Then she started working for GIC-Mixon in 2005. Natalie Decker moved up from the Truck Series to the Xfinity Series, where she would run five races in the No. Career highlights: Shares distinction of NASCAR's second female driver with Louise Smith, made more than 100 NASCAR Modified starts. She became the first female race car driver to win a Cup Series . Fifi Scott (2 / 1955) She drove in the first race for the fledgling stock car association on June 19, 1949, on the dirt track at Charlotte Speedway. [3], 2021 saw a number of milestones for female drivers. Christian competed in NASCAR's first race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Goldie Parsons (1 / 1965) Though there have been strides over the years to diversify the male-dominated sport of auto racing, there are currently no female drivers competing at NASCAR's highest level, the Cup Series. Johanna Robbins (nee Long) was born on May 26, 1992, and is a historical name in NASCAR history. Born and raised in Iowa, now retired, Robinson started her career for the Spring Cup Series in 1995. 99. Last year, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards honored Breidinger, the first Arab-American female driver to participate in any NASCAR national series, with its Developmental Series Driver Award. There are few women and minorities represented across the sport. Betty Skelton Erde wasn't technically a NASCAR driver, but she drove the pace car at Daytona in 1954, and was clocked at a speed of 105.88mph (170.40km/h) on the sand, setting a stock car speed record for women. Danica Patricks 2013 Daytona 500 pole award is on display in Heritage Speedway at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. After no female raced in a decade, Janet Guthrie became the first woman driver to race in a superspeedway when she started the 1976 World 600, finishing in 15th place and ahead of Dale Earnhardt. 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. "There's always room for improvement. [12] In 2003, Robinson would also have the first all-female pit crew for a Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.[14]. In 1998, her full-time career as a racer began, and she flourished to the NASCAR Pro series by 1999. Moving forward in her career, after concluding the 2016 NASCAR K&N, she debuted at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2012, she became the youngest woman to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Hailie Deegan, born and raised in Temecula, California, is a 21 years old female NASCAR driver to have dominated the scene. [69] 2020 was the first season of ARCA as a NASCAR-sanctioned series, so this list begins with 2020. Tia Norfleet is the daughter of NASCAR driver Bobby Norfleet. Get to Know These Top Female Drivers. 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. "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. However, last year, the organization banned Confederate flags at its races. Her last races for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series were in the 2005 Emerson Radio 250 (Richmond) and 2008 San Bernardino County 200 (Fontana), respectively. At the 2013 Daytona 500, Patrick became the first female driver to clinch pole position and lead a green flag lap. The first "Strictly Stock" race was held in 1949. Deegan moved up from the ARCA Menards Series to the Truck Series full-time, continuing to drive for David Gilliland Racing. By the end of the year, Daniels would make history again, as part of the first female duo in a NASCAR pit crew. Danica is a successful retired NASCAR driver and the first woman to win an Indy Car Series race. Tia Norfleet wears $1,600 custom racing suits to work, but her chosen profession is far from posh, requiring both laser focus in the moment and continuous off-season training. She has established herself as one of the hottest racing drivers, as well as one of the hottest female athletes in general. She was a rival and tied the second female to fellow race driver Louise Smith in 1949. Born in Massachusetts, Erin started in the NASCAR field in 2005, where she created ten starts and received the 67th best finish the following year. [10] In 1977, Janet Guthrie would become the first woman to lead a Winston Cup Series race under caution, at Ontario Speedway. at Langhorne Speedway in 1949. Named for the type of gasoline her father used in his taxi, Ethel Flock Mobley competed in more than 100 Modified stock car races in her career. Ann Chester (2 / 1950) "I feel like a lot of women drivers tend to hit a plateau at a certain point and we just can't break through to get to that top level of NASCAR," she said. Patrick didn't win a race in seven seasons, but her seven top-10 finishes are most among female drivers in NASCAR history. "When I saw Danica Patrick in the Cup Series, that made me believe that I could somehow, someday be in the Cup series," Balcaen said. Patty Moise has a record of 133 starts for the XFINITY series from 1986-1998. 