It can easily be argued that Madame Junek was the greatest woman driver of her era. Born Eliška Junková in Prague, CR in 1900, she met and married Cenek Junek and became Elizabeth Junek. Her marriage to Cenek was the start of her racing career and passion. In 1923, one year after their marriage, Elizabeth made her professional racing debut alongside her husband racing a Bugatti. Soon after, she debuted her solo career and the legend began.
From the moment Elizabeth stepped into the racing light, she was prepared to be triumphant. With her husband by her side, the two became an unstoppable team. In 1927, she invented the practice of walking the course before the race. She was racing with men and keeping up, and making a name for herself. She won a two-litre sports-car class at Nurburgring, become the first and only woman in history to win a grand prix.
Her greatest drive came at the end of her short, but marvelous, career. In 1928 at the Targa Florio, Madame Junek raced a supercharged 2.3-liter Bugatti Type 35B, two minutes behind the champion Albert Divo, driving the same Bugatti. Her career ended shortly after, when her dearest husband and teammate was killed in the Grand Prix in Germany. The grief ended her racing career. She spent most of the rest of her life traveling around in a Bugatti given to her by Ettore Bugatti.
Elizabeth Junek was not only brilliant and beautiful, but she had a racing spirit that would inspire women in racing for years to come!
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