So impressed was race winner and Hall of Famer Curtis Turner (Class of 2016) that he invited her to Victory Lane to celebrate with him. These women have made history in their field and continue to do so. That year, the series became sanctioned by ARCA and renamed the ARCA Menards Series West, so Trotter became the first female to win in the series under the ARCA name. In 2015, Patrick tied Janet Guthrie for most top ten finishes for a woman with a seventh place finish at Martinsville. Since 2004, NASCAR has worked to develop female and ethnically diverse drivers through its Drive for Diversity Program. However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. Interestingly, the 1949 Daytona NASCAR event was the first to feature three female racers - Christian, Mobley and Smith - while the same three drivers also raced at Langhorne in 1949, the last NASCAR race with three female drivers. "Brehanna was one of those who embraced it, came through the program, excelled," said Max Siegel, the manager of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program. Photo courtesy of Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR via Getty Images). She is the first female driver to lead a Busch Series event. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Danica Patrick, in full Danica Sue Patrick, (born March 25, 1982, Beloit, Wisconsin, U.S.), American race car driver and the first woman to win an IndyCar championship event. During her NASCAR Xfinity Series career, she finished once in the pole position and once in the top ten. ( 1981-08-24) 24 August 1981 (age 41) Pauline Mayman born 26 May 1928, died 1989 (aged 60-61) Sally Miall born 18 December 1918, died 6 October 2010 (aged 91) Sarah Moore born. Therefore, they believe women cant drive, let alone race. Brittney Zamora. Several women have qualified for and started at least one ARCA Menards Series race, like Danica Patrick, Leilani Munter, Alli Owens, Erin Crocker, Shawna Robinson, Sarah Cornett-Ching, Deborah Renshaw, Maryeve Dufault, Toni Breidinger, Milka Duno, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Nicole Behar, Hailie Deegan, Natalie Decker, and others. During the 1990s many women raced in NASCARs lower series. Furthermore, she's not the first NASCAR driver to have faced arrest. One of the most talented female race drivers, Ashley is the daughter of former national drag . Tom is the Curatorial Affairs Manager of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and a veteran of more than 20 years in the NASCAR media industry. Danica Sue Patrick is an American retired professional racing driver, model, actress, and singer who is considered the most successful female racecar driver in the history of American open-wheel racing. Meet NASCAR's First Arab-American Female Driver, 21-Year-Old Toni Breidinger The 21-year-old will make her debut at Daytona International Speedway on February 13. Another female racer, Louise Smith raced 11 times in the Cup Series between 1949 and 1952, with a best finish of 16th In 2018, Hailie Deegan became the first female driver to win a NASCAR touring series race in roughly three decades, winning in the K&N Pro Series West in the series' race at Meridian Speedway. Robinson would later become the first female driver to clinch the pole in any of the three major series, winning qualifying for the March 12, 1994 Xfinity Series Busch Light 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. To this day, she remains the only female driver to post a top five in the Cup Series. Sara Christian. In 2008 at the Camping World Truck, Jennifer made her debut and had 92 starts in total. Brehanna Daniels says she thinks about how much her life has changed in just five years. At Chicagoland Speedway last June, Venturini Motorsports made history by fielding three female drivers in the same event in Natalie Decker, Leilani Munter and Toni Breidinger. Women began to compete more frequently throughout NASCAR's lower series over the course of the 1990s. Patrick would record a major milestone by clinching the pole position in the 2012 DRIVE4COPD 300, being the first female driver to clinch it since Shawna Robinson. There's so many obstacles.". Deegan grew up competing in off-road racing but made the switch to stock car racing in 2016. 