Shirley Muldowney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shirley Muldowney |
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Muldowney signing autographs in July 2017 at the Automobile Driving Museum
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| Born | Shirley Ann Roque June 19, 1940 Burlington, Vermont |
| Debut season | 1958 |
| Previous series | |
| NHRA, Top Fuel | |
| Championship titles | |
| Top Fuel 1977, 1980, 1982 | |
| Awards | |
| 1990 2001 2004 | Motorsports Hall of Fame of America NHRA Top 50 Drivers of 1951–2000 International Motor Sports Hall of Fame |
Shirley Muldowney (born June 19, 1940) is a famous American auto racer. She is also known as "Cha Cha" and the "First Lady of Drag Racing". Shirley made history as the first woman to get a license from the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) to drive a Top Fuel dragster.
She won the NHRA Top Fuel championship three times. Her wins were in 1977, 1980, and 1982. This made her the first person to win two and then three Top Fuel titles. Overall, she won 18 NHRA national events during her amazing career.
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Shirley's Racing Journey
Shirley Ann Roque was born in Burlington, Vermont, on June 19, 1940. She started street racing cars in the 1950s in Schenectady, New York. Shirley loved racing from a young age. She once said, "School had no appeal to me. All I wanted was to race up and down the streets in a hot rod."
When she was 16, she married Jack Muldowney. Jack helped her a lot by building her first dragster. Shirley shared, "It was Jack Muldowney who first taught me how to drive a car. Jack was the mechanic. He was the guy who tuned the cars that let the girl beat all the boys."
Starting on the Dragstrip
In 1958, Shirley Muldowney raced for the first time on a real dragstrip. This was at the Fonda Speedway. She got her professional NHRA license in 1965.
Shirley competed in the 1969 and 1970 U.S. Nationals. She drove a special dragster with two engines in the Top Gas class. When Top Gas became less popular, Shirley switched to racing Funny Cars. She bought her first Funny Car from Connie Kalitta.
Shirley and Jack Muldowney later went their separate ways. They divorced in 1972. She explained that Jack did not want to race nitro cars. However, they remained friends until he passed away in 2007.
Becoming a Top Fuel Pioneer
Shirley won her first big event in 1971. This was the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Southern Nationals. In 1973, she moved up to the Top Fuel class. She earned her Top Fuel license that year. This made her the first woman ever to achieve this.
Famous racer Don Garlits signed her application. Two other racers, Tommy Ivo and Connie Kalitta, also signed it. From 1973 to 1977, Shirley teamed up with Connie Kalitta. They raced together as the Bounty Hunter and Bounty Huntress. They competed in special match races.
In 1976, Shirley showed her skill in Top Fuel in Columbus, Ohio. She was the fastest qualifier and set new records. She won the class, proving her talent.
Championship Wins and Challenges
Shirley Muldowney made history by winning three NHRA Top Fuel Dragster world championships. These wins were in 1977, 1980, and 1982. No one had won three Top Fuel titles before her.
Shirley faced many challenges because she was a woman in racing. Some people thought drag racing was not for women. Don Garlits, a respected racer, said he had the most respect for Shirley. He noted that she went against everyone's doubts.
Shirley herself said, "NHRA fought me every inch of the way. But when they saw how a girl could fill the stands, they saw I was good for the sport."
Overcoming Injuries and Retirement
In 1984, Shirley had a serious crash. Her hands, pelvis, and legs were badly hurt. She needed many operations and 18 months of recovery. Shirley was out of racing for a long time.
She returned to racing in the late 1980s. She even appeared on a TV show, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, in 1986. She continued to race through the 1990s. She mostly raced without big sponsors. Shirley retired from racing at the end of 2003.
Fred Farndon, another drag racer, called Shirley the "best 'natural' driver." Shirley also wrote her life story. Her memoirs, Shirley Muldowney's Tales from the Track, were published in 2005.
Health and Charity Work
In March 2016, Shirley had a health scare. Doctors thought she might have lung cancer. However, it turned out to be histoplasmosis. This is a curable fungal infection that can look like cancer. Shirley recovered well.
Shirley Muldowney also runs a charity called Shirley's Kids. This organization helps children who need support. It focuses on kids in cities where drag racing is popular.
Shirley's Story on Film
In 1983, a movie about Shirley's life was released. It was called Heart Like a Wheel. Actress Bonnie Bedelia played Shirley in the film.
Shirley had mixed feelings about the movie. She felt it did not fully capture her life. However, she believed the movie was "very, very good for the sport" of drag racing.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Shirley Muldowney has received many awards and honors for her achievements:
- In 1975, she was the first woman voted to the Auto Racing All-American team.
- She was named Drag News Top Fuel Driver of the Year in 1976 and 1977.
- In 1977, she became the first woman to win drag racing's most important title, the NHRA Winston world points championship.
- She won the NHRA Winston world points championship again in 1980 and 1982. This made her the first person to win it three times.
- In 1989, she was inducted into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame.
- She joined the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1990.
- In 2001, the NHRA ranked her number five on their list of Top 50 Drivers.
- She was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2004.
- In 2005, she was honored by the Automotive Hall of Fame.
- In 2008, ESPN ranked her 21st on their list of the Top 25 Drivers of All Time. They noted her record as the first woman to win a major racing championship.
