Return to Watkins Glen

This past weekend was the 8th Annual Michael Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History, held at Watkins Glen International Speedway media center. Unlike the past two years, I was on the organization team and was also a presenter. As usual there were a mixed bag of presentations – some were fascinating and others less so. There are papers on just about every motorsport interest so it makes sense that some would appeal to me more than others.

The most inspiring presentation of the weekend was that of the keynote speaker, legendary racer Lyn St. James. I had just recently finished her book so while some of the stories she told were familiar, I was intrigued by many of the experiences she had originally left out. Lyn and I are from the same generation, so I was particularly moved by the influence of the women’s movement on her progression from racer to women’s racing advocator. Her recollections of conversations with Billie Jean King in the quest to promote women’s sport were especially compelling. I had brought my copy of Lyn’s book with me to the symposium; she signed it with the most inspirational message. It was quite an exciting day.

My presentation was scheduled on the second day. It was a lengthier repeat of the talk I gave earlier this month to the Silverstone on the history of women-only racing. It went pretty well; I had many good questions from the audience and the women in particular seemed to appreciate it. Some of the men, not so much.

The weekend is filled with other activities that provide an opportunity to network and socialize. As this is my fourth time at the conference [second presenting] I am starting to feel more comfortable. My introduction as the Society of Automotive Historians Vice President also gives me an air of legitimacy in the room.

Although I returned exhausted [a 6AM flight will do that], the weekend was ultimately a fulfilling one. I was able to present to a knowledgeable and interested crowd, mingle with a bunch of like-minded motorsport enthusiasts, and received words of encouragement from a racing legend. How cool is that!

The Argetsinger crew.

#GirlsWill2024 at the Silverstone Museum

Earlier this year I received an invitation to speak at the #GirlsWill2024 motorsport initiative sponsored by the Silverstone Museum. The Silverstone Museum, located at the iconic Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, UK, is devoted to the past and present of British motor racing, and includes exhibits, legendary cars, and stories of British racing heroes. It is only fitting, therefore, that a month-long program aimed at increasing gender diversity in motorsport take place at this renowned, racing-centric institution.

To celebrate the growing number of female motorsport fans, the Silverstone has set aside the month of October to promote and bring attention to the rising interest and enthusiasm for women in motorsports. Planned activities and programs include educational and career workshops designed to highlight career possibilities as well as guest appearances from sporting stars and motorsport authors. STEM and racing, as well as sponsorships and driving, are the topics of a talk given by Barbie ambassador and Porsche Sprint Challenge GB driver Caitlin Wood. The varied and exciting roles within Formula 1 are the subject of another day’s program; additional October events include hands-on activities to assess reaction skills, as well as a look at the inside world of Formula 1 ‘from paddock to pitlane.’ Information about eSports, karting, and sports broadcasting is also part of the month’s agenda.

Katharine Worth, a PhD candidate now working as a Collections and Research Officer at the Silverstone, was familiar with my work through our joint participation in the Argetsinger Motorsport Symposium. She asked that I speak on the history of women-only racing [From Powder Puff to W Series: The Evolution of Women-Only Racing] which had been published in a UK volume on the history and politics of motorsport. While I  had originally hoped to attend the event in person, a fractured elbow [ouch] prevented me from making the trip. But with Katharine’s technical help, and her consideration for the time difference, I was able to make the presentation virtually without mishap. The presentation went smoothly [I hoped those in attendance could understand me through my Midwest American accent] and I tried to answer audience questions to the best of my ability. I was quite honored to be asked to speak at this event and I only hope it was well received. Such programs are so crucial for raising awareness and enthusiasm for motorsports in young girls. The Silverstone is to be commended for creating and maintaining the impressive and important #GirlsWill motorsport initiative.

Symposium Planning

When I joined the Society of Automotive Historians a number of years ago I was one of the very few visible female members. Consequently, I wanted very much to impress upon the mostly male organization that I could be of value to the club. I took on a number of positions and tasks in order to ‘prove’ myself. I soon took on what was known as the “Bricks and Mortar” working group, with the goal of establishing a permanent home for the organization’s archives. With the help of my fellow panel members, this was achieved. The award books are now in the research stacks of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana. And a partnership with Kettering University [formerly General Motors Institute] in Flint, Michigan resulted not only in a storage facility for the SAH archives, but also the establishment of a travel grant for student researchers and historians.

