Arlene Hiss

Arlene Hiss (born 1954 according to Mortorsport Database or born 1941) is an American former race car driver and schoolteacher. Hiss has the distinction of being the first woman to start an Indy car race, doing so in the 1976 season. She is the ex-wife of 1972 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Mike Hiss.

Personal life Hiss worked as a dance teacher at Fullerton High School in Fullerton, California, although by the time of her USAC career they were no longer married. she became the first woman to start an USAC Championship Car – "Indy car" – race when she entered the Jimmy Bryan 150 at Phoenix International Raceway. that had formerly been driven by Lloyd Ruby. Hiss qualified 21st out of 22 cars with a speed of , while pole sitter Al Unser had a speed of .

Hiss also announced that she would enter the Indianapolis 500 and she tested at Ontario Motor Speedway, a track nearly identical to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Her best lap speed was around . Instead Hiss moved to the United States Auto Club Stock Car series, running five races over the course of the remainder of the year. Her best finish was a ninth in her first race at Texas World Speedway,

Later that year, Hiss entered the 1976 season finale for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, the Los Angeles Times 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway in the No. 38 Let's Dine Out Chevrolet Monte Carlo owned by Tom Williams (whom Hiss had previously driven for in USAC In 1977, she entered the West Coast 250 at Ontario Motor Speedway, an event for the NASCAR Pro Series West in a Chevrolet, but failed to qualify.

Hiss retired from racing in June 1978, to pursue a business career. He remarked on Hiss, "It's a sad day when some woman gets in a car and pokes around the track slower than anybody else and then all the writers and television cameras crowd around her and ignore the professionals."

However, Hiss said most drivers were supportive, and that A. J. Foyt "told everybody what a fine job I'd done" after her first USAC Stock Car race in Texas, while she and Unser later became friends.

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Pts Ref 1976 Tom Williams Racing 38 Chevy RSD DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONTDNQ NA 0