LYN ST. JAMES broke 200 mph barrier in Ford Thunderbird

April 11, 2026

• LYN ST. JAMES made history in 1989 piloting a Ford Thunderbird with a NASCAR chassis to become the first woman to surpass 200 mph on a closed course.
• Not content with one milestone, ST. JAMES returned in 1988 and posted 212.435 mph on an oval — the fastest lap ever by a woman — then broke her own record the very next day at 212.577 mph.
• ST. JAMES accomplished both records in a Thunderbird sharing the same platform as Bill Elliott’s legendary 212.809 mph qualifying run at Talladega in 1987.
• Ford’s broader speed legacy — from Barney Oldfield in 1903 to Nurburgring GT Mk IV and Mustang GTD records today — frames ST. JAMES’s achievements as part of a continuous pursuit of performance.

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