Alex Carson
She’s been described as ‘The First Lady of Motorsports’ and the ‘Pre-eminent Beauty Queen of Stock Car Racing.’ She is none other than Linda Vaughn!
Linda Vaughn lived her life to the fullest and she’s still got as much energy today, in her seventies, as she did when she was in her twenties. But how did she get started? How did she become one of the most famous grid girls in history and one of America’s most popular sex symbols?
Linda Vaughn’s life journey carries as much adrenaline as the racecars that she waved at as they drove by. Hers is truly a remarkable tale to tell…
Join FactsVerse to learn about Linda Vaughn’s life and career and how she showed off more than her body on the racetrack…
EARLY LIFE AND CAREER
Linda Faye Vaughn was born in Dalton, Georgia, on August 11, 1943. Her parents were Seabrun and Mae, and she was the youngest of 3 children. It seems that she was destined to have some connection to racing as her father loved the sport.
She recalled that, though her father never went to a race in-person, he often enjoyed watching the races on TV. While her childhood was wonderful, her father eventually divorced her mother – after meeting another woman while on a work trip in Detroit.
The Vaughn children remained in Georgia with their mother, Mae. While they lived comfortably in Dalton, then a bustling town, they eventually moved to a housing project as life got tougher growing up in a single-parent household.
Despite these setbacks, life was still rather pleasant for little Linda. She lived next door to her cousins and had a fun childhood. Despite the fact that she would later become known as a sex symbol and the epitome of femininity, Linda was quite the tomboy during her childhood – ash she’s described.
At this young age, she also learned how to make money – partially to help her family and partially for her own entertainment. She would collect Coca-Cola bottles and then turn them in for recycling. With the spare change she’d earn she’d go to the cinema.
As she grew older she became more interested in racing, which was arguably one of the most popular sports in the South. As she grew older, she also became very beautiful and would quickly attract attention.
It wasn’t long until she realized the right career path…
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FAST CARS AND BEAUTY
At the age of 14, Linda Vaughn met “Big Daddy.” Big Daddy was the nickname of Don Garlits who was a famous drag racer. They became friends and she began taking a keener interest in car racing – which continued to grow in popularity throughout the South.
She also watched Big Daddy work on his car – tuning it up, painting it, and perfecting it. She became fascinated with cars and soon realized that she wanted to have some sort of connection to them as she grew older.
She just wasn’t sure what connection – yet.
As she entered high school, she became one of the most beautiful girls in the town. She got regular attention with the boys and recalled how many boys wanted to carry her books for her just to chat to her.
She would reject them, and she didn’t take much of an interest in boys during much of her teens. But she also realized that she was beautiful and that her growing sex appeal could help her in later life.
When she was 17, she attended a football game and began speaking to a fellow student named Jimmy. Jimmy noticed Linda’s beauty and they began flirting with each other. Jimmy was also into racing and taught Linda how to drive a race car.
She knew that she had to have some sort of life related to race cars. After finishing high school, she moved out on her own and also began studying dental hygiene at school. While she must have had some passion for cleaning teeth, she couldn’t pull herself away from the races.
She continued to date Jimmy – or Jimmy Lee Newberry as you may now him by and they were together for 15 years. He introduced her to the world of racing and she soon found the opportunity to become a ‘grid girl.’
It wasn’t long until Linda Vaughn became one of the most well-known promotional models at the racetrack. She knew she was beautiful and was particularly noted for having a large bust. She would wear mini-skirts and tight clothing to show off her body.
But, Linda Vaugh showed off more than her body on the racetrack. She wasn’t just a pretty face and an incredible body. She’s as much a part of the racing industry as the drivers behind the wheel!
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WHAT MADE LINDA SPECIAL
Fans didn’t fall in love with Linda solely because of her ‘assets’ as she liked to put it. She also had a great personality – and this is what distinguished her from other grid girls and promotional models. It’s why, even in 2022, she’s still an icon among racing enthusiasts as well as aspiring promotional models.
She had a long-time gig with Hurst Shifter and worked as a promotional model for them. At racing events, she’d sell these shifters to professional and amateur drivers alike. She managed to amass a high level of sales not just due to her incredible beauty but also her charm. She remembered customers names and became personable with them.
Hurst was so confident in her abilities that she was able to decide on her own how to sell their products to them. She could essentially become her own boss.
But what also made her stand out was that she knew when to put her foot down. Many fans would see promotional models as ‘easy’ and wouldn’t always treat them with respect. But Linda had beauty and brains and knew how to get others to respect her. While she was flirtatious and wore tight-fitting clothing she never let anyone cross her boundaries.
When Linda joined the industry, grid girls were almost nude and were almost seen as a commodity – just to sell more tickets to the racing competition. But they were nameless and could easily be forgotten once they were replaced by a new girl.
Linda wanted to change this.
She wanted her name to be remembered among racing fans and the racing industry. Now, she’s retired, but she’s still the Queen when it comes to racing promotional models and is remembered as such.
When she landed her gig with Hurst Shifters, she took it seriously as she would with any marketing job.
And unlike the average model, she also had experience behind the wheel. Thanks to her father, she grew up with racing and knew how cars and the racing industry worked. This gave her a better grasp on how to sell Hurst products to potential customers.
This is why she’s still a great role model to any aspiring promotional model who takes their job seriously and wants to be known for more than their face and body.
LINDA VAUGHN’S LEGACY
So how is Linda Vaughn perceived today and what is she up to today?
She’s still remembered as one of the most prominent grid girls of all time and the one who helped transform it into a respectable profession. For so many, she’ll still be remembered as the face of Hurst and one of the company’s best salespersons.
She’s written a great autobiography called Linda Vaughn: The First Lady of Motorsports. In this fantastic book, that every fan should get, she talks about her childhood growing up in the South and how she became interested in drag racing and her foray into becoming a promotional model.
Linda Vaughn has also been an icon for women as she used her beauty for her career but also stood up against any misbehavior. She also spoke about her experiences growing up in the South which was racially segregated at the time. She spoke about how she was always against racial segregation and that she believed people should be judged by their character rather than their complexion – as Dr. King preached.
Today, she often gives interviews discussing her career and will occasionally show up at a race track to watch the cars and give advice to new grid girls.
In recent times, the very concept of grid girls and promotional models have become controversial with our rather politically correct atmosphere. However, Linda Vaughn proved that this can be a dignified profession and one that opens many opportunities for women.
She became such a part of drag racing culture that she even appeared in a cameo role in the feature film The Gumball Rally – which was about a group of miscreants engaged in a cross country race.
She further appeared in two other films related to racing: Burnout and Stroker Ace.
She’s in her seventies now and she’s still just as glamorous as ever. She showed off more than her body on the racetrack and that’s why she became a legend.
So, now let’s hear from you:
Are you a fan of Linda Vaughn? Did you know about any of these facts?
In fact, here’s what we want to know from you:
Do you think that grid girls, ring girls, or other promotional models will continue to be popular?
Or are we heading toward an end of an era in this regard?
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
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