Shirley was first female F/C nat'l event winner (1 Viewer)

[Cliff]

THE FIRST FUNNY CAR WIN FOR SHIRLEY OFTEN GETS OVERLOOKED IN DRAG RACING HISTORY | Competition Plus

Four-time Top Fuel champion Shirley Muldowney has more than enough accomplishments to quantify her status as a drag racing legend. However, one of her most significant accomplishments often gets overshadowed. Muldowney is heralded for her exploits in driving a dragster. Let the record reflect...

www.competitionplus.com

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

What are your thoughts on this Cliff?



TopFuel@Lions

 

[Cliff]

Well, I didn't remember that she won F/C at an IHRA nat'l event. Comp Plus says this makes her the first female F/C winner at nat'l level, so I guess she is the first. I always remember her for T/F.

 

[the guy]

First female IHRA FC National event winner...

 

[Cliff]

Chad, if I'm reading the article right, Shirley was the first woman to win a nat'l event regardless of sanction. I know there were several women F/C racers (Paula Murphy, etc) but I don't think any of them won a national event.

 

[rt1320]

I was 14 and went to this race with my older brother and some friends. We actually left before the finals, to avoid the traffic and only found out Shirley won Funny Car a couple days later. We thought that was neat, but we were way more interested in Pro Stock back then, which was being dominated by Chrysler at the time. I remember seeing Paula Murphy and Della Woods before I ever saw Shirley and thinking it was inevitable for a woman to eventually win. You know... you work hard, you fight for it, you'll win. Rockingham was just an exciting place back then.