Kathy Rude
Encyclopedia
Kathy Rude was an American
sports car driver who was one of the first female drivers to attract international attention. Growing up in Victoria
, Canada
, she began competing as a teenager in karting events. By her early 20s, after competing in Formula Ford
and Formula Atlantic
, she attracted the attention of several top-tier car owners, and tested an IndyCar
owned by Dick Simon
. She was a member of the original North American Toyota factory-sponsored IMSA GT Championship
sports car team in 1981. In February 1982, co-driving a factory-sponsored Mazda RX-7
with Allan Moffat
and Lee Mueller, she became the first woman to win a major international sports car race with a GTU class victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona
. She signed a deal to make her debut at the Indianapolis 500
in 1984, but during an IMSA sports car event at Brainerd, Minnesota in July 1983, she suffered horrific injuries in a crash which ended her racing career. Noted sports car champion Brian Redman
once referred to her as the only female driver he'd encountered who posed a genuine threat to win major professional automobile races. She is now a corporate safe driving instructor and speaker.
From 1987 to 1994 did safe driving and new car intros for Audi of America, INC., driver clinics for Boeing employees and did training for the then new Audi Quattro Club's first instructor classes.
Kathy is also a breast cancer survivor including a stem cell transplant, trial drugs and radiation. Now doing well, is married to Canadian sports-car racer and three-time Indianapolis 500 veteran Ludwig Heimrath, Jr.
living in western Washington state traveling the country for safe driver training and speaking engagements.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports car driver who was one of the first female drivers to attract international attention. Growing up in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, she began competing as a teenager in karting events. By her early 20s, after competing in Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
and Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
, she attracted the attention of several top-tier car owners, and tested an IndyCar
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
owned by Dick Simon
Dick Simon
Dick Simon is one of the oldest men to ever have raced in the Indianapolis 500. He was 55 years old during his final Indy 500 start in 1988. A multiple starter and top-ten finisher in the race, he also became a car owner, founding Dick Simon Racing helping to begin the IndyCar careers of Stéphan...
. She was a member of the original North American Toyota factory-sponsored IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
sports car team in 1981. In February 1982, co-driving a factory-sponsored Mazda RX-7
Mazda RX-7
Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980...
with Allan Moffat
Allan Moffat
Allan George Moffat, OBE is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000...
and Lee Mueller, she became the first woman to win a major international sports car race with a GTU class victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
. She signed a deal to make her debut at the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
in 1984, but during an IMSA sports car event at Brainerd, Minnesota in July 1983, she suffered horrific injuries in a crash which ended her racing career. Noted sports car champion Brian Redman
Brian Redman
Brian Herman Thomas Redman is a British racing driver from England....
once referred to her as the only female driver he'd encountered who posed a genuine threat to win major professional automobile races. She is now a corporate safe driving instructor and speaker.
From 1987 to 1994 did safe driving and new car intros for Audi of America, INC., driver clinics for Boeing employees and did training for the then new Audi Quattro Club's first instructor classes.
Kathy is also a breast cancer survivor including a stem cell transplant, trial drugs and radiation. Now doing well, is married to Canadian sports-car racer and three-time Indianapolis 500 veteran Ludwig Heimrath, Jr.
Ludwig Heimrath
Ludwig Heimrath, Jr. - born September 9, 1956 in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. Started his driving career racing Go-karts and Formula Fords. In 1979 and 1980 he won the Ontario Formula Ford Championship winning seven races in total. In 1981 and 1982, he competed in selected International Motorsport...
living in western Washington state traveling the country for safe driver training and speaking engagements.