3. #10-Danica Patrick made NASCAR history today during Coors Light Pole qualifying for the Daytona 500, becoming the first female driver to win a pole at NASCAR's top level - the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. She also drives but only part-time for the NASCAR XFINITY series, driving the #55 Toyota Camry of JP Motorsports. Brian Cleary/NASCAR via Getty Images, FILE, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. In 1954, Betty Skelton Erde drove the pace car at Daytona and set the female stock car speed record. All Rights Reserved. Her No. After a 7th place finish in Martinsville a year later, Patrick tied Guthrie for most Top 10 finishes by a female NASCAR driver. She made her debut with the Xfinity series, made 10 starts, and finished 72nd in 2004. . Wood drove her Chrysler 300 to a two-way average speed on the beach of 125.838 mph. "It's great that men and women can compete in NASCAR. Natalie Decker stands by her truck during qualifying for the NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series Corrigan Oil 200 in Brooklyn, Mich., Aug. 10, 2019. "There's always room for improvement. Ann Bunselmeyer (1 / 1950) Auto racing has been around for over 100 years, and the sport has been consistently dominated by men. Top-Ten Finishes by a female driver in the NASCAR Cup Series: Sara Christian, Pittsburgh, 10-2-1949, 5th (out of 23 cars) . The following year, Guthrie became the first woman to lead a Winston Cup Series Race under caution at the Ontario Speedway in Canada. Toni Breidinger, 21, who is of Lebanese descent, has become the first Arab-American female to race in Nascar. Then in 2015, Long joined Obika Racing. NASCAR Las Vegas betting guide . She also became the first woman to win the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race in 2013 (Lucas Oil). At least 125 women have qualified for and started a race in one of NASCAR's touring series, including 16 in the NASCAR Cup Series. We believe these NASCAR drivers are the best in their way and working their way up to the top. While the Drive for Diversity program is keen to celebrate progress, Siegel said that success requires much more work. 5. Ethel Flock Mobley. You Can Read About The 12 Best Race Car Drivers In The World>>>. This post was originally published on July 9, 2021. But she officially started racing in 1993 from the Xfinity Series and then made her Camping World Truck debut in 2003. She drove an Audi R8 LMS in the 2012 Super GT season, becoming the first female driver in the series. [16] However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. She also became the first winner in any ARCA-sanctioned series, because there have been no female winners in the main ARCA Menards Series as of April 2021. Even before she started competing in NASCAR, Zamora was a super late model racer. The following is a list of female NASCAR drivers who have participated in a national or regional touring series race since the organization's inception in 1949, along with statistical totals for their NASCAR careers. In 2013, The New York Times ran an article that effectively shut down any chance Tia Norfleet had at a NASCAR career. Later, she was signed by Rev Racing in both the years 2019 and 2020. In 2011, she started driving the No. At Michigan she became the first woman to lead under green on a non-restrictor plate track. In addition, she has competed in the Indianapolis 500 nine times, the most of any woman. [29] Trotter moved up from the West Series to the main ARCA Menards Series, where she would remain in Toyota's driver development program and drive part-time for Venturini Motorsports in the team's No. We shall talk about Jennifer Jo Cobb on our list of top female NASCAR drivers. Beyond raising "millions of dollars" just to get on the track, having female drivers paving the way is also crucial, Balcaen said. Her love for racing began in her husbands short-track stock car. Danica Patrick - First Female NASCAR Driver. [27] She followed this up by winning two more races in 2019, which came at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track[28] and at Colorado National Speedway. We don't have to look far to find NASCAR's first ever female driver, because the very first race in June 1949 at Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina happened to have one in it. Drivers say more funding is key to supporting women on the track. Twelve years later, Breidinger has become the first Arab American female . The First African-American Female NASCAR Driver. As of September 30, 2018, only two women, Hailie Deegan and Shawna Robinson, have won a race in NASCARs touring series. [2], In 2020, Gracie Trotter became the second female driver to win in the West Series, with her victory in the race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring on September 26. Martinsville Speedway is the Cup Series' shortest track. Louise Smith: The First Lady of NASCAR. However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. In 2013, Patrick became the first female driver to win a pole in a Cup Series race when she qualified No. Ethel [Flock] Mobley (2 / 1949) In her career in the NASCAR Xfinity series, she appeared in 15 races in just a year and 32 races in the Camping World Truck. She recently competed in the 2022 Baptist Health 200 (Homestead). 