Shirley! (2 Viewers)

[Paul]

It was not only some of the fans she treated bad. She went through sponsors like Doug Herbert and Cruz Pedregon.

Sponsors? Didn't Cruz have Advance for like 8 years and has had Snap On since 2010? That's not a bad track record and Herbert had Snap On for 10+ years. Not sure how that comment makes sense. Shirley had a problem getting a sponsor after her 1 year with Larry Minor in 1990. Like many on here, I have seen both sides of Shirley in the 90's she was a cranky lady constantly snapping at people. In 2003 at her final race in Pomona she seemed really genuine to all the fans who was at her trailer and even after she lost to Cory Mac she came back and made sure every fan waiting for her got her signature, she seemed like a changed woman that year.

 

[rollingthunder]

do you know that it wouldn't have been into millions of homes. You make it sound like she did this all by herself. As far as motion picture is concerned. if she would have been
accepted open arms there would have been no movie. She was a driver just like the many other from that era. She was recognized because she was FEMALE. that is why

How about the first major motion picture of the sport? How about the first female to win a (multiple ) Championship in a male dominant sport? These two things alone brought the NHRA into millions of homes that would have never thought twice about drag racing.

 

[None]

Sponsors? Didn't Cruz have Advance for like 8 years and has had Snap On since 2010? That's not a bad track record and Herbert had Snap On for 10+ years. Not sure how that comment makes sense. Shirley had a problem getting a sponsor after her 1 year with Larry Minor in 1990. Like many on here, I have seen both sides of Shirley in the 90's she was cranky lady constantly snapping at people. In 2003 at her final race in Pomona she seemed really genuine to all the fans who was at her trailer and even after she lost to Cory Mac she came back and made sure every fan waiting for her got her signature, she seemed like a changed woman that year.

Sorry. Should have said "went through crews chiefs" at the end. I went back and corrected it. Thanks.

 

[Butch]

Almost every comment I've read on here is about Shirley AFTER her crash in Montreal Canada. How many of you dealt with her before the accident? I have, and always had good relations with her.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

All of you that continue to bow down can keep grinding that same axe she's been grinding, always referring back to the early years, but the fact still remains that you have yet to explain why she wasn't able to remain in the sport like she wanted to LONG after those early years when she was meeting all the resistance. The early years, that I DO give her the credit for by the way, are LONG GONE. You think that bad attitude that continued to hang around didn't have something to do with the fact that she wasn't able to remain relevant in the sport after those early hard days? Get real! Lol! Like I said before, sponsorships were plentiful compared to today and much easier to obtain back then, so it should've been relatively easy for the lone female in Top Fuel, yet nobody wanted anything to do with it.

Sean D

 

[mw6789]

Almost every comment I've read on here is about Shirley AFTER her crash in Montreal Canada. How many of you dealt with her before the accident? I have, and always had good relations with her.

Well I said I wasn't going to reply to this thread, but since you asked.... A good friend of mine who is a former national event champ in the sportsman ranks and I were at Indy one year right after Shirley's crash. We walked by one of the places they were collecting money for her, and he said I wouldn't give ten cents to that b*tch. He proceeded to tell me a story about how a couple of years earlier when former modified champ Billy Mansell was killed in a traffic accident, they were trying to raise some money for his wife and kids. He saw Shirley sitting in her dually and approached her and asked if she could help. She looked at him and said "I don't have time for that sh*t" and rolled up her window. Karma----It's a real b*tch sometimes. And in my humble opinion, being rude and ugly to children is NEVER acceptable. Don't care who you are or what kind of day you are having.

 

[glofria]

I have heard that several pro racers of that era spent all or most of the money they earn by staying out on the tour. Now as their ages advanced the money simply has dried up. I think many of those pro racers had other trades or business opportunities to fall back on. What other trade did Shirley have other than a Top Fuel Driver? It could be she is just flat broke and this is a way for her to generate an income.

After the Snake & Mongoose movie was in the can, I had the chance to have lunch with a group of old time racers and Prudhomme said that Shirley hit him up for a "Royalty Fee" for using the RED she drove back in the 70's in the background as a prop. In his own way he said no.

I have nothing good or bad to say about the women, but I have read some of the things that has happen between her and son John on Facebook in recent years.

 

[You!]

