Bonus: In the Driver's Seat — Ewy Rosqvist

Episode Summary

Title: Bonus In the Driver's Seat — Ewy Rosqvist Evie Johnson was born in 1929 in Sweden. She became interested in driving while working as a veterinary assistant, often driving on poor roads between farms. She married Nils Rosqvist, a motorsport enthusiast who introduced her to rally racing. In 1954, Evie and Nils competed in their first race together. Evie soon began competing as a driver herself. She won the European Rally Championship Women's Cup in 1959. In 1962, Mercedes-Benz sent Evie and her navigator Ursula Wirth to compete in the grueling Argentine Grand Prix rally race. Though initially mocked by the press for being women, Evie and Ursula shocked everyone by winning all six stages of the race, setting a new race record. After Mercedes-Benz disbanded their rally team in 1965, Evie stopped racing professionally. She worked as a guide at the Mercedes-Benz museum and test driver. Now 91, she lives in Stockholm. Evie's historic 1962 win broke records and stereotypes in the male-dominated world of racing.

Episode Show Notes

This bonus episode is brought to you by Mercedes-Benz. From a company built on the legacy, determination and inspiration of women, Mercedes-Benz and Encyclopedia Wommanica celebrate those driving change. All month, we’re talking about women in the driver's seat. Every Saturday this month we are sharing the stories of women who defied the odds to change the auto industry forever. Every Saturday this month we are sharing the stories of women who defied the odds to change the auto industry forever. Today, we’re highlighting an unexpected champion. She shattered expectations when she won one of the world’s most difficult races, becoming a role model and proving there are no limits to what anyone can accomplish. Meet Ewy Rosqvist.

Episode Transcript

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But you could be even closer with BarkBox. Every month BarkBox brings dogs and their humans together with original toys and delicious treats. Sign up now at BarkBox.com slash iHeart. SPEAKER_00: Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Encyclopedia Wamanica. This bonus episode is brought to you by Mercedes-Benz. Every Saturday this month, we're sharing the stories of women who defied the odds to change the auto industry forever. Today, we're highlighting an unexpected champion. She shattered expectations when she won one of the world's most difficult races, becoming a role model and proving there are no limits to what anyone can accomplish. Meet Evie Rusqvist. Evie Johnson was born on August 3rd, 1929, to a farming family outside of Stadts, Sweden. Evie attended an agricultural school before becoming a veterinary assistant. Her work in that role required her to drive to several farms a day on long, poorly built roads. This necessity sparked Evie's interest in driving and driving fast. She would record the time it took to get from farm to farm in her Mercedes-Benz 170S. Evie married the engineer and motorsport enthusiast Nver Rusqvist, who gave her a taste for rallying as a sport. In 1954, the pair competed in their first race, the Rally to the Midnight Sun. Not long after, Evie decided to try out the driver's seat and began competing as well. Evie became one of Europe's best female drivers. In 1959, she won the European Rally Championship Women's Cup. Two years later, her contract was bought by Mercedes-Benz, launching Evie's international career. In 1962, Mercedes-Benz sent a total of four work teams to Argentina for the Argentine Turismo Standard Grand Prix. Evie, driving a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE, and her partner were the only two women competing in the grueling race. Before the race even began, the press mocked the notion of two women embarking on a marathon rally through Argentina. But the ridicule was silenced when Evie and her partner, Ursula Wirth, won the first stage of the Grand Prix. When the duo also won the second round, the press celebrated the accomplishment. A German-language paper published in Buenos Aires said, it was not the Cuban Missile Crisis, but rather the two blondes from Scandinavia who dominated the headlines in the country's daily newspapers. Evie and Ursula won all six stages of the race and set a new race record. The women crossed the finish line at a speed of about 127 kilometers per hour, or about 79 miles per hour. They finished three hours before the second-place car. Evie and Ursula's victory was the second win in a row for Mercedes-Benz at the Argentine Turismo Standard Grand Prix. The next year, Evie and Ursula finished in third place. The year after that, Evie finished in third again, this time alongside Eva Maria Falk. Evie stopped racing after Mercedes-Benz disbanded their factory rally team in 1965. She received an offer to drive for another company, but declined. She finished her career without accidents, crashes, or broken cars. Evie's trophies and race cars are displayed at the Mercedes-Benz Museum, where she worked for many years as a guide. She also worked as a test driver for new Mercedes-Benz models. At the age of 91, Evie currently resides in Stockholm. Evie's historic win at the 1962 Grand Prix shattered records and stereotypes. We applaud her determination and passion for racing. She pushed the sport forward and broke barriers. They said she couldn't finish the Grand Prix, so she showed them all and finished first. Mercedes-Benz and Encyclopædia Wamanica celebrate those with no limits. All month, we're talking about women in the driver's seat. For more on why we're doing what we're doing, check out our newsletter, Wamanica Weekly. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Encyclopædia Wamanica. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. 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