I was also put in charge of the Awards Committee. The SAH awards are the signature event of the organization. Each year awards are given out for the best automotive history books [in both English and LOE categories], publications, articles, media other than print, and student papers. Recognition is also given to museum archives and individuals whose efforts have furthered automotive history in some fashion. Each of these award categories has a panel that works all year to determine the winners. I oversee this committee by collecting and directing the nominations, prodding the award chairs to make decisions in a timely fashion, and presenting the awards at the SAH annual banquet. 

Last year I was elected SAH Vice President with a whole new slew of duties. I also joined the group that helps organize one of the club’s annual conferences. The Michael Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History is held each fall at the famed Watkins Glen International Speedway in Watkins Glen, New York. To put on this symposium, the SAH partners with the IMRRC [International Motor Racing Research Center], also in Watkins Glen. This year I volunteered to physically put together the program for the upcoming event. While it was more work than I imagined, it was also a great learning experience. As I learned by editing the biographies, the folks who present at the Argetsinger are a varied and fascinating bunch. Scholars, armchair historians, former racers, students, archivists, librarians, engineers, and professors are just a few of the occupations and positions represented. The symposium format also incorporates Zoom presentations, which allows individuals from all over the globe [Britain, Australia, Italy, Spain, Germany] to participate as well.

The presentations encompass a wide variety of topics and points of view. Not only are the familiar NASCAR and Formula One racing series covered, but papers on more obscure racing venues and vehicles are also on the program. Women in motorsports, racing and nation, and motorsport journalism are discussed as well. This year, legendary racer Lyn St James will be offering what will no doubt be an inspiring keynote address. I will be presenting my paper on the history of women-only racing to a new and critical audience. Because I put together the material, I received a sneak preview to the upcoming event and am excited for what is in store. I look forward to looking and learning from this esteemed group of scholars and historians who will discuss their work and provide insight into the state of automotive history today.

For those interested in ‘attending’ the Argetsinger symposium, the two-day [November 1 & 2, 2024] event will be livestreamed and recorded. Information on access is available at the IMRRC website.

Trip to Chicago and the PCA

It’s been a while since I have attended the Popular Culture Association Conference. With the conference going online for two years due to COVID, and cancelations in subsequent years because of air travel complications, I have missed out on the opportunity to present at this annual gathering of nerdy pop culture students and scholars. This gathering in Chicago was almost a no-go as well. Because the session day and time was changed after hotel and plane reservations were made, the majority of presenters, including the Vehicle Culture area chairs, bailed, leaving just two of us to present to each other. Fortunately I was able to move my presentation to a session centered on Libraries, Museums, and Archives. The change, as it happens, turned out to be fortuitous. The many in attendance were attentive, asked lots of good questions, and most importantly, provided helpful feedback. I ran into one of my former BGSU cohorts, had a nice conversation with the BG School of Cultural and Critical Studies chair, and was approached by a respected publisher who expressed interest in developing my project into a book.

Although it was a quick trip – I drove into Chicago Friday afternoon, presented Saturday morning, then headed back home in time for dinner, it was well worth the trip [and the sleepless before-presentation night]. I don’t know how many more PCA conferences I have in me, but I enjoyed the opportunity to be surrounded by young and enthusiastic scholars who are making important and interesting contributions to the field of popular culture studies. 

The Missing Women of Motorsport

Last weekend I attended the Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History at the legendary Watkins Glen International Media Center, hosted by the IMRRC [International Motor Racing Research Center] and SAH [Society of Automotive Historians]. It was my third time in attendance – although I was a presenter last year I was invited to attend this year in my new role as Vice President of the Society of Automotive Historians [more on that in a future blog]. The conference attracts academics and historians presenting papers on a wide variety of topics related to the history and culture of motorsport. The goal of the conference, as noted on the IMRRC website, is to provide an opportunity for scholars, researchers, and writers ‘to present their work related to the history of automotive competition and the cultural impact of motor racing to their peers and the motor racing community in general.’

