The first Daytona 500 was held in 1959. Tia established the "Driven to Read" literacy program, and participated in a variety of racing and charity events, including becoming a proud representative for the National African American Drug Policy Coalition and the Motorsports Institute, Inc. Natalie Decker is a young and upcoming racer competing part-time at NASCAR Xfinity. 25 Toyota Camry.. She was the female driver with the most wins in United States Auto Club (USAC) history with 19. The top tier of NASCAR, the cup series, has had 16 Female NASCAR drivers in its history. 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. 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. Who are the most beautiful and talented female racing drivers 10. Toni Breidinger (born July 14, 1999) is an American professional stock car racing driver & Victoria's Secret Model who competes full-time for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. She won the Snowball Derby in 1994. "When you're new and then you're also a woman on top of that? Toni Breidinger, 21, who is of Lebanese descent, has become the first Arab-American female to race in Nascar. Louise Smith (1949-1956) Louise Smith, tied for second female NASCAR driver alongside Ethel, became known as "The First Lady of Racing.". 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. Finding sponsors as one of the only African-American racers proved incredibly difficult, and Norfleet found himself working harder than his peers to maintain positive relationships within motorsports. The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series formed the Lady Cup, a championship system for female drivers in 2014. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. Ethel was among the early female race drivers in the NASCAR scene. She made her debut in NASCAR Xfinity Series in the 2011 Iowa John Deere Dealers 250 (Iowa) and her last race was in the 2018 Ford EcoBoost 300 (Homestead). 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. In 19 Cup Series starts in 1977, Guthrie finished in the top 12 a total of 10 times, with a career-best finish of sixth at Bristol Motor Speedway. She married fellow short track driver and Kyle Busch Motorsports engineer Hunter Robbins. There are . She also became the first woman to win the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race in 2013 (Lucas Oil). Darius Days Bio: Family, Contracts And Net Shaun Livingston Bio: Injuries, NBA Championships, Net Who Is Aaron Rodgers Wife? 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. Ann Chester (2 / 1950) 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. Danica Patrick is the most successful woman in the history of American open wheel racing. 15 and No. 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. People tend to assume women are lacking physically and have no road sense of direction. While the Drive for Diversity program is keen to celebrate progress, Siegel said that success requires much more work. To this day, she remains the only female driver to post a top five in the Cup Series. 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. Paris Berelc is suiting up for an adult role in the new Netflix NASCAR-inspired comedy series The Crew as up-and-coming race car driver Jessie de la Cruz, who is trying to bump Jake Martin . The full-time Camping World Truck Series driver was vying to make her first Cup Series start and become the first female to compete in the series since Danica Patrick retired from NASCAR in 2018 . In 1950, Louise Smith drove her Nash in three NASCAR Cup races with sponsorship from Greenville, South Carolina, Nash dealership Leslie Motor Co. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center via Getty Images. A Professional Stock Car Racer, Johanna Robbins (Source: AL.com). There are two straight-shooting, let's-take-NASCAR-seriously flicks on this list, and "The Last American Hero" is one of them. 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She made history by being the first female driver to win West Series races in 2018 and 2019. 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. Alumni include NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez. From driving go-karts as a child to making history in US motor racing, Toni Breidinger has become the first Arab-American female to participate in Nascar stock car racing. She managed to grab the 55th position in the race, making her a solid contender to watch out for. She is the only woman to win an IndyCar series with her victory at the 2008 Indy Japan 300. 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. In 2014, Danica Patrick had three top 10 finishes including 6th place in Atlanta. Sarah Christian was the first female NASCAR driver of all time. Tina Gordon On Her Phone (Source: Briefly News). Janet Guthries World 600 qualifying plaque is on display in Heritage Speedway at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Danica Patrick (191 / 2012-2018) Her net worth is alleged to be between $1 million and $5 million. Zamora debuted in the ARCA Menards Series preseason test session in January 2021. Ethel [Flock] Mobley (2 / 1949) At the 2013 Daytona 500, Patrick became the first female driver to clinch pole position and lead a green flag lap. Her No. Historically, NASCAR hasn't been a welcoming space for black people. There are few women and minorities represented across the sport. Even before she started competing in NASCAR, Zamora was a super late model racer. Deegan moved up from the ARCA Menards Series to the Truck Series full-time, continuing to drive for David Gilliland Racing. She became the first female race car driver to win a Cup Series . Martinsville Speedway is the Cup Series' shortest track. 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. But I think that inequality is still there and it kind of stems off of the fact that we are lacking on funding," Toni Breidinger, 22, who is competing in the ARCA Menards Series this season, told ABC News. Top-Ten Finishes by a female driver in the NASCAR Cup Series: Sara Christian, Pittsburgh, 10-2-1949, 5th (out of 23 cars) . He said he has faced a lot of resistance in his efforts to bring more diversity to NASCAR but says he remains committed to the mission. Before we get to know the drivers better, let us look at an overview of the list. Since 2009, the program has trained 75 gender and ethnically diverse candidates for NASCAR's pit crews. Patty also appeared in 133 races from 1986 to 1998 for Busch Series. NASCAR has seen female drivers compete since the inception of its sanctioning body in 1949. In 2016, Amber made Canadian history when she became the 1 st Canadian female to win a NASCAR Sanctioned race in the USA. She has run 15 races in the Xfinity Series and 32 races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. 