In The Great Gatsby, Chapter 7 why does Myrtle out to the yellow car. Who does she think is driving and why is this ironic?

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In chapter seven of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby the five central characters go into New York City to drink. Tom suggests that he and Gatsby switch cars so, on the way, when they stop at Wilson's garage, Tom is driving Gatsby's very expensive car. Myrtle Wilson, who is having an affair with Tom, sees Tom with Jordan Baker in the...

First off, you might check the link below for more information relating to your question.

In chapter seven of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby the five central characters go into New York City to drink. Tom suggests that he and Gatsby switch cars so, on the way, when they stop at Wilson's garage, Tom is driving Gatsby's very expensive car. Myrtle Wilson, who is having an affair with Tom, sees Tom with Jordan Baker in the yellow car. She believes Jordan is his wife:

Her expression was curiously familiar--it was an expression I had often seen on women's faces but on Myrtle Wilson's face it seemed purposeless and inexplicable until I realized that her eyes, wide with jealous terror, were fixed not on Tom but on Jordan Baker, whom she took to be his wife.

In the city Gatsby confronts Tom about his love for Daisy and wants Daisy to tell Tom she never loved him. In a very uncomfortable exchange, Daisy is not able to deny her love for Tom. Tom then begins to berate Gatsby, revealing Gatsby has gained his fortune through illegal means. When the party breaks up Gatsby takes Daisy back in his car. When they drive by Wilson's garage Myrtle runs toward the yellow car thinking it is Tom. Daisy is driving and runs down the woman "goin' thirty or forty miles an hour." 

Myrtle was very much in love with Tom, even to the point of allowing him to beat her. She thinks Tom will save her from her dull life as the wife of a mechanic. She ignores the fact that Tom and Daisy are "unfair, corrupt and materialistic" and have no regard for those they hurt. Daisy never even slows down after running over Myrtle. It is ironic that Myrtle should be killed by Gatsby's car, an obvious symbol for materialism, driven by a woman who is consumed by it. 

It is also ironic that Gatsby would take the fall for Daisy and tell Nick that he had been driving the car. Even after Daisy has revealed herself as shallow and selfish, Gatsby clings to the dream of idealistic love.