There she made 15 starts and ended up in the 45th position. [2] Trotter won a race in the renamed ARCA Menards Series West in 2020, becoming the second female winner in the West Series, as well as the first winner in the series under the ARCA banner. She was also invited to NASCARs 2019 Drive for Diversity. However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. 15 and No. Zamora debuted in the ARCA Menards Series preseason test session in January 2021. Date of Birth: . Brehanna Daniels makes history at NASCAR as 1st Black woman pit member . Below is the list of 10 best female NASCAR drivers of all time to have achieved the seeming inconceivable. Exclusive interview: Paris Berelc on revving up for the new NASCAR But here she is, at 27 years old, on the NASCAR pit road, changing tires on race cars and breaking barriers for women and people of color along the way. Regardless of having the talent, she had to beg her father to buy her a go-kart when she was nine years old. Christian stands alone as the first woman driver in NASCAR history. Sara Christian was the first woman driver in NASCAR history. Patricia Moise-Sawyer, A Former NASCAR Driver (Source: Twitter). . Erin Mary Crocket Evernham (Source: MassLive.com). "There's always room for improvement. Driver Jennifer Jo Cobb poses for a photo during at Clutch Studios on January 19, 2022, in Concord, North Carolina. In 2016, Daniels was the only woman in a group of men trying out for one of the spots on a NASCAR pit crew team. She has confirmed that she is the first black woman to receive a NASCAR racing license, and has publicly spoken about her desire to someday race at Daytona, once she has moved up through ARCA and NASCARrankings. Christians next race was even better, as she finished fifth at Pittsburghs Heidelberg Raceway. an office employee by day and a sports storyteller by night. Lella Lombardi (1 / 1977) Now at 27, Daniels is NASCAR's first Black female tire changer. Although her NASCAR career was brief, what Sara Christian accomplished has more than stood the test of time. #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. Richard Petty's 200 wins make him the winningest driver. In that first race at Charlotte in 1949, she became the first female driver to compete in NASCARs top division, qualifying 13th and finishing 14th in a Ford owned by her husband, Frank. 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. Shawna Robinson became the first woman to win a NASCAR Touring Series event in 1988. Toni Breidinger makes history as Nascar's first Arab-American female driver Janet Guthries World 600 qualifying plaque is on display in Heritage Speedway at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. 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. In the 1940s, racing promoter Bill France, Sr. was looking for ways to attract more women to the sport. As for the 2022 season there are only 2 females running a full season Hailie Deegan[4] and Toni Breidinger. The article claimed that she had faced criminal charges in her youth, which Tia has not denied. Patricia made her debut in Busch Series in 1986 (Road Atlanta), driving the no.47 Buck Regal for Randy Hope. The 8 Best NASCAR Movies Ever Made | DrivingLine 25 Toyota Camry.. She was the female driver with the most wins in United States Auto Club (USAC) history with 19. Top 10 Essential NASCAR Stats and Facts. In 2007, she earned the title of the first female driver winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway. [15] While the program has succeeded in launching the careers of minority drivers including NASCAR Cup Series race winner Kyle Larson, Camping World Truck Series race winner Bubba Wallace, and 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Daniel Surez, the program's early years were less effective in expanding the roster of female drivers in NASCAR's top touring series. She received the most popular driver award in THE 2021 and 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Trackhouse Racing. Patrick is best known for winning the 2008 Indy Japan 300 and becoming the first woman to win in an IndyCar Series race. The E2 Northeast Motorsports team became the first multicultural team to race competitively in NASCAR, with four black and Latino drivers two in the camping world truck series and two in . Tia Norfleet - First Female African-American NASCAR Driver First Arab-American Female NASCAR Racer Paves Way For Next Generation In 2017, Patrick became the first female NASCAR driver to lead the prestigious Coca Cola 600. Top 5 Female Race Car Drivers of All Time (and 5 Up-and-Comers to Watch) This isnt a rank-based list. Deegan moved up from the ARCA Menards Series to the Truck Series full-time, continuing to drive for David Gilliland Racing. She was the first female driver selected to the NASCAR Next program, which highlighted rising young talent. She was best known for competing in Modified Division races. . Melissa Harville-Lebron: The First Black Woman to Own a NASCAR Team Loving