31 replies to this topic

[cabianca]

Denise McCluggage died today, 6 May, in Sante Fe New Mexico. She was 88 and had lived every day as if it were her last. She was an extremely important part of the American road racing scene in the 1950s and 60s. Her friends and acquaintences were all the major figures of the period. She excelled as a driver, journalist and photographer. Among other cars, she raced Ferraris and won the GT class at Sebring in a Short Wheelbase and finished second in class there with a NART Spyder. She was a friend and I'm sure her friends and fans all over the world feel the same sense of loss.

[JacnGille]

Sad news

[E1pix]

That's sad, Denise was a great writer and memorable icon for decades.

RIP.

[David Birchall]

Saddened to hear this. I last saw her when she was guest speaker at the NW Classic Rally a couple of years ago-she seemed in good health then. RIP.

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

Adieu, Miss Pink.

[RTH]

Oh that is bad news. I did write to her a while back suggesting that if she still came to England we would very much like to have her here as a speaker. - I got no reply  I guess she may not have been well enough. No doubt in that era  both racing and rallying she would have had a wealth of stories. Sad news.

[B Squared]

Autoweek byline:

 

Our friend, colleague, mentor and favorite staff race car driver has passed away

 

http://autoweek.com/...ggage-1927-2015

 

 

[GMiranda]

RIP

[jj2728]

Oh no. Very sad news indeed.

RIP Denise

[bill p]

Aw no, followed her racing and writing for many years

RIP Denise

[RA Historian]

88 rip roaring years....she was an ace at whatever she did. Her articles were always interesting, as she approached them from the perspective of someone who was there and did that. Of course she also was an accomplished race driver, arguably the best female driver in the '50s and '50s. I saw her race a number of times, winning the small bore race at Road America in 1960 in an Osca 750, and the GT race at Meadowdale in 1961 in a Ferrari 250GT swb. All that, and she simply knew everyone in racing.

Adieu, Miss Pink.

I think that you are mixing her up with Donna Mae Mims, who was the Pink Lady.

 

Tom

[Jack-the-Lad]

Oh, this is very sad news. I enjoyed her writing and racing since my childhood.

A long life, well lived. Who could hope for more than that?

May she rest in peace.

[sterling49]

All those years ago I watched Denise race a Cooper "s" at Brands, Godspeed Denise, what a great life and career.

[63Corvette]

Sad news indeed. I conversed with her for years after meeting her at a Vintage race (she was keynote speaker) at Elkhart Lake in 1990. She was a "Grand Dame" in my book.....RIP Denise.

[LotusElise]

This is sad news. Another of the great ladies of motor racing gone to the great racetrack in the sky.

[Keir]

She did indeed "live the DREAM"

[Jerry Entin]

Nassau Speedweek December 1959: Denise aboard an OSCA

Denise was a Great Lady and she was Admired by all who knew her.

 

RIP Denise

 

Photo: Bob Bellows [Willem Oosthoek Collection]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 07 May 2015 - 21:20.

[Jerry Entin]

Nassau Speedweek December 1959, with Denise on the left.

 

Ulf Norinder is about to photograph a group of people that include Maserati chief mechanic Bertocchi and Johnny Cuevas [sunglasses]. The image must have been taken very early in the Speedweek: Jim Rathmann still appears as the driver of the first CAMORADI Birdcage.

 

Photo: Bob Bellows [Willem Oosthoek Collection]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 07 May 2015 - 21:31.

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

Yes, Tom. You are quite right. I mis-spoke myself re Denise and Donna Mae. TY for the heads-up.

[Dennis Hockenbury]

Sad news indeed. A full life that was very well lived. She was a lady that I greatly admired.

[Marc Sproule]

as i said in the thread in racing comments.....

 

far too many of the posers who try to pass themselves off as "motorsport journalists" these days couldn't hold a candle to her.

 

the motorsport world is a lesser place now.

[jonpollak]

http://www.1070thefa...d-davidson-5715

 

About 17 mins in Donald discusses Denise.

 

Jp

[Jerry Entin]

Sebring, March 24, 1962: Denise hard at work pushing her 1-liter NART OSCA back to the pits.

