Lyn St. James, a 2020 inductee of the Sebring Hall of Fame, has been named Grand Marshal of SuperSebring weekend, March 15-18.
St. James enjoyed a successful and pioneering driving career, which included class victories in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and twice in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. She competed in two 24 Hours of Le Mans and seven Indianapolis 500s, including 1992, when she became the first woman in the history of the great event to earn Rookie of the Year honors. She won six IMSA GT races and finished fifth overall in the 1983 12 Hours driving an Aston Martin prototype. St. James also earned a class win at the Nurburgring 24 Hours in Germany and has seven top-five finishes in the Trans-Am series. Among her many honors, she was selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the Top 100 Female Athletes of the 20th Century and was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2022.
In addition to her driving prowess, St. James is a life-long advocate for career opportunities for women in the sport and continues to mentor women and guide them into motorsports careers at all levels, including leadership positions and as drivers. She co-founded Women in Motorsports North America, a community of professionals devoted to supporting individuals pursuing careers in the industry. Mobil 1, the title sponsor of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring for the last 28 years, is the primary supporting sponsor of WIMNA’s signature annual event – Women With Drive, Driven by Mobil 1.
“Sebring International Raceway and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring have been such an important part of my career, both on and off the track,” said St. James. “I’m grateful for the honor of serving as the Grand Marshal of the 71st running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours. While I stopped competing on the track a bit ago, the timing has never been better for us to move forward in promoting opportunities for all who have either not previously had an opportunity or never realized they had a path to succeed in professional motorsports. I’m more engaged now than ever and proud to see the diversity of the entire workforce in motorsports, including in leadership positions as well as in technical and engineering roles.
“This industry leads all sports in the ability for men and women to compete at the same level on the same stage, and I’m proud to be able to help create opportunities for both women and men who want to be a part of the incredible motorsports industry.”
St. James will serve as grand marshal of the FIA WEC 1000 Miles of Sebring on March 17 and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 18. Among other honorary positions on the weekend, she will give the command to start engines before each race.
Tickets and parking are still available for SuperSebring weekend. Gates open at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14, for spectators, with practice scheduled to begin the next morning at 8:55 a.m.
Five races are on the schedule, including two Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup series races on Thursday (9:15 a.m. and 5:35 p.m.), the Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series on Thursday (1:20 p.m.), the FIA WEC 1000 Miles of Sebring on Friday (11:55 a.m.), and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on Saturday (10:10 a.m.).
Visit SebringRaceway.com to purchase tickets and parking in advance. New for 2023, no sales will take place at the main gate. All on-site purchases must take place at the Sebring Ticket Trailer located inside Gate 3 at the front of the Raceway property.
ABOUT WOMEN IN MOTORSPORTS N.A.
Women in Motorsports North America is a community of professionals devoted to supporting opportunities for women across all motorsport disciplines by creating an inclusive, resourceful environment to foster mentorship, advocacy, education, and growth, thereby ensuring the continued strength and successful future of our sport. www.womeninmotorsportsna.com