Everything About Linda Vaughn, the ‘First Lady of Motorsports’

81-year-old Linda Vaughn is often referred to as “The First Lady of Motorsports.” Born in Dalton, Georgia in 1943, she was one of the most famous personalities in motorsports across America for her likable nature and her goodwill ambassadorship. A beauty queen, her career began at the age of 18 by winning the “Miss Queen of Speed” title at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Her tryst with cars began through the ties that an ex-boyfriend had with a car club called the Road Ravens. This led to her participating in beauty contests held at race tracks and she quickly became a regular winner. She became close friends with many drivers like Richard Petty, A.J. Foyt, and others leading to hilarious complexities with their spouses and girlfriends. 

However, Vaughn made her intentions clear and developed strong friendships. Her marketing-savvy nature led her to become a face for many brands, Hurst being the prime among them. She and Hurst Shifters were closely associated with each other earning her the nickname “Miss Hurst Golden Shifter.” She became the company’s most successful salesperson.

Through her appearances at race tracks and her roles in Hollywood, she became a bigger attraction than drivers at some points. Her extensive career led to her being rewarded with the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Founder’s Award in 2000. She was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2019. She continues pleasing fans with her appearances at race tracks to this day.

Vaughn’s never-ending passion for motorsports

Her love for racing is greatly admirable. She suffered a heart attack in 2016, but that did not stop Vaughn from doing what she loved. She once said, “I like all sports, football and hockey, but racing is my sport. It’s absolutely the most passionate sport ever. To go with Mario Andretti on the World Tour, to be a part of the Indy 500, the Daytona 500, the U.S. Nationals, all the car shows, it’s just pure love and passion.”

Vaughn believes that she is physically and mentally married to racing. She loves interacting with fans, posing for photographs, and signing autographs. 2020 was a particularly hard year for her with the COVID pandemic. She had to sell a few of the cars that she owned just to pay the bills. However, recent years have been kinder and she is quickly getting back on track.

She will continue nurturing her love for speed as long as the fans love her. She said, “I may have 14 stents, my shoulders are working with six screws in them, and I’m not dancing in the street like I used to be able to do, but I can still throw the clutch and shift gears.”