Sarah McCune in 2004, during a test for Kathryn Nunn Racing
Indy Lights is the second-tier racing series of the Indycar ladder. Over the years, it has had several changes of name and been run by CART, Indycar and the IRL. The basic formula of a one-model junior championship has remained roughly the same, however.
Until recently, Indycar was not a particularly welcoming place for female drivers. Indy Lights has had correspondingly few women entrants. A higher number were involved with the Toyota Atlantic series, a similar championship in the USA.
1986 (CART American Racing Series)
Desire Wilson (driver) - 24th
1987-88
No female entrants
1989
Cathy Muller (McNeill Motorsports) - 26th
1990
Cathy Muller (McNeill Motorsports/Stuart Moore Racing) - 16th
Cheryl Glass (Glass Racing) -22nd
1991 (CART Firestone/PPG/Dayton Indy Lights Series)
Desire Wilson (Leading Edge Motorsport) - 24th
Cheryl Glass (Glass Racing) - unplaced
1992
Kat Teasdale (Leading Edge Motorsport) - unplaced
1993-2004
No female entrants
2005 (IRL Infiniti Pro Series)
Mishael Abbott (Hemelgarn) - 13th
Sarah McCune (Sam Schmidt Motorsports) - 23rd
2006 (IRL Indy Pro Series)
Mishael Abbott (Michael Crawford Motorsports) - 26th
Veronica McCann (United & Classic Trailers) - 37th
2007
Leilani Munter (Sam Schmidt Motorsports) - 33rd
2008 (Indycar Indy Lights)
Bia Figueiredo (Sam Schmidt Motorsports) - 3rd
Cyndie Allemann (American Spirit Racing) - 14th
Christina Orr-West (Alliance Motorsports) - 30th
2009
Bia Figueiredo (Sam Schmidt Motorsports) - 8th
Pippa Mann (Panther Racing) - 14th
2010
Pippa Mann (Sam Schmidt Motorsports) - 5th
Carmen Jorda (Andersen Racing) - 16th
2011-18
No female entrants
(Image copyright Gregg Ellmann/motorsport.com)