Eliska Junkova was born on November 16, 1900, in Olomouc, Moravia, which later became Czechoslovakia after World War I. Junkova met her husband Cenek at the bank she worked at when she was sixteen. Cenek was interested in cars, and from the Hagerty article, Legends of Motorsport: Eliska Junkova, there is a quote of Junkova that says, “If he is going to be the love of my life, then I better learn to love these damned engines.”

Junkova shortly became fond of sports cars, mainly Bugattis. She took driving lessons in secret to obtain her license. In 1922, Junkova and Cenek bought a Bugatti Type 29/30GP. She got to take her husband’s place in a race because of a hand injury, but he was at her side. In 1924, Junkova had her first race by herself and won at the Lochotin-Tremosna Hillclimb. Her win made her an overnight sensation.

The following year, she won first place at Zbraslav-Jiloviste and purchased a second Bugatti to celebrate her victory. The Juneks would eventually develop a close relationship with Ettore Bugatti. After competing in many European races, she received the nickname “Queen of the Steering Wheel.” She won the 2.0-liter sports car class at the German Grand Prix, making her the first woman to win a Grand Prix event.

Junkova was one of the first to walk through a course before a race to take note of land features and the best way to take corners. She wanted to win the 1928 Targa Florio, so she bought a Bugatti Type 35B to stay in line with the top male drivers. She placed fifth out of twelve because her engine overheated at the end, and she needed to slow down to save her car.

Two months later, Junkova was driving with Cenek in the German Grand Prix and, just changing places with her, was speeding to make up for lost time and rolled the car. He died soon after from a head injury. Junkova was destroyed and gave up racing. She sold her vehicles and started traveling.

After a while, Junkova married Ladislav Khas, a Czech writer, after World War II. In 1973, she published her book My Memory is Bugatti. As the guest of honor, she attended a Bugatti reunion in the United States in 1989. She lived into her nineties and had her place in the annals of racing history acknowledged.

Eliska Junkova’s Autobiograpy: My Memory is Bugatti

Junkova was the first woman to win a Grand Prix event and did not let racing against men get in the way. She raced against the great drivers of her time, including Tazio Nuvolari, Luigi Fagioli, Rene Dreyfus, and Louis Chiron. Besides Helle Nice, Junkova was one of the only women competing in major racing events of her time. She paved the way for women racecar drivers like Shirley Muldowney, Janet Guthrie, and Danica Patrick. Junkova lived a courageous and fulfilling life by driving Bugattis with the love of her life, Cerek, winning races, traveling the world, and writing an autobiography.

Written by Mikayla Faires

Sources:

Seaman, Kirk. “Legends of Motorsport: Eliška Junková.” Hagerty Media, 8 Mar. 2021, www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/legends-of-motorsport-eliska-junkova/.