Cuneo Speaks Out

This article from the April 11, 1909 Indianapolis Star was developed from an interview with Joan Cuneo, the top female race driver of the early 20th Century. Cuneo enjoyed reasonable success with the best example coming in 1909 on an oval dirt track in New Orleans. The New Orleans event triggered action by the American Automobile Association (AAA) to curtail the participation of women in auto racing. Cuneo references that pending decision in this piece with this quote:
 
"We can make a tour and carry it through without the aid of the AAA, providing Chairman Hower and his associates want to be so discourteous as to shut us out of the contest owing to our ability shown in previous runs. I am rather surprised at Chairman Hower, whom I have always considered very highly both as a sportsman and a gentleman."
 
Cuneo's reference to "Hower" is Frank B. Hower, longtime AAA executive and founder of the Hower Trophy. In this article Joan shows solidarity with another aspiring female racer Alice Potter. Both were lobbying to be allowed to compete in the Glidden Tour one of the original car rallies organized to illustrate the dependability of automobiles over tremendous distances.