George Harrison’s Attempt to Sponsor the Only Woman in the Indy 500 Was Rejected
George Harrison was known for being generous with his money, and in the 1970s, he attempted to send it to someone unexpected: a driver in the Indy 500. Harrison was a longtime fan of car racing, even writing a song for his Formula One driver friends. In 1978, driver Janet Guthrie prepared to compete in the Indy 500 for the second time. Harrison attempted to send her money to sponsor her, but he was politely informed that he no longer could.
George Harrison visited the Indy 500 course with The Beatles
In 1964, The Beatles played a show in Indianapolis. When news of where they were staying leaked, the band relocated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hotel, near the grounds of the Indy 500. This was likely thrilling for Harrison, who had loved car racing since he was a child.
“I was 12 when I saw Liverpool’s first British Grand Prix, in Aintree,” he said, per Rolling Stone. “I followed Formula One until the time we started being professional musicians, and even then in the Sixties, though we were so busy, I caught a few races, mainly Monte Carlo.”
As the band made their way to the airport, they stopped by the racetrack.
“As we were leaving, on the way to the airport, they took us round the Indy circuit, the 500 oval, in a Cadillac,” Harrison wrote, per Golf Digest. “It was fantastic. I couldn’t believe how long the straightway was; and to be on the banking and see all the grandstands was great.”
George Harrison attempted to sponsor the first woman to compete in the Indy 500
In 1977, Guthrie became the first woman to compete in the Indy 500. In the 1977 race, she finished 29th in the field of 33 due to engine problems. When she qualified for the 1978 race, she was unable to find anyone to sponsor her.
“Time had really run out,” she told The New York Times. “Frankly, I don’t know why I hadn’t been able to get a sponsor before. I guess companies that normally would back a woman don’t understand racing.”
When Guthrie said on television that nobody wanted to sponsor a 40-year-old woman driver, however, offers for sponsorship quickly poured in.
“Yesterday, as she announced that she would receive ‘somewhat more than $100,000’ in oil money to attempt to take part in the million‐dollar race May 28, a representative of George Harrison, the former Beatle, called to say he, too, would like to sponsor the only woman in history to appear in the auto racing classic,” the Times reported.
Harrison’s offer was not accepted, however: “The representative was told Harrison was too late.”
He had an impressive collection of cars
Harrison also used his money to build a collection of cars. Per GQ, The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein bought Harrison a Jaguar E-type for his 21st birthday in 1964. The following year, Harrison purchased an Aston Martin DB5, his nicest car to date.
While it’s not clear how many cars Harrison bought and sold over the years, his collection was extensive and unique. At different times in his life, he owned a Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Limousine and a customized Mini Cooper decorated with images inspired by the book Tantra Art.