2023 Nascar Hall Of Fame. 1986 saw the first woman lead in a Busch Series Race in Patty Moise. Both Bobby and Tia fondly remember how he added a little extra power her to her Barbie car when she was just a small tyke, which led to her love of zooming around at top speed. 71 Ford placed 14th. Learn how your comment data is processed. "There was a time where when you think about race and sport, NASCAR would be on the not-so-positive end of the spectrum," Armstrong said. Larson, a NASCAR cup series driver and an alumni of the Drive for Diversity program, found himself in the pit fire and was suspended after using a racial slur at a virtual race last year. March is Womens History Month, a 31-day celebration that was formally recognized by the federal government back in 1987. But like I said, I'm very proud of NASCAR and for all the progress it's made yeah, I love to see it," she said. Christine Beckers (1 / 1977) In 1978, Guthrie finished ninth in the Indianapolis 500, while in 1980, she was 11th in the Daytona 500. From 1987 to 1989, Moise has driven in 5 Winston Cup races. At age 16, after national success in go-karts, Patrick left high school to race Formula Fords and Vauxhalls in the United Kingdom. The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program also aims for diversity across the sport, including the crew. You don't see that every day in NASCAR. 25 cars. Christians next race was even better, as she finished fifth at Pittsburghs Heidelberg Raceway. Born in 1969, Tina Gordon is one of the top female NASCAR drivers in history. Her last race was back in 1998, and she is now happily retired, leaving her legacy behind. Her first race was at the 2003 Florida Dodge Dealers and her last was at the 2004 Infineon 200. In 2016, Patrick led a career high 30 laps and completed more circuits than all but three other drivers. Before starting her career as a racer, she was a principal of a Louisiana Middle School, where she ended her tenure in 2004, leading to her first race in 2004 at Aarons 312. Tony stands out among the male-dominated sports, being just one of the four women to star in the Auto Menard Series this year. Danica Patrick (191 / 2012-2018) That year, Patrick became the first woman to win the NASCAR Most Popular Nationwide Driver award. Sara Christian was the first female driver in NASCAR history, competing in the sanctioning body's first race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Jennifer Jo Cobb. Her racing career started as a spectator and transformed into 38 wins in various NASCAR formats including sportsman, late models, midgets, and modified. For women competing professionally in the sport, exposure and sponsorships are key to rising in the ranks, but both can be difficult to come by, female NASCAR drivers told ABC News. While the media paints Tia Norfleet as a liar and a criminal, it seems that she was right on par with other young drivers trying to find their way in the wild world of motorsports. Sara Christians fire suit is on display in Heritage Speedway on the top floor of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. France (Class of 2010), Wood set a female speed record at the newly opened Daytona International Speedway, where she ran a lap of more than 130 mph in a Pontiac. Chevrolet. Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 3rd in 2009. Still, young girls, especially those who have not come from privileged white backgrounds, look up to Tia Norfleet. at Langhorne Speedway in 1949. In four of the six races, she finished in the top 15. She was a rival and tied the second female to fellow race driver Louise Smith in 1949. She retired from full-time stock car racing after the 2018 Daytona 500.[25]. Hailing from the iconic Wallace family, Chrissy Wallace is the nice of NASCAR legends Rusty Wallace and Kenny Wallace.Her father Mike Wallace was a veteran lower series driver. Female NASCAR drivers are proof that stereotypes are often distorted. In 2005, she also raced in the Camping World Truck, where she made 29 starts in conclusion. How many women have competed in the NASCAR cup: 16 Female Drivers - Full list here. Ty Dillon. She was best known for competing in Modified Division races. The following year, Robinson became the first woman to earn the pole position in a NASCAR race. 27-year-old Brehanna Daniels is the first Black female tire changer in NASCAR history. . This season, there's a new face on the racetrack, and she's creating history. Patrick later finished the race in eighth place, the highest finish for a woman in the Daytona 500. The Canadian racer bagged her first win at the Spartan Speedway in Mason. [3], Six female drivers: Deegan, Kirk, Patrick, Robinson, Mara Reyes, and Brittney Zamora have won poles.