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. Baker was named one of the 50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers. Get the latest NASCAR news on driver Hailie Deegan. AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series, AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series, AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series, List of female 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers, "Where Are They Now? Known as The Fastest Woman in Racing, Vicki Wood never competed in a Cup Series race, but in the 1950s, she set speed records on Daytona Beach during NASCAR time trials. [17][21], In 2012, Danica Patrick was voted NASCAR's Most Popular Nationwide Driver, becoming the first woman to receive that award in NASCAR's top three divisions. Born and raised in Washington, Angela Cope is one of this times most famous NASCAR drivers. Deegans triumph was the first for a female NASCAR driver since Shawna Robinson three decades back. Marie-Claude Charmasson is a lesser-known female race car driver who we think deserves more recognition. Through one simple child's go-kart, a NASCAR hopeful was born. Why wouldn't that be talked about?," Daniels said. Furthermore, she's not the first NASCAR driver to have faced arrest. Top 10 Essential NASCAR Stats and Facts. She was 42nd in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2020 and her best finish was 31st in 2019. By the end of the year, Daniels would make history again, as part of the first female duo in a NASCAR pit crew. Ethel Flock Mobley. In September, Trotter became the 4th woman to win a late model race at Hickory Motor Speedway. Gracie Trotter (Source: Twitter) In 2007, she earned the title of the first female driver winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway. She became the first female to compete in a NASCAR official event in 1949. She never really had a chance. [12] In her sophomore Dash Series run, Robinson became the first woman to earn the pole position for a NASCAR touring series race. [24] Patrick opened 2017 season with a fourth place finish in the Advance Auto Parts Clash (an exhibition race for previous pole winners). 3. 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. This article was last updated by Bikram Jirel on December 5, 2022. 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 2001, Robinson would be the first woman to finish a race in the Winston Cup Series since Janet Guthrie in 1980. Also in 2020, the former K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West became the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West, respectively. She is one of the 16 women to ever participate in the NASCAR Cup Series and one of only three female drivers to race in the Daytona 500. Patrick is best known for winning the 2008 Indy Japan 300 and becoming the first woman to win in an IndyCar Series race. Moreover, she finished in 29th position back in 2011, which is also her best. At only 22, she's been helping pave the way for up-and-coming female racers. She was the first female driver selected to the NASCAR Next program, which highlighted rising young talent. 107 women have qualified for and started at least one race in one of NASCARs touring series, including 16 at NASCARs premier level. Danica Patricks 2013 Daytona 500 pole award is on display in Heritage Speedway at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. She competed in over 100 NASCAR racing events. She bagged the 2008 Indy Japan 300, the only woman in the scene. [3], Six female drivers: Deegan, Kirk, Patrick, Robinson, Mara Reyes, and Brittney Zamora have won poles. In 2019, Daniels became the first Black woman to pit in NASCAR's historic Daytona 500 race. Brehanna Daniels says she thinks about how much her life has changed in just five years. Sara Christian was the first female driver in NASCAR history. "I could not be more proud of what she's accomplished both as an athlete, but she's been amazing with her brand and social media and creating awareness and really getting people excited about the fact that if she can do it, there are other people that can do it," Siegel told ABC News. "Let's elevate these women and get them the opportunity and the time and the visibility that they need.". In addition, she has competed in the Indianapolis 500 nine times, the most of any woman. California-native Breidinger, 21, made her debut in . And that's difficult coming into the sport with little funding and maybe not a lot of seat time," Decker said. In four of the six races, she finished in the top 15. after one of his crew members reported what looked like a noose, rapper Pitbull have invested in the sport, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Shawna is among the top 16 females competing in the NASCAR cup. She had further raced at the Xfinity Series and Road Atlanta in 1986. Fire up your engines! [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. Only three have been women of color. [16] However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. He won 19 races including the 1980 Daytona 500 and was the first driver to break 200 . Fifi Scott (2 / 1955) She finished 5th, the highest finish for a female, in the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series in 2020, Daytona. Recently, in May 2022, she opened up about her breast implant and her struggles after that. She began drag racing and hitting the short track circuit for late model racing, with several top-15 finishes to her name. Moving forward in her career, after concluding the 2016 NASCAR K&N, she debuted at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Though he successfully raced motorcycles, drag cars, and stock cars at low-level events, he was never able to raise enough money or sponsorship to actively compete. Toni Breidinger, 21, began racing in the 2021 ARCA season opener at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Saturday.