The muldowneys bought an old mustang funny car from connie kalitta and ran it on the match race trail. Shirley muldowney is determined to be a topfuel drag racer, although no woman has ever raced them before. Top 11 most notorious female race car drivers of all time. After teaching her to drive, jack then started building her cars with higher speed including her first dragster. Muldowney the first lady of drag racing is a pioneer in professional auto racing. A threetime nhra top fuel champion, muldowney was, in fact, the first driver. Drag racing legend shirley muldowney has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will undergo surgery at novant health presbyterian medical center in downtown charlotte, n.
Lets check, how rich is shirley muldowney in 20192020. When speaking about female motor racing legends, you can never leave out the name shirley muldowney. Female race car driver car and driver women drivers top fuel dragster nhra drag racing car girls girl car drag cars car humor this is just a quick note on the fact that leah pruett, who was the nostalgia funny car champion back in 2010, will be moving up the ranks to the fastest cars in the world, the groundthumping nhra top fuel class. Do you stay in touch with former top fuel driver shirley muldowney. Muldowney was described by longtime drag racer fred farndon as the best natural driver top fuel or funny car, no question. Drag racer shirley muldowney born june 19, 1940 was the first woman to break through in that sport, making her virtually a household name in the 1970s on par with daredevil motorcycle jumper evel knievel. Aug 26, 2016 shirley muldowney looses a left front tire and hits the guardrail during qualifying for the 1983 nhra u. She never won a race with that car but she was ready to move up, so she had a chevypowered dragster built for her and that put her in the running. Shawn bianchi shirley i saw you race in the late 70s at. In 1971, muldowney met connie kalitta, a racer and racecar builder.
Professional drag racing driver shirley cha cha muldowney is not just good for a girl. Shirley had the best reaction time of any fuel driver with a. Thanks to muldowney, drag racing in the us is one of the most diverse racing communities, with plenty of female drivers. Shirley muldowney known in the professional circles as cha cha is an auto racer. Heart like a wheel the shirley muldowney story, 1983 drag. How shirley muldowney changed racing and paved the way for. What could have been a routine good ol gal success story has been heightened. She is the first woman to compete in a nascar winston cup stock car race in 1976 and the first female driver to race in the indianapolis 500 and daytona 500 in 1977. What could have been a routine good ol gal success story has. Shirley muldowney net worth, salary, age, height, bio, wiki. Shirley muldowney is a 79 years old race car driver, who was born in june, in the year of the dragon and is a gemini. The legendary racer competed at a time when women were regularly shunned in the racing world, but her passion and determination helped her fight through discrimination to become a. Jon died of a blood clot thursday in springfield, mo. During its heyday, specifically the mid1960s through the early 1970s, the national hot rod association incorporated the use of gorgeous womenmodels to help appeal to the fanboys.
Discover how much the famous race car driver is worth in 2020. The last thing rawn tobler wanted in life was to see shirley muldowney get back into a racing car. Jan 29, 2016 read the full interview at car and driver. Press photo world champion shirley muldowney is personification of poise this is an original press photo.
Bonnie bedelia delivers a fiery, roughly textured, outstanding performance in a rare substantial lead role as shirley chacha muldowney, the gutsy, sassy the only thing i do fast is drive, willful, supremely determined and selfsufficient reallife pioneering feminist professional race car driver who had to overcome lots of doubt. Shirley muldowney nee roque came by her love of driving fast cars naturally, after her father placed her behind the steering wheel as he was driving when she was a child, and as she and her then boyfriend jack muldowney who would become her husband participated in local street races when she was a teenager. Muldowney began street racing in the 1950s in schenectady, new york. Shes been feted by congress, immortalized by hollywood, and awarded slot number five on nhras 50 greatest drivers list. In a funny car, the driver basically straddles the motor, with the seat mounted only. Sep 16, 2019 a highquality feature film on muldowneys life in 1983, heart like a wheel, starred bonnie bedelia as shirley and beau bridges as connie kalitta. Shirley muldowney married car race enthusiast and mechanic, jack muldowney, when she was 16 years.
It was jack muldowney who first taught me how to drive a car. She was the first woman to receive a license from the national hot rod association nhra to drive a top fuel dragster. Drag racing legend shirley muldowney on her cancer scare i. Shirley cha cha muldowney on the cover of sunday news magazine in 1978. Shirley muldowney nhra fan apparel and souvenirs for sale ebay. Kalitta was born in michigan, grew up in mount clemens, and was a 1957 graduate of mount clemens high school he raced from the 1950s through the 1990s. Shirley muldowney was the first woman licensed to drive a top fuel dragster in 1973. Ten great drag racing movies to help get you through the. Her birth sign is gemini and her life path number is 3. Shirley muldowney vintage race car, vintage trucks, nhra drag racing. Shirley muldowney is a true pioneer in the world of drag racing and in the world of motorsports. Shirley muldowney biography, life, interesting facts. Shirley muldowney nhra apparel and souvenirs are available for casual and seasoned racing fans.
