Women Drivers of NASCAR

NASCAR has over 75 million fans, with women making up 40 percent of them. The once "Sport for Boys" is that no more. However, not only have there been changes in the fan crowd, drivers have been changing as well. Women have been getting behind the wheel and trying their hand at NASCAR for years now. However, with heavy criticism from male competitors and lack of major sponsorship, female drivers find it harder to "keep up" so to speak, with male drivers. Since 1949 a little more than a dozen women have competed in a NASCAR race. These women include:

Sara Christian
Sara was the first female to compete with the men in NASCAR racing. In 1949 she and her brothers entered the NASCAR Strictly Stock Series, at Charolette Speedway. Sara finished 13^th, driving a 1949 Oldsmobile. In Longhorne, PA. She finished 6th and in Heidelberg Raceway in Pittsburgh she finished in 5th place. At the end of the season Sara was 13^th in points. In 1950 she raced only once, taking 14^th place at Hamburg Speedway.

Louise Smith
In 1949 Louise began racing in the NASCAR Strictly Stock Series. In her first race she drove a 1939 modified Ford Coup and placed third. In her eleven year racing career she won 38 races. Although she was not truly the first woman driver in NASCAR, she was known as "The First Lady of Racing."

Ethel Mobley
Ethel competed in NASCAR only twice. Her first race was at the Beach of Daytona, were she placed 11^th. Her second race was at Langley Speedway were she placed 44^th. Her car was a modified Cadillac.

Sandy Lynch
Sandy raced in two NASCAR Grand National Division Events in 1951. In the Southern 500 at Darlington she finished 66^th and drove a ford. At Central City Speedway in Macon, she finished 16^th and drove a Plymouth.

Fifi Scott
Fifi appeared for a short time in 1955, competing in only two NASCAR Grand National Division Events.

Janet Guthrie
In 1977 Janet races in 19 Winston Cup races, receiving ten top-12 positions. She finished 9^th at Indy 500 and was the first female driver to qualify for the Daytona 500. In 1978 she raced in 7 Winston Cup races and she made two races in 1980.

Patty Moise
Patty began her stint in NASCAR upon entering a NASCAR Busch Grand National Series race in 1986. She started five races in the NASCAR Winston Cup series between 1987 and 1989. In 1998, she raced in 19 races. Due to the lack of sponsorship for the 1999 season, 1998 was her last season in the NASCAR Busch series. Patty raced in the Busch series for 12 years, finishing with four top-10 finishes and over 130 race starts.

Other female drivers of the past include Ann Bunselmeyer, Ann Chester, Goldie Parsons, Christine Beckers, Marian Pagan, Lella Lombabardi and RobinMcCall. Recent and current female drivers include Deborah Renshaw, Sarah Fish, Kelly Sutton, Shawna Robinson and Erin Crocker.

sources:

nascar.about.com
nascarfans.wetpaint.comwww.speedwaymedia.com
en.wikipedia.org
www.livinglegendsofautoracing.com