Who is Janet Guthrie’s father, William Lain Guthrie?
William Lain Guthrie was the father of Janet Guthrie. William’s daughter Guthrie is a retired professional racing car driver who was the first woman to qualify for and compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 in 1977. She originally attempted to compete in the Indianapolis 500 in 1976 but failed to qualify. She was the first woman to lead a lap in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
William Lain Guthrie: Bio Summary
| Full name | William Lain Guthrie |
| Date of birth | August 12, 1912 |
| Place of birth | Oklahoma, United States |
| Dead | (Age,85) March 22, 1997 |
| Profession | Pilot |
| Famous as | The mother of Janet Guthrie |
| Parent | N/A |
| Sex | Male |
| Spouse | Jean Midkiff Guthrie |
| Siblings | N/A |
| Children | Janet Guthrie, Margaret Guthrie, Anne Guthrie, Walter and Stewart |
What happened to Janet Guthrie’s father, William Lain Guthrie?
Janet Guthrie’s father is the legendary race car racer, William Lain Guthrie. He was born in Oklahoma, United States, on August 12, 1912. At the age of 85, William died of a heart attack. He graduated from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and married Jean Ruth Mikiff, his college lover. They had five children together; Janet Guthrie, Margaret Guthrie, Anne Guthrie, Walter, and Stewart. Janet is the oldest of their five children. William and his wife Jean Ruth Guthrie are both pilots. When Janet Guthrie was three years old, her parents relocated to Miami, Florida, after her father, William, obtained a job with Eastern Air Lines.
What is his cause of death?
William Lain Guthrie died from a heart attack.
What is William Lain Guthrie’s career?
William Lain Guthrie was a commercial airline pilot who became a celebrity after he was fired for refusing to dump spent jet fuel from his plane for environmental and safety grounds. He relocated his family to Miami after being hired as a pilot by Eastern Airlines.
On his 30th anniversary as an Eastern Airlines pilot, August 1, 1970, Captain Guthrie made international headlines by refusing to pour spent kerosene into the atmosphere, as was usual practice.
Instead, he stayed on the ground with his four-engine DC-8 and instructed the crew to drain the excess fuel from the previous flight before taking off.
The airline fired him two months later for insubordination, citing frequent and lengthy delays. Other pilots rallied around him, refusing to dump fuel as well, and the ensuing outcry pushed Eastern to reinstate him with full pay and the industry to stop aerial dumping. Captain Guthrie resigned soon after being reinstated.
His pilot’s license was suspended for 60 days in 1966 when he refused to allow a Federal Aviation Administration inspector into his cockpit for a regular inspection. He did so, he claimed, because the Civil Aeronautics Board declined to look into the Weather Bureau’s reporting processes. He said that federal aviation officials abandoned their responsibility to protect the public.
ALSO, READ: Janet Guthrie’s Children: How many kids does Janet have?
Who is Janet Guthrie?: Meet William’s daughter
Janet Guthrie was born on March 7, 1938, in New York City. She is a retired professional racing car driver who was the first woman to qualify for and compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 in 1977. Janet obtained her pilot’s license when she was 17 years old.
Guthrie began racing on the SCCA circuit in a Jaguar XK140 in 1963, and in 1972 she was racing full-time. Her racing career included two class victories in the legendary 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race.
In addition, she was the first woman to lead a lap in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. She originally attempted to compete in the Indianapolis 500 in 1976 but failed to qualify. She competed in three Indianapolis 500s between 1977 and 1979.
Guthrie was an aircraft engineer who worked for Republic Aviation after graduating from the University of Michigan with a physics degree in 1960.
Guthrie finished 15th in the 1976 World 600, becoming the first woman to compete in a NASCAR Winston Cup superspeedway race. On April 27, 2006, she was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
ALSO, READ: Warren Levine: How did Janet Guthrie’s husband die?
Meet Janet Guthrie’s parents and siblings
William Lain Guthrie married Jean Ruth Guthrie (née Midkiff) and they had five children together: Janet Guthrie, Margaret Guthrie, Anne Guthrie; Walter, and Stewart. Janet Guthrie is the oldest of the five children. Her family relocated to Miami, Florida when Janet was three years old after her father obtained a job with Eastern Air Lines.
How many siblings did Janet Guthrie have?
The iconic motorsport driver, Janet Guthrie was born to William Lain Guthrie and Jean Midkiff Guthrie. Janet Guthrie is the oldest child of the family. Janet has four siblings, including two sisters: Margaret Guthrie and Anne Guthrie, and two brothers, Walter Guthrie and Stewart Guthrie.
What is Janet Guthrie’s net worth?
Janet Guthrie has an estimated net worth of $15 million. She made most of her money in her career by negotiating hefty contracts.
