For Sabine Schmitz, going to the storied Nürburgring car racing track in Western Germany was like going to school. A cheerful and spirited driver, Schmitz was called “Queen of the Nürburgring” and the “fastest taxi driver in the world” — for driving thrill-seeking racing fans around the track in a BMW. She won the popular Nürburgring 24-hour race in 1996 — becoming the first woman to do so — and then again the next year. She and her husband, Klaus Abbelen, founded the racing team Frikadelli Racing. Sabine Schmitz was born on May 14, 1969 in Adenau, in Western Germany.

Source: New York Times March 17, 2021 20:26 UTC