I got the news via a mutual friend shortly after it happened. I became a fan after I read her book “By Brooks Too Broad for Leaping” several years ago. It is a compilation of columns she wrote for the magazine. The current issue of Autoweek, which arrived today, has devoted several pages in her honor. She was 88, easily old enough to be my mother. I read her (very) last column in what WAS the latest issue of the magazine a day or two after she died. I have autographed copies of her “Brooks” book and another photo book called American Racing by Tom Burnside with text by Denise. She is also written about in Todd McCarthy’s book "Fast Women’ about ladies who race(d).
She dated Steve McQueen before he moved west to seek fame and fortune. They both had MGTC’s and lived in Greenwich Village in the early '50s. She was married, for a year, to Michael Conrad who played Sgt Phil Esterhaus on “Hill Street Blues” in the '80s. When he died, his character’s ashes were scattered in front of the precinct only to be sucked up by a street sweeper. But I digress…
A lot of information about her can be found here. http://autoweek.com/authors/denise-mccluggage
She was quite a lady.
Are there other fans here?