Back to the original topic; I believe how these things work is the organization will solicit corporations for tax free donations (re: major donation$) to cover operating expenses, as well as the salary of the figure head which is garnering the attention in order to get donations from you.

In other words, she'll get paid if they can land some sponsors. Please correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[None]

Back to the original topic; I believe how these things work is the organization will solicit corporations for tax free donations (re: major donation$) to cover operating expenses, as well as the salary of the figure head which is garnering the attention in order to get donations from you.

In other words, she'll get paid if they can land some sponsors. Please correct me if I'm wrong...

Refer to post #31.

 

[mike]

Almost every comment I've read on here is about Shirley AFTER her crash in Montreal Canada. How many of you dealt with her before the accident? I have, and always had good relations with her.

She had her times before and after----

 

[George.]

Many of us respect and hold in awe guys who beat up others in the pits (or hotels), and yet we can't deal with a woman who is just as hard edged. Not every woman can be your sweet dear mommy. Until any of us have traveled late into the night in a pickup towing a racecar that happens to be the way you support yourself, we shouldn't judge one who did and changed the world while she was at it.

Exactly.
I remember Shirley was the first EVER person I talked to at my first NHRA race back in 1982.
Ofcourse she was rude to me, but she also gave a young man the best life lesson advice I've ever received.
And that was to run your own race.

Anyway, she was a total bitch to me, but I couldn't be upset because I could see that she took the rough road, and nothing came easy. Similar to my father's demeanor from suffering through the great depression.
Those of us who didn't grow up in those tougher times will always have a hard time reconciling her demeanor.
I don't condone it, but I get it.
I still hold the highest respect for her, and what she accomplished on her own.

 

[None]

Exactly.
I remember Shirley was the first EVER person I talked to at my first NHRA race back in 1982.
Ofcourse she was rude to me, but she also gave a young man the best life lesson advice I've ever received.
And that was to run your own race.

Anyway, she was a total bitch to me, but I couldn't be upset because I could see that she took the rough road, and nothing came easy. Similar to my father's demeanor from suffering through the great depression.
Those of us who didn't grow up in those tougher times will always have a hard time reconciling her demeanor.
I don't condone it, but I get it.
I still hold the highest respect for her, and what she accomplished on her own.

I have no problem with conflicts that evolve racer vs. racer or racer vs. NHRA. I have a big problem with unprovoked attacks on fans, young and old.

 

[flapjack]

Similar to my father's demeanor from suffering through the great depression.

Derailing the thread, but sets of my grandparents lived through the great depression. Both sets were careful with their money, but one set was more conservative than the other with how they spent. Each were generous, but one more so than the other. I think the difference is attitude was more along the lines of "I don't ever want to live through that again", and the other mindset was "can't take it with you, may as well enjoy the fruits of my labor".

So I guess what I am saying is that it depends on the attitude you take.

Can't speak for Shirley, I never interacted with her at KCIR. I did get a chance to talk to Big Daddy.

 

[SAS]

I've known her quite well for many years,
and while she may have not always been at her best to some people, there are thousands of fans, who still swarm her at any appearance. I live in Boston, and stories of how Ted Williams treated the press and many fans in the outfield, he remains among the best to ever play the game. Point is, she won 4 world championships, some at a time, when life was hell for females in every sport.
The first woman to run in the Boston Marathon was all but tackled, by a race official. Who screamed at her to stop.
Shirley went through a lot of opposition, in the early years, and had a tough early life.
That may not excuse improper behavior toward fans, but walk a mile in her shoes, and just let those moments go.
I remember Ted Williams, not for swearing at fans, but for being the last player to hit,
400 in a season.

 

[Demon]

What gets me is the true pioneer women of the sport are hardly recognized... Judy Lilly, Shirley Shahan, Barb Hamilton, Paula Murphy.. I could go on. Shirley Shahan was on ABC TV in the 60's with her 65 Plymouth.. but instead,it has to be the other Shirley...the one I could give a rats ass about.

 

[T.Smith]

I've known her quite well for many years,
and while she may have not always been at her best to some people, there are thousands of fans, who still swarm her at any appearance. I live in Boston, and stories of how Ted Williams treated the press and many fans in the outfield, he remains among the best to ever play the game.

....Mantle, DiMaggio and a few others as well.