‘An Overview of Motorsport Podcasts Focused on Women’ presented by Mike Stocz

Last year’s conference, which coincided with the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX, featured a number of female presenters as well as a roundtable discussion focused on the state of women in motorsport scholarship. While there were notable gaps in the conversation, the panel represented an effort by symposium organizers to consider women as both motorsport participants and researchers. However the 2023 conference reverted to past gatherings in which women were notably absent as both presenters and subjects of research. The sole female participant was a member of the contingent from MacPherson College and as an archivist spoke on the automotive resources available to students at that institution. The only presentation which addressed women in some capacity was a quantitative study on the subjects most often discussed on motorsport podcasts focused on women. While the presentation was certainly academically sound, it was numbers based, and as a study presented by a male academic, it was lacking any understanding or explanation of women’s actual experience in the motorsport arena. 

‘Cruising Through the Stacks’ presented by Kristie Sojka

As noted in the roundtable discussion held a year ago, there is a dearth of automotive scholarship focused on women in motorsport history and culture. This is not surprising; although women’s automotive histories have slowly been incorporated into the canon, there are simply not enough scholars with an interest in exploring the topic of women’s participation in various automotive cultures, including motorsport. Although I have briefly touched on the subject in my own research, motorsport is a subject in which my own knowledge is limited. However, that being said, I came away from the conference with both motivation and determination to develop a paper with women as the focus for next year’s symposium at Watkins Glen.

This is not to say the conference was a bust. The long weekend began with the screening of a number of motorsport documentaries, followed by two days of presentations on a variety of subjects from researchers and historians from all over the world. I was able to connect with a number of scholars in the field and was perhaps awarded a small modicum of respect on my new VP status. While I have a number of project in the works, I will endeavor to develop a presentation over the next year that will hopefully bring attention to women’s absence as well as participation in the masculine world of motorsport.

Argetsinger Motorsports Conference @ Watkins Glen

After a three year hiatus due to COVID, the Michael Argetsinger Motorsports Conference, held at the legendary Watkins Glen International, was back. I had the opportunity to present my current-but-still-very-much-in-its-early-stage project focused on women who participate in autocross. It was a two-day conference, with a variety of presentations conducted via Zoom, in-person, and of the hybrid variety. The topics were varied, ranging from very detailed looks at a certain aspect of motorsports, in-depth examinations of the famous and obscure in motorsports history, as well as investigations of racing through the lens of popular culture. My presentation was the last of the last day, followed by a roundtable on women in motorsports. It was an exhausting two days, but I was able to catch up with scholars I have met on previous occasions as well as meet and connect with others in the field. The conference was well attended and live streamed. It was an excellent venue in which to present new work and get important feedback.

My own presentation went pretty well, my clumsy oral skills notwithstanding. The responses were primarily positive and I received a number of helpful suggestions. The audience was composed primarily of older white men, which is a microcosm of the motorsports academic community. While there were a number of female speakers, there was only one other presentation in which women in motorsports was the focus.

As a female who writes about women and automobiles from a decidedly feminist perspective, I often feel that the mostly male audience just doesn’t get it. Women’s experience with cars differs greatly from that of men, which I attempt to address in all of my work. While men tend to look at motorsports as a masculine competition, with the ultimate objective of taking home the grand prize, women often look beyond the contest to consider other aspects of the event. In the autocross project, as I discovered, the primary focus was on camaraderie; the competition was, in fact, a means to a broader and more rewarding experience. As one of the women interviewed expressed, ‘without the community it’s just driving fast around cones.’ But as I have noted, it is often difficult for those who have always looked at motorsports from the dominant male frame of reference to consider alternative perspectives. The men in the audience appeared quite puzzled as they looked at photographs of women joyfully joining together before and after each run. I’m sure ‘but where are the cars?’ was a question they repeatedly asked themselves during the presentation.

