things throughout her life and she will be greatly missed by many. Denise McCluggage 1927 – 2015.
Article Submitted by Car Chix Contributor: Beba

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