Moreover, this way also where Ms. McCluggage started practicing a new form of writing: participatory sports journalism. She fully believed that she could cover races more effectively if she was an entrant instead of just a spectator as it gave her the opportunity to understand the racer’s mindset and feel out their lines on the track. And she would actually be allowed in the paddock – something that most female journalists were barred from at the time.
She got her big break in 1954 when she packed her bags and moved to the Big Apple to work for the New York Herald Tribune as a sports journalist. She left behind her MG and upgraded to a Jaguar XK140 – a car better fit to start off a professional racing career.Denise McCluggage was the first woman to win a feature sportscar race at Thompson Raceway in Connecticut in 1959. Behind the wheel of a Porsche RS, she commanded the field and even went on to compete – and place a stunning fifth place – in the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen the following year. Ms. McCluggage welcomed the 1960s by winning the GT Class at the 12 Hours of Sebring behind the wheel of a Ferrari.Before long, she was being invited to races all over the world. She teamed up with the Ford factory team to drive a Falcon and win the prestigious 1964 Monte Carlo Rally. You could find her name on the list of entrants at tracks like Daytona, the Nürburgring, and Elkhart Lake. She was doing it backed by big-name marques such as Porsche and Maserati. And she was competing against the likes of Stirling Moss, Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby.And, all the while, McCluggage was splitting her focus. She might be competing against some of the world’s best talents, but she was a journalist at heart. Her presence at the track meant that she was privy to the pre-race rituals, anxieties, fears, celebrations and dramas that take place away from the public eye. She’d take track walks with Phil Hill as he daubed paint on the apexes he was worried he’d might miss. She chatted with Fangio and Moss on their dominant treks through Europe. She was just one of the guys.Women weren’t always welcome to participate in the same big events as the men, but they’d be relegated to the “Ladies Races” that ran as support features for the main show. She would be forced to interview drivers through chain link fences at Indianapolis because women were strictly forbidden from the garage, pits and press boxes. She was nominated to compete in Le Mans by Luigi Chinetti, only for the FIA to reject her presence because they “didn’t choose to invite women”. That’s why it was an amazing accomplishment – carving out a place in the racing world. She pulled on her helmet and won races. She found other ways to grab an interview: chatting to a driver in a hotel lobby, a quick side conversation at a dinner. She made sure her racing was impeccable and her stories were unlike anything anyone had ever heard before. Denise McCluggage’s name echoed through the racing world, refusing to be ignored.
Denise McCluggage’s list of acknowledgments and awards is incredibly long. She was one of the big factors behind the launch of AutoWeek, then called Competition Press. She held the Ken W. Purdy Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism and the Dean Batchelor Lifetime Achievement Award. She’s the only journalist to have been inducted in the Automotive Hall of Fame. She wrote a weekly syndicated column, “Drive, She Said”, which appeared in 90 newspapers throughout the US and Canada. And she still found time to write books.Ms. McCluggage died May 6, 2015, at the age of 88, but her legacy is still prevalent to this day. It is in part due to her tenacity that female journalists started being admitted to previously off-limit areas and female drivers began to be more well-respected. She didn’t set out to change the scope of what being a woman the automotive industry and racing entailed, but she loved what she did and made sure that she was going to get her access.We here at CRS Automotive salute you.We are located only 4 min walking South West of Tim Hortons Field and 4 min walk West of Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre.Frequently Asked Questions
What types of vehicles does CRS Automotive service?
CRS Automotive services cars, light-duty trucks and medium-duty vehicles of all makes and models, including electric and hybrid vehicles. They handle both personal vehicles and fleet units.
What services does CRS Automotive offer?
The shop provides inspections, diagnostics, preventive maintenance, oil changes, brake and tire services, steering and suspension repair, air conditioning and heating service, engine and cooling system repairs, electrical and dashboard-warning diagnostics, transmission and drivetrain service, exhaust and battery work, and fleet maintenance.
How can I book an appointment at the Hamilton service centre?
CRS Automotive offers online appointment booking. The Hamilton service centre is open seven days a week to accommodate customer schedules.
Do you provide maintenance for electric and hybrid vehicles?
Yes. CRS Automotive performs service and diagnostics for electric and hybrid vehicles alongside conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles, using appropriate diagnostic procedures for those powertrains.
Where is CRS Automotive located in Hamilton?
CRS Automotive operates a service centre in Hamilton, Ontario. The location is a short walk southwest of Tim Hortons Field and west of Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre.