The lack of male understanding became especially evident in the roundtable that concluded the conference. The roundtable started off fairly well; the initial discussion focused on the state of women in motorsports scholarship, a topic very much in need of attention. However, when the microphone was turned over to the audience for comments, it quickly devolved into men telling women what they should write about. While some of the comments had merit, many were downright dreadful. The most egregious suggestions included an inquest into the wives of male racing legends, an in-depth examination of Linda Vaughn, the infamous ‘Miss Hurst Golden Shifter,’ and my personal favorite [not], a survey of women in automotive advertising, with the recommended and cringeworthy title ‘Broads on Buicks.’ Yikes. As it turns out, the attitudes of men who write about motorsports are not much different than those women encounter each weekend at the track.

While I was somewhat frustrated in my attempts to get through to some audience members, I believe that the conference was ultimately a success. I was able to partake in a lively conference in a unique in an inspiring setting; I had the occasion to take in new and important motorsports research; I had the chance to network and connect with renown scholars and historians in the field; and had the opportunity to present my own research and perhaps change some minds about the role of women in motorsports. All in all not a bad weekend.

A Transnational Symposium

This past weekend I had the honor of participating in an international symposium – Wheels Across the Pacific: Transnational Histories of the Automotive Industry. It was a joint effort by the Automotive Historians of Australia [AHA] and the Society of Automotive Historians [SAH] in the US; the goal was to explore ways in which the Australian and North American auto industries shared parts and components, staff, expertise and skills, engineering, design and studio practices, business and management structures, and advertising and trade practices. There were in-person attendees in Australia, as well as international viewers all over the globe. While the time differences among participants made for a challenging evening [or morning or afternoon, depending on the time zone], the symposium was a unique opportunity to share scholarship and conversation with car folks from down under.

In terms of my own presentation, I veered somewhat from the established guidelines. As a cultural historian, I am not well versed in the ins and outs of the automotive industry on either continent. But I thought I could contribute in a different way. ‘Women and Automobiles Across Two Continents: An [Unfortunately] Brief Historiography of Women’s Automotive Scholarship in Australia and America’ examines the trajectory of women’s automotive history in both countries. What follows is both the introduction to the presentation as well as the conclusion – in which I summarize my objectives as well as present a challenge to present and future historians of the automobile. I hope to develop this brief historiography into a publication-ready paper at a later date.

Women’s cross-country automobile tours – Scharff

Since the turn of the twentieth century – and the beginning of the motor age –  writers of various persuasions in multiple locations have set upon the task of documenting the automobile’s vast and varied history. The first automotive histories – of auto companies, auto industry leaders, and popular accounts of the automobile’s impact – began to appear in the early 1920s. Scholarly examinations of automotive history first entered the scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Influenced by the cultural turn, historians looked beyond the auto industry and its internal dynamics to consider the automobile’s impact on society. 

Yet although scholarship witnessed the incorporation of women into various national and international histories during the mid 1970s, automotive history – a stubbornly male-dominated discipline – was slow to recognize women as influencers and participants in automotive culture. It wasn’t until the late twentieth century that five feminist historians – two Americans [Schwartz-Cowan and Scharff], one Brit [Walsh], and two Australians [Webber and Clarsen] – began the necessary if not groundbreaking process of writing women into automotive history.

Australian women out for a drive – Webber

Women’s automotive history is not only about exceptional women in automotive but is also concerned with the role of the automobile in women’s lives. Women’s automotive history challenges common perceptions of women’s engagement with the automobile as it uncovers the strategies called upon by female motorists to become recognized as legitimate automobile owners and drivers. It addresses the gendered assumptions built into automotive engineering and marketing as well as how those assumptions influence how women as drivers are regarded and portrayed. 

As a discipline, it revises current automotive history to include women as drivers and influencers, contributes to a broader understanding of women’s presence and involvement in automobile culture, and accomplishes what historian Joan Hoff Wilson defines as a feminist approach to history – ‘the actual status of groups of women should be described from their point of view and then compared with the status usually assigned to them as isolated objects judged exclusively by male standards.’

Female chauffeurs in 1920s Australia – Clarsen

This brief presentation examines the trajectory of women’s automotive history scholarship in both Australia and the US to consider how women’s automobility has been addressed. Beginning with popular histories of the 1950s, and moving through the early twenty-first century, it investigates the impact of women’s automotive history in both locations, considers the manner in which the histories diverge and overlap, and questions how and whether such scholarship has altered the dominant masculine narrative concerning the automobile and car culture.