racing karts when she was 5, she started to race at the age of 8. Though she competed in just seven races over the course of her career, she opened the door to racing for generations of women to come. Since 2009, the program has trained 75 gender and ethnically diverse candidates for NASCAR's pit crews. "It's a lot easier when you see that it's been done before for you to believe in yourself to achieve that as well.". [10] In 1977, Janet Guthrie would become the first woman to lead a Winston Cup Series race under caution, at Ontario Speedway. The majority of the NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup has been finalized for the 2023 season. There is no stopping to Tony Breidinger, and she became the first NASCAR driver of Arab-American heritage in the NASCAR national series. Ann Chester (2 / 1950) Born August 27, 2001, Gracie Trotter is the 2nd female to win a West Series Race. NASCAR's first Arab American female driver to make her debut at - CNN 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. Tina Gordon On Her Phone (Source: Briefly News). I prefer drag racing where there are lots of women drivers and they actually win races on TV. She made history by being the first female driver to win West Series races in 2018 and 2019. 11 August 1983 (age 39) Charlie Christina Martin born. As of April 2021, Shawna Robinson, Hailie Deegan, Manami Kobayashi, and Gracie Trotter remain the only women to have won a race in one of NASCAR's touring series. She was born on June 25, 1997, in Eagle River, Wisconsin, U.S. Decker has competed at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series and in 2015, participated in the Drive for Diversity. Moreover, she finished in 29th position back in 2011, which is also her best. The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series formed the Lady Cup, a championship system for female drivers in 2014. On top of funding, gaining respect in the sport as a woman is another obstacle, she and Breidinger said. The Hottest and Most Talented Female Race Car Drivers - Top Speed Female NASCAR Drivers That Deserve a Shot at the Cup Series Soon 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. In 2013, The New York Times ran an article that effectively shut down any chance Tia Norfleet had at a NASCAR career. At the age of 12, she progressed to legends car races. Brehanna Daniels says she thinks about how much her life has changed in just five years. 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. Even before she started competing in NASCAR, Zamora was a super late model racer. Patrick is the first female driver to win a pole in NASCAR Sprint Cup . 1 for the season-opening Daytona 500, the biggest race on the NASCAR schedule. Also, on October 9, 2021, she won a 100-lap Pro Late Model feature race, becoming the first woman to win a race in the tracks premier division at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. The first "Strictly Stock" race was held in 1949. Since 2004, NASCAR has worked to develop female and ethnically diverse drivers through its Drive for Diversity Program. [16] However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. More power to them! However, due to the race not having practice and qualifying, NASCAR would not approve Cobb to compete in it with her lack of prior Cup Series experience. Earlier this year, Toni Breidinger became the first Arab-American female race car driver to join the NASCAR family. In 2005, she also raced in the Camping World Truck, where she made 29 starts in conclusion. Natalie Decker, 24, who is competing one level below the Cup Series in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season, told ABC News she has looked for sponsorships since she started racing at the age of 9 to help fund the expensive sport. Catching Up With Shawna", "A FIRST IN EURO NASCAR HISTORY: MANAMI KOBAYASHI WINS IN ELITE CLUB DEBUT", "Gracie Trotter Makes History With Las Vegas Victory", "Trucks: Hailie Deegan returns to DGR for 2022 season - NBC Sports", "Toni Breidinger Announces Major Plans for 2022", "Motorsports pioneer Betty Skelton Erde dies at age 85", "HowStuffWorks "1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Chronology", "Patty Moise News, Stats and Info About the Racing Driver", "Racerchicks.com: Racerchicks Shawna Robinson", "Robinson team to feature first all-female pit crew Thursday May 29, 2003 10:11 AM", "Drive for diversity: NASCAR's push to develop minority drivers moving slowly NASCAR Sporting News", "Danica Patrick wins pole position for Daytona Nationwide race", "Unofficial Results | NASCAR Nationwide Series", "NASCAR Danica Patrick to NASCAR a win-win", "TRUCKS: Johanna Long Wins Snowball Derby", "Johanna Long bests Danica Patrick at 2012 Daytona Nationwide Series race NASCAR News | FOX Sports on MSN", "Danica Patrick finishes eighth in Daytona 500", "NASCAR driver Danica Patrick will retire from the track to become a full-time entrepreneur", "Whelen Euro Series News & Notes: Valencia", "Hailie Deegan makes history with K&N Pro Series West win", "Rising NASCAR star Hailie Deegan wins again with last-lap move", "Toni Breidinger to make Truck debut with Young's Motorsports", "Natalie Decker Signs with RSS Racing for Partial Schedule in Reaume-assisted No. Chevrolet. Who are the most beautiful and talented female racing drivers 10. Patrick bagged numerous winnings for women in the auto racing field, including the IndyCar, NASCAR cup, Indianapolis 500, and Daytona 500. After fielding a part-time Cup team and winning their first race at Indianapolis last year, Kaulig Racing has taken the next step and will field two full-time Cup teams in 2022. Women in NASCAR | Official Site Of NASCAR 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. Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for BET. It wasn't even a thought in my mind," she said. During . Besides racing, she runs Tinas Dream Ranch business and is also politically active. In Australia, Terri Sawyer[13] won the Moomba 100 NASCAR race at the Calder Park Thunderdome, Melbourne on March 3, 1991 driving a Pontiac. The Busch Light Accelerate Her Program, which is being announced timed to the Daytona 500 this Sunday, marks a $10 million commitment from the brand to sponsor every female driver in NASCAR ages 21 and up over the next three years. This year, at the Daytona 500, Siegel said he watched proudly when alumni of the program made up 10% of the field, including NASCAR stars like Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larsen and Daniel Suarez. Their No. But it was in 2010, and she earned a total of one start achieving her record of World Truck Series at the Camping World Truck, where she finished in 111th place. A handful of women (such as Mackena Bell and Kenzie Ruston) have raced with the help of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program since its creation in 2004. Atlanta-based . She became the first female to compete in a NASCAR official event in 1949. 25 cars. There are two straight-shooting, let's-take-NASCAR-seriously flicks on this list, and "The Last American Hero" is one of them. Wood drove her Chrysler 300 to a two-way average speed on the beach of 125.838 mph. Tammy Jo Kirk had 37 Top 10 finishes and two poles in the All Pro Series before becoming the first woman to start at the Camping World Truck Series. Her skills on the court were an easy fit for the fast-paced needs in a NASCAR pit crew. At only 22, she's been helping pave the way for up-and-coming female racers. From 2012-2018, Danica Patrick competed in 191 Cup Series races, posting seven top-10 finishes, including a best of sixth at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2014. Kim Crosby, a NASCAR female driver, was born in Tallahassee in Florida on 8th December 1964. Baker was named one of the 50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers. She was listed as one of the drivers for the #15 truck for Billy Ballew Motorsports as a teammate to Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck. Danica Patrick In 2019 Camping World 500 (Source: Wikimedia). Danica Patrick's Net Worth (Updated 2023) | Inspirationfeed Darius Days Bio: Family, Contracts And Net Worth, Gus Johnson Bio: Family, Documentary & Net Worth, Mike Conley Net Worth: Charity & Endorsements, Shaun Livingston Bio: Injuries, NBA Championships, Net Worth & Kids, Romain Grosjean Bio: Crash, Wife, IndyCar & Net Worth>>. Janet Guthrie (33 / 1976-1980) [19][20] Long would eventually race in the Nationwide Series, making her debut in the 2012 DRIVE4COPD 300. Robinson won three times between 1988 and 1989 in the now-defunct Dash Series,[1] Deegan won three races in the K&N Pro Series West between 2018 and 2019. Her last race was back in 1998, and she is now happily retired, leaving her legacy behind. 82 truck. Decker ( leftmost in the photo above) is seen as the future. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center via Getty Images. [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. leads a pack of cars in the Nascar Xfinity Series Go Bowling 250 at Richmond Raceway . at Langhorne Speedway in 1949. Hailie Deegan, the daughter of Motocross and X Games icon Brian Deegan, is a three-time winner in what is now called the ARCA Menards Series West and was the first female driver to ever win races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. In 1955, Wood finished third overall in the Class 4 (Unlimited Displacement) category for U.S. Stock Production Passenger Cars. Robinson is the first woman to win a top level NASCAR sanctioned race. The 21-year-old, who once only drove go-karts, said racing at Daytona is an "unreal" dream come true. Despite competing on only six of eight races, Christian finished 13th in points in 1949, her only full season of competition. The Last American Hero. Then in 2018, Trotter was chosen as one of the 12 racers for NASCARS Drive for Diversity. In addition, she has competed in the complete NASCAR national touring series, ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde and Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series. She finished 28th even though she started 42nd. Tia Norfleet is the daughter of NASCAR driver Bobby Norfleet. Most recently, she was also featured in the video for Maroon 5s Girls Like You single. The Canadian racer bagged her first win at the Spartan Speedway in Mason. In 2012, Patrick would eventually race part-time . In that race, Patrick became the first female driver to lead a lap in a Cup Series race under green-flag conditions and finished the race in eighth place. Over the years, some of NASCAR's drivers have also been embroiled in controversies about race. Why wouldn't that be talked about?," Daniels said. However, as Tia worked to gain sponsors to advance her driving career, NASCAR officials have allegedly dissuaded any potential partnerships, citing her past. Though NASCAR reports that developing diversity in racing is extremely important to them, it does seem strange that officials for the organization have spent a significant amount of time reiterating that Tia Norfleet, a hopeful driver looking to someday progress her career by announcing her future racing goals, is not yet a fully-licensed NASCAR or ARCA driver. Shawna is among the top 16 females competing in the NASCAR cup. They are basically second class citizens and the men will never let them race in the big time. Natalie Decker stands by her truck during qualifying for the NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series Corrigan Oil 200 in Brooklyn, Mich., Aug. 10, 2019. In 1954, Betty Skelton Erde drove the pace car at Daytona and set the female stock car speed record. In four of the six races, she finished in the top 15. Natalie Decker moved up from the Truck Series to the Xfinity Series, where she would run five races in the No. [5], NASCAR has seen varying levels of participation by female drivers throughout its ranks since the sanctioning body's inception in 1949. In 2010, IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick joined NASCAR, racing part-time in the K&N Pro Series East and the Nationwide Series. The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program also aims for diversity across the sport, including the crew. As Auto Racing Season Begins, Get to Know These Top Female Drivers Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center via Getty Images. Formerly Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series Elite Division (2012) and Whelen Euro Series Elite Division (2013), Formerly Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series Open Division (2012) and Whelen Euro Series Open Division (2013), Note: Full statistics only available beginning with 2014 season, AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series (200406), Formerly RE/MAX Challenge Series (19982002) and International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series (2003), AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series (200406), Formerly Northwest Tour (198586), Winston Northwest Tour (198794), REB-CO Northwest Tour (199597), and Raybestos Northwest Series (19982003), AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series (200406), Formerly Winston All Pro Series (199193), Slim Jim All-Pro Series (19942000), Gatorade All Pro Series (2001), Hills Bros. All Pro Series (2002), and Kodak Southeast Series (2003), AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series (200306), Formerly Featherlite Southwest Tour (19862002), Formerly Baby Grand Division (197579), International Sedan Series (198082), Darlington Dash Series (198384), Daytona Dash Series (1985), Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series (198689) and Dash Series (199091), Note: Only partial statistics available for the late 1970s, Whelen Southern Modified Tour (20052016). Are you looking for fast and fabulous women in the racing field? Patty Moise made a record 133 Xfinity Series starts between 1986 and 1998 and Tammy Jo Kirk scored 37 top-10 finishes and two poles in what was then known as the All Pro Series, before making the first starts for a woman in the Camping World Truck Series. Christian competed in NASCAR's first race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "When you're new and then you're also a woman on top of that? Tony stands out among the male-dominated sports, being just one of the four women to star in the Auto Menard Series this year. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images. Breidinger hopes programs like Busch Light's will have a "snowball effect" in encouraging more brands to sponsor female drivers. She is the first female driver to lead a Busch Series event. "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. At the 2013 Daytona 500, Patrick became the first female driver to clinch pole position and lead a green flag lap. Later, she was signed by Rev Racing in both the years 2019 and 2020. Therefore, they believe women cant drive, let alone race. She never really had a chance.