Birthdate: March 13, 1947, Willoughby, Ohio Residence: Daytona Beach , Fla. Ht./Wt.: 5-6, 125 Marital Status: Married (Roger Lessman) Children: Lindsay Ann Lessman IRL Races: 3 1996 IRL Rank: 12 1996 Prize Money: $264,853 Lyn St. James Indianapolis "500" Record (Passed Driver's Test 1992) Speed Speed or Year Car Rank Qual. S F Laps Led Reason Out ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1992 Agency Rent-A-Car/JCPenney 28 220.150 27 11 193 Flagged "Spirit of the American Woman" 1993 JCPenney/Nike 24 218.042 21 25 176 Gear Box 1994 Reebok/Lee/JCPenney "Sprit of the American Woman" 6 224.154 6 19 170 Flagged 1995 Whitlock Auto Supply 31 225.346 28 32 0 Accident Turn 1 1996 Spirt of San Antonio 28 224.594 18 14 186 Accident Turn 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 5 Races 725
Lyn St, James was born March 13, 1947, in Willoughby, Ohio. She gained recognition when she won the SCCA Florida Regional Showroom Stock A Championships in 1976 and 1997. With two trophies in her case, she took on her next challenge, the IMSA Kelly American Challenge Series. She competed there from 1979 to 1981 and was named the series' top woman driver all three years. St. James ran in the IMSA Camel GT Series in 1984, where she was named Rookie of the Year by Autoweek magazine. She was the first woman to win in the IMSA GTO Series, when she won at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin in 1985. St. James has also competed in IMSA GTP Series, earning four top-10 finishes in 1986.
She made her debut in the Indy in 1992, becoming the second woman and the oldest rookie to qualify for the "500." She finished her first race in 11th place. She earned "500" Rookie of the Year honors for her effort. In 1994, she started sixth and finished 19th. In 1995, an accident on the first turn eliminated her from the race. In 1996 she started 18th and finished 21st, sidelined by electrical problems after 11 laps. During her Indy years she ran a handful of PPG Cup events. Her career-best finish of 13th, came at Phoenix. She joined the IRL in 1996, finishing the season 12th in point standings.