My objective in this presentation is not only to make scholars aware of the contributions of female historians to the automotive literature, but to inspire new ideas and research. For while women’s automotive history is gaining recognition as an important subject of study, additional work needs to be done. Women of color are noticeably absent from the literature, as are women of the working class. While societal and ethnographical studies of women’s involvement with cars have started to make an impact, there are dozens of untapped female automotive cultures waiting to be explored. Writing in 1983, Charles Sanford challenged scholars to remedy the lack of literature addressing the relationship between women and the automobile. As Sanford wrote, “what is needed is both an intimate feminine viewpoint from several perspectives about women’s experience with cars and fairly objective, even statistical, studies of the same experience.” 

Australian women working in the auto industry – Glover & Edquist

It is my hope, therefore, that this brief historiography will serve as an impetus to automotive historians everywhere to consider the influence of over half the population of drivers, and to include the actions and influence of the female motorist in present and future automotive histories.

The presentation was well received and I received a number of helpful comments and questions. It was a rewarding experience; not only was I able to help strengthen the SAH’s relationship with the AHA, but also had the unique opportunity to share and learn with scholars from a country on the other side of the world.

The American automobile as ‘Mom’s Taxi’ – Cowan

2021 [Virtual] PCA Conference

Pink Power Presentation

As the 2020 Popular Culture Association [PCA] was canceled due to COVID, the decision was made to go virtual in 2021. Despite my lack of confidence in all things technological, I decided to put aside my fears and submit a presentation to this year’s event. Since the PCA is one of the few conferences with sessions dedicated to vehicle culture, I always try to prepare something to present. Having a date in place provides me with the impetus to develop and map out a project for the conference; in turn, the input from conference attendees serves as encouragement to proceed with publication as the eventual goal.

This year there were three sessions with a wide variety of topics and perspectives. The first session, focused on Vehicle History and Business, featured presentations on vehicle dwellers, an analysis of conflicting representations of the automobile in its earliest years, and a look at how the Korean automobile and gaming industry influence the global market. Vehicle Culture Across Industries – the second session – included an excursion to non-fictional motor racing through Grafton graphic publications, an examination of driving lyrics in the songs of Taylor Swift, and an argument dispelling the origin myth of the 1950s automobile fin design. Finally, the third session – Social Perspectives of Vehicle Culture, offered an investigation of the 1967 Impala as female in the Winchesters series, a lawyer’s perspective on the case for banning human-driven vehicles, and my own presentation, which looked at the influence of Barbie cars on the auto awareness of young girls.

While there were a few technical glitches in my presentation – it’s what happens when you ask a 72-year-old woman to serve as session chair – the talk went pretty well. I received a number of positive comments, helpful suggestions, as well as questions that provided me the opportunity to reconsider some of my arguments and revise some of my thinking. Although the presentation was stressful – in both preparation and execution – I always welcome the opportunity to present my work to a group of interested, informed, and curious auto enthusiasts and scholars. Next year – Seattle!

IMRRC Conference @ Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen International Raceway, Watkins Glen NY

A couple of months ago I received a request from a scholar in the UK to contribute a chapter on the history and politics of women and motorsports for an upcoming book on motor racing. Although I am neither a historian nor an expert on motorsports, I decided to take on the challenge. As the first step in becoming more familiar with the motorsports literature, I decided to attend the Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History held at the infamous racetrack at Watkins Glen, New York. It was an informative and interesting couple of days, where I had the opportunity to observe a number of engaging and thought-provoking presentations, pick up some new ideas for research and resources, and connect with scholars in the field. I also spent a little time at the International Motor Racing Research Center which allowed me to get a brief start on my research. The site of the conference on the Watkins Glen International racetrack – and the ride there from my hotel on very hilly and somewhat snowy roads – gave me a little feel of the area and its auto racing history. I came home impressed and somewhat intimidated by motorsports scholars, and inspired to get started on my project. 

Are you a fan of motorsports? Do you follow women racers? What do you feel are the pros and cons of women-only racing?