In 1977, a 39-year-old aerospace engineer attempted to qualify for the world's most famous race, the Indianapolis 500. In the face of scorn and skepticism, and saddled with subpar equipment, Janet Guthrie shocked the racing world. The reluctant feminist-turned-trailblazer became the first woman to earn a place on the starting grid at Indy, among 33 of the world's greatest drivers. But just as her career should have rocketed forward, it suddenly, inexplicably stalled. Qualified chronicles the mercurial rise of this barrier breaking auto racer and her equally rapid decline. What Janet Guthrie accomplished in the male bastion of mid-70s American motorsports, stands as a testament to one woman's determination.