25 Toyota Camry.. She was the female driver with the most wins in United States Auto Club (USAC) history with 19. During the 1990s many women raced in NASCARs lower series. Janet Guthrie's second and final appearance in the Daytona 500 came in 1980 when she finished 11th in a Chevrolet fielded by team owner Rod Osterlund Chevrolet. The history of NASCAR started in December 1947. Even before she started competing in NASCAR, Zamora was a super late model racer. For the last twelve years, Siegel and his team have worked to recruit, train and support minorities like Daniels to increase diversity in all areas of NASCAR. Her victory was the first for a female NASCAR driver since Tammy Jo Kirk won in 1994. Top 10 Essential NASCAR Stats and Facts. A former NASCAR driver, Danica is one of the most successful women in open-wheel race history. Shawna Robinson became the first woman to win a NASCAR Touring Series event in 1988. Richard Petty's 200 wins make him the winningest driver. She finished 8th, the highest ever finish for an woman in the Daytona 500. 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. 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. But she officially started racing in 1993 from the Xfinity Series and then made her Camping World Truck debut in 2003. On Monday, just ahead of the Daytona 500, Busch Light announced the creation of the Busch Light Accelerate Her Program, a $10 million commitment to sponsor every female driver 21 years or older . 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. 25 cars. Patrick removed the implants after having them for seven years. [6] In the second official race, at Daytona Beach and Road Course, Christian was joined by Ethel Mobley and Louise Smith, with Mobley finishing first out of the 3, in 11th. Leilani Munter - American In 2004, NASCAR started the Drive for Diversity program, hoping to develop a more diverse driver base. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Recently, celebrities like basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and rapper Pitbull have invested in the sport, helping diversify the face of NASCAR's team ownership -- investments that could help drive new interest. Brehanna Daniels with ABC News' Faith Abubey. She drove the #10 Sticks N Stuff Chevy for Davis Motorsports at Talladega in 2004. Amber Balcaen enters her car at the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Developmental Program in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Oct. 18, 2016. Natalie Decker sits in her truck during practice for the NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series World of Westgate Las Vegas 200 in Las Vegas Sept. 13, 2019. On January 14, 2020, she signed for Bill McAnally Racing in the ARCA Menards Series West. Zamora debuted in the ARCA Menards Series preseason test session in January 2021. Erin Mary Crocker Evernham gave birth to a daughter, Cate Susan Evernham, on July 25, 2015. The 20 year old ARCA rookie earned pole position during the season opener in Daytona, making her the 3rd woman in ARCA history and the fourth in Daytonas 60 year existence to start a race from pole position. Danica Patrick In 2019 Camping World 500 (Source: Wikimedia). "When you're new and then you're also a woman on top of that? The article claimed that she had faced criminal charges in her youth, which Tia has not denied. 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>>. Born in Ontario, she got her degree in Mechanical Engineering. The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program also aims for diversity across the sport, including the crew. Patrick is the first female driver to win a pole in NASCAR Sprint Cup . By Rachel Cormack. Date of Birth: . Siegel himself was NASCAR's first highest-ranking Black executive. [23] In 2014, Patrick became the first woman to race in the 2014 Sprint Unlimited. March is Womens History Month, a 31-day celebration that was formally recognized by the federal government back in 1987. Tia and Bobby Norfleet began a mission to bring awareness to motorsports to children of all backgrounds, especially those in underserved communities and from minority ethnic backgrounds. Since 2009, the program has trained 75 gender and ethnically diverse candidates for NASCAR's pit crews. Louise Smith (1949-1956) Louise Smith, tied for second female NASCAR driver alongside Ethel, became known as "The First Lady of Racing.". In 2010, IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick joined NASCAR, racing part-time in the K&N Pro Series East and the Nationwide Series. Daniels said she has had to tune out a lot of negativity even while some celebrate her achievements in the sport. 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. At age 16, after national success in go-karts, Patrick left high school to race Formula Fords and Vauxhalls in the United Kingdom.