Janet Guthrie is best known as the first woman to earn a starting spot in the Indianapolis 500 which she did in 1977. She also is the first woman to earn a starting spot in NASCAR's Daytona 500 and was named "Top Rookie" in 1977. Her biography, written in 2005, Janet Guthrie: A Life at Full Throttle, was acclaimed by Sports Illustrated as "an uplifting work that is one of best books ever written about racing." Denver Hospice artist Jessica Stockmyer gave her the green light and checkered flag in creating her mask.