Lyn St. James has set 31 national and international speed records during her professional racing career, and is renowned as one of the top race car drivers in the world. Her driving ambition to become one of the best in her field has moved with precision, speed, determination, and focus.

Although Lyn’s passion for cars was always there, it would take years and fortuity before Lyn would put her racing career on track. Following her mother’s wishes that she grow up well-educated and self-sufficient, Lyn attended Andrews School for Girls in Ohio, where she majored in business, played sports, and continued the piano lessons she had started at age six. Following high school, she went on to earn a piano-teaching certificate from the St. Louis Institute of Music and become an accomplished classical pianist.

In 1966, Lyn and her friends went to the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, where she obtained A.J. Foyt’s autograph. “I was mesmerized,” she says. “It was the most incredible experience of my life.” It was also then that she realized she had to find a way to make cars her life.

At the age of 23, Lyn moved to Florida to marry John Carusso, the owner of a consumer electronics firm and, later, an auto parts business. Sharing a love of cars, the couple bought a Ford Pinto in 1973 to compete in regional amateur Sports Car Club of America races. John soon moved up to a Corvette, and the Pinto became Lyn’s. In 1976 and 1977, Lyn was named the SCCA’s Florida Regional Champion. In the same year, John gained acclaim by finishing sixth at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the highest finish for an American car in the race. As part of his crew, Lyn should have been elated, but she was not. She realized then that she would not feel complete unless she was the driver.
In 1979, her first pro season, Lyn made history in the IMSA American Challenge Series with a second place finish (.079 seconds behind the winner). Shortly thereafter, she and John divorced.

In 1981, the Ford Motor Company became an official backer of Lyn St. James’ racing career. Although it wasn’t until 1985 that Lyn won her first professional race at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, she was winning continuous recognition in the industry. In 1984, she was named IMSA Camel GT Rookie of the Year and, in 1985, she received the IMSA Norelco Driver of the Year honor.