Cover of Drag Racing USA magazine, featuring Shirley Muldowney and her trademark pink dragster

Shirley Muldowney (b. June 19, 1940, Schenectady, New York), the "First Lady of Drag Racing" was the first woman to receive a licence to drive a top fuel dragster by the NHRA. She won the NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1977, 1980 and 1982. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... June 19 is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Union Colleges Nott Memorial, one of the most recognized buildings in Schenectady Schenectady (IPA ) is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Clocked Speed = 314 mph (506 km/h), Kwinana Race Track, W.A., 2005 Top fuel dragster time (4. ... The National Hot Rod Association, known as the NHRA, was founded by Wally Parks in 1951 in the State of California to provide a governing body to organize and promote the sport of drag racing. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After a crash in 1984 she was sidelined for a long period but returned to the circuit in the late 1980s. She continued to race, mostly without major sponsorship, throughout the 1990s in IHRA competition as well as match-racing events. 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The International Hot Rod Association also known as IHRA is the 2nd largest drag racing organization after the NHRA External link http://www. ...

She returned to the NHRA towards the end of her career, running select events until her retirement at the end of 2003.

Awards

• In 2004, she was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
• She was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1990.
• Ranked No.5 on the National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers, 1951-2000.

shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer. ... The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum in Novi, Michigan for American motorsports legends. ...

Legacy

Muldowney's success came in the face of enormous opposition from those who felt drag racing (or any form of motorsport, for that matter) was no place for women. Don Garlits, the "Big Daddy" of drag racing, has said about her: Cover of Hot Rod magazine, featuring Don Garlits front engine dragster, Wynns Jammer Donald Glenn Garlits (born January 14, 1932, Tampa, Florida) is considered the father of drag racing. ...

"Now, if you ask who do I have the most respect for, I'd say Shirley Muldowney. She went against all odds. They didn't want her to race Top Fuel, the association, the racers, nobody...Just Shirley."[1]

Muldowney was described by longtime drag racer Fred Farndon as the "best 'natural' driver (top fuel or funny car), no question".[2]

She was nicknamed "Cha-Cha" - a name chosen by car owner and then boyfriend Connie Kalitta. She later dropped the moniker, stating: "There is no room for bimboism in drag racing." Conrad Connie Kalitta, is the CEO of Kalitta Air and a retired American drag racing driver. ... A moniker (or monicker) is a pseudonym, or cognomen, which one gives to oneself. ... Bimbo is a term that emerged in popular English language usage in the late 20th Century to describe an often attractive, yet stupid, pliable woman. ...

Shirley Muldowney is married to Rahn Tobler, who was her crew chief. After Muldowney's retirement, Tobler became crew chief for the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster of Doug Kalitta, Connie Kalitta's nephew. A crew chief is the head position on a pit crew in motorsports. ... Doug Kalitta was the 1994 USAC National Sprint Car Champion and current NHRA top fuel drag racer. ...

Muldowney was portrayed by actress Bonnie Bedelia in the 1983 film, Heart Like a Wheel. Bonnie Bedelia Culkin (born March 25, 1948 in New York, New York, USA) is an American actress. ... Heart Like a Wheel is a 1983 movie based on the life of drag racing driver Shirley Muldowney (played by Bonnie Bedelia). ...

Shirley currently is mentoring Top Fuel driver Hillary Will.

Muldowney filed for divorce from Rahn Tobler in late 2006.

Trivia

L7, an all-female punk band, featured Muldowney in their 1994 track Shirley, on their fourth album, Hungry for Stink. L7 was an all-female grunge band that was active between 1985 and 2000. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Hungry For Stink is the fourth album released by the all girl punk band L7. ...

External links

• Shirley Muldowney's Tales from the Track by Shirley Muldowney with Bill Stephens, published by Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2005
• official site