Women find their niche in auto racing
Forty percent of NASCAR fans are women, yet automobile racing still remains a male-dominated sport.
Women have accomplished many great achievements in many areas, and it looks like automobile racing may be next. Automobile racing is one professional sport that women can compete side by side with men. Many have the talent to succeed right now; all they need is good equipment and sponsorship.
Danica Patrick won an IRL race in Japan this year. Driving for Michael Andretti, Danica definitely has the best equipment, and her success behind the wheel indicates she has the talent. The problem I see is that with the win, some have been speculating that she may make the jump to stock cars and NASCAR. With her career having been all open-wheel cars, it may not be a good idea to make the jump to NASCAR. Just ask NASCAR’s current crop of rookie drivers, mostly successful open-wheel champions. This was her first win in IRL, let her enjoy some more success in that series. Jumping to NASCAR would be like starting a new career.
NASCAR has had other female drivers, and one of the most talented was Janet Guthrie. Janet competed off and on in NASCAR from 1976 to 1980. Competing in 33 NASCAR races, she recorded five top-10 finishes. Shawna Robinson is another female driver that has had some success in stock car racing. Racing in the now-defunct Dash Series, she won the Most Popular Driver award in 1988 and 1989. I met Shawna at Daytona and had pictures taken with her. Two years later and knowing I would meet her again, I took the pictures to have them autographed. Shawna was walking through the garage area with two of her girlfriends when I ran into her. Asking her if she would autograph the pictures, her two girlfriends got all excited and wanted to see the pictures. It seemed Shawna was a blonde two years earlier and her friends wanted to see how she looked. We all had a good laugh about it and Shawna did indeed sign the pictures. Shawna’s husband is a gasman for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Two women, Jennifer Jo Cobb and Michelle Theriault. made their NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debuts at the Kansas Speedway. Jennifer started her racing career in 1991 in the modified division. She has also raced in ARCA and the Nationwide series. Michelle started her racing career at an early age driving Quarter Midgets. She has also raced in the ARCA Series. Neither had a great start in their Craftsman Truck debuts, with Jennifer finishing 35th and Michelle finishing 33rd.
It helps to have a few good connections in order to get a ride in NASCAR. Having the name Wallace helps, as Chrissy Wallace can attest to. Current NASCAR driver Mike Wallace is her dad and with his help, she has landed a ride in the NASCAR Truck Series. The 19-year-old made her truck debut at Martinsville this year and finished a solid 18th. She will compete six more times this year in the Truck Series and then compete for Rookie of the Year in 2009.
In Drag Racing, Ashley Force is making a name for herself. Last Sunday, Ashley beat her father John Force (a perennial NHRA Funny Car Champion), in the NHRA Southern Nationals to become the first female driver to win a national Funny Car event.
‘ In the Justin Allgaier update, last week was not a good one. Starting sixth at the Kansas Speedway, it was obvious that Justin had only a top-10 car and never competed for the lead. Eventually his engine died and his 30th-place finish dropped him to third in the points race, 45 points out of the lead. His next race is this Sunday at Rockingham, N.C.
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