Where It All Began
Fifty years ago, a woman emerged in the drag-racing scene and changed the face of the quarter-mile sport, modeling what women can achieve in an especially male-dominated field. Shirley Muldowney, the fresh-faced shoe from Schenectady, New York, received her NHRA pro license in 1965, and by 1966 was piloting an injected Gas dragster in this shot from the NASCAR Summernationals in West Salem, Ohio. Is that determination in her face or satisfaction from envisioning a trajectory to become a three-time Top Fuel World Champion in 1977, 1980, and 1982? Said to be the most naturally talented Top Fuel driver ever, after her recovery from a violent crash in 1984, she continued running in Top Fuel until her retirement in 2003. Besides making a difference as a model for what women can achieve, she continues to make a difference with her Shirley’s Kids charitable organization, helping children in need in communities where drag racing takes place. She’s a role model not just for women but for us all.
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