Mad for Speed – The Joan Newton Cuneo Story

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Mad for Speed – Joan Newton Cuneo: Author Elsa A. Nystrom has written for us a great overview with wonderful photos of her upcoming book on Cuneo, the first American woman racing driver. She was an extraordinary woman who in 1910, even set a women’s speed record of 112mph on the Long Island Motor Parkway in the Pope-Hartford Hummer. See it on The Old Motor.

[Mikeinnj]

Looks like old Joannie lost it in the second photo...note the salvage crew are all black.

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Originally Posted by Mikeinnj

Looks like old Joannie lost it in the second photo...note the salvage crew are all black.

But she and others put the car back together and she continued on the Glidden tour. There is a very famous photo of here driving later on the tour with the steam cars condenser strapped onto the running board.

She then went onto a racing career where she earned the respect of all the big name drivers of the day by beating many of them in races.

Cuneo seen in one of the many photos in our post (below), later bought a 1907 Rainier Touring Car which she drove in the 1907 Glidden Tour. A year later, she bought yet another (1908) Rainier which she raced and drove in the 1908 Glidden, finally achieving a perfect score.

[Big John]

i don't think the crash is the same car as in photo 1, but maybe #2 and # 3 are the same car ?????

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Originally Posted by Big John

i don't think the crash is the same car as in photo 1, but maybe #2 and # 3 are the same car ?????

John.....The top photo is a Lancia, the second photo shows a White steam car that she had an accident with. The last car is a Rainer, a brand of car that she drove in the Glidden tours in 1907-08. Follow the link in the top post to get the whole story.

[Terry, NJ]

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I see the first car has a 1909 NJ plate. Do you know if the race was in NJ and where?
Thanks for posting this!
Terry

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Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

I see the first car has a 1909 NJ plate. Do you know if the race was in NJ and where?
Thanks for posting this!
Terry

Terry, This photo came from some type of club reliability run and not a race. Glad you enjoyed it.