 

Making a pit stop after only ten laps for a spark plug change, Denise handed the wheel to co-driver Allen Eager. Eager spun on his first round and was T-boned by Ken Miles in a Sunbeam Alpine. Apart from substantial body damage, the incident caused the car's throttle to stick wide open and Eager abandoned it. Denise was more determined and pushed the OSCA back to the pits, where the NART mechanics deemed it beyond repair.

 

 

Photo: Flip Schulke [from Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 3]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 09 May 2015 - 03:12.

[raceannouncer2003]

Very sorry to hear this.  I had the privilege of meeting Denise McCluggage briefly at breakfast on the 2010 Legends of Riverside weekend.  I enjoyed Donald Davidson's comments very much.

 

 

2004 Monterey with Gordie and Gloria Glyer

 

 

2010, Legends of Riverside with Scooter Patrick

 

] 

 

2010, Legends of Riverside, Derek and Alma Hill hang on every word of Denise telling a Phil Hill story

 

 

2010, Fabulous Fifties banquet, with good friend Tim Considine listening to Merv Therriault talk about Le Mans, 1958.

 

Vince H.

Edited by raceannouncer2003, 09 May 2015 - 06:31.

[Doug Nye]

Oh dear - very sad to hear this news - impressive lady, always good fun - a very significant figure in the long story of postwar American road racing...and a great example to so many.

 

DCN

[Jerry Entin]

Road America 500, September 1965. Denise with co-driver Bill Kimberly, mechanic Bob Lang and British ex-pat [and team manager] Frank Falkner.

 

 

After working for Kimberly-Clark in London for three years, Bill Kimberly returned home to buy a second-hand Elva Mk 7/Porsche from Ed Weschler in Milwaukee. The car went for $6,400. Having met Denise a couple of times while she was doing a project with Ken Purdy in London, Bill invited her as his co-driver for the RA 500. They finished 8th overall, 2nd in the under-2-liter class, only beaten by George Follmer's Lotus 23/Porsche.

 

 

Photo: Bill Kimberly Collection

Edited by Jerry Entin, 09 May 2015 - 18:16.

[Jerry Entin]

At Sebring in March 1958 Denise did not seem too eager to race a Zagato-bodied Fiat-Abarth, four of which were entered.

 

 

 

The #64 Abarth was not assigned to her but to Chuck Kessinger, Willie West and Alfonso Thiele, who finished 31st overall. Denise shared the #65 Abarth [entered by Alfred Momo] with Ruth Levy.

 

 

Photo: Bob Bellows [Willem Oosthoek Collection]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 10 May 2015 - 13:10.

[Jerry Entin]

Sebring 1958. Wearing her signature polka-dot helmet, Denise in the Cunningham Fiat-Abarth she shared with Ruth Levy. They retired after 116 laps with gearbox trouble.

 

Photo: Bob Bellows [Willem Oosthoek Collection]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 10 May 2015 - 14:09.

[Jerry Entin]

Denise and her co driver Ruth Levy at Sebring

 

 

photo: Richard Macon collection

[Jerry Entin]

Sebring 1958. Denise shooting away before the race, while in the company of Huschke von Hanstein and Briggs Cunningham.

 

Photo: Bob Jackson

Willem Oosthoek :Collection

Edited by Jerry Entin, 10 May 2015 - 15:01.

[Jerry Entin]

One year later, at Sebring in 1959, Denise shared the 750cc OSCA #70 with owner Alessandro deTomaso and Ricardo Rodriguez, seen here chasing Ed Hugus in Chester Flynn's Porsche RSK.

 

The OSCA finished 18th overall, second in HM behind the DB/Panhard of Paul Armagnac and Gerard Laureau, which finished one lap ahead. Hugus and Ernie Erickson took the RSK to 10th overall.

 

Photo: Bob Bellow

Willem Oosthoek Collection

Edited by Jerry Entin, 10 May 2015 - 16:04.

[Jerry Entin]

Sebring 1959. Getting the latest scoop from Olivier Gendebien for her column in Competition Press.

 

Photo: Bob Bellows

Willem Oosthoek Collection

Edited by Jerry Entin, 10 May 2015 - 19:32.