Shirley heart like a wheel muldowney, is the 1st lady of professional drag racing. Like many fields of work, the drag racing scene was and is fairly well dominated by men. Force, houwever, didnt do it without a little ok, a lot of help. Drag racing shirley muldowney top fuel dragster crash. Arguably the most wellknown female race car driver is danica patrick, who is the most successful female driver in. For the better part of forty years, shirley muldowney has been an icon in the field of motor sports, and even in her 60s she continues to hold her own against the best racers on the planet. Also known as, first lady of drag racing, muldowney is the first female top fuel dragster driver licensed by the national hot rod association nhra. When shirley muldowney was told she had lung cancer, she planned to fight it alone. Janet guthrie, american race car driver donna mae mims and top dutch race car driver liane engeman,1969. Shirley began racing and winning in a variety of sportsman entries through.
The car disintegrated around her, causing a multitude of broken bones including both of her legs. A look into shirley muldowney s net worth, money and current earnings. By winning the 1986 ihra alcohol funny car afc national title, burkett became only the second woman to win a national title in a professional class, following shirley muldowney. Shirley muldowney born june 19, 1940 is famous for being race car driver. It stars bonnie bedelia as muldowney and beau bridges. Shirley muldowney is a race car driver from burlington. Shirley muldowney net worth, biography, age, height. Shirley muldowney faced a firestorm of opposition when she broke into the nhra ranks, but through dogged determination, she won three series championships and. Heart like a wheel the shirley muldowney story, 1983. Shirley muldowney s tales from the track is an unabashed collection of stories, anecdotes, and opinions in her own unvarnished style of storytelling, laced with her straightforward, takenoprisoners approach.
Shirley muldowney was a pioneer in the sport of drag racing and is one of the most successful females in all of motorsports. Muldowney surrounded by her pit crew still strapped into what was still left of her car after her horrific 1984 crash. However, 18 months after the accident, shirley was back in the drivers seat and ended up being named the 1987 comeback driver of the year. Shirley muldowney was the first woman of drag racing, a certifiably macho sport that. Heart like a wheel is a 1983 biographical film directed by jonathan kaplan2 and based on the life of drag racing driver shirley muldowney. Shirley i saw you race in the late 70s at numidia dragway catawissa pa. Recent activities include the dictation of her memoirs, shirley muldowney s tales from the track, which bill stephens transcribed, and which sports publishing l. Though she was the first woman to accomplish many feats in the sport, many of her records and claims are for the sport as a whole, regardless of gender she is one of the most successful drag racers in history. Shirley muldowney born june 19, 1940, also known professionally as cha cha and the first lady of drag racing, is an american auto racer. See more ideas about shirley muldowney, drag racing and nhra drag racing.
Shirley muldowney diagnosed with cancer speed sport. Shirley muldowney bio, facts, family famous birthdays. She was born in 1940 to belgium tex rock benedict roque, a cab driver. A fighter her whole life, shirley muldowney faces biggest. Even though hall of fame racing legend shirley muldowney drove through the glass ceiling 40 years ago when she won her first nhra national event, and proceeded to win nhra top fuel championships in 1977, 1980, and 1982 the first person to win multiple top fuel titles. Drag racing legend muldowney will undergo lung cancer surgery.
She won the nhra top fuel championship in 1977, 1980, and 1982, becoming the first person to win two and three top fuel titles. Growing up and living through her teen years in new york, shirley discovered early she had a penchant for speed and competition. Many of the products that feature this race car driver highlight key moments that happened on and off of the course. Since the character is a real woman, racing driver shirley cha cha muldowney, and since her triumph seems in some ways a very lonely one, this biographical film is something out of the. Shirley muldowney was not the first, second, or even third woman to beat the boys at their own game by winning a major nhra drag racing event, but she clearly was the most successful and, more important, did it at the highest levels of the sport, in drag racings fastest category, top fuel. Muldowneys influence as a female funny car driver illustrated how women defied gender norms to pursue passions and prove their worthiness as competitive drivers, and shirleys son, john muldowney, followed his mothers success by working on his mothers dragster team, and becoming a fabricator and machinist for other teams.
She blew open racings gender barrier, survived lifethreatening injuries, and landed in. Racing shirley muldowney shirley muldowney, car poses, women drivers, top. Though she was the first woman to accomplish many feats in the sport, many of her records and claims are for the sport as a whole, regardless of genders. Shirley muldowney wasnt the first woman to race in the nhra. Heart like a wheel is a 1983 biographical film directed by jonathan kaplan and based on the life of drag racing driver shirley muldowney. But after a reversal in the diagnosis, the drag racing legend is happy to share her good fortune. Oct 14, 20 racing legend shirley muldowney, 73, hopes to add to her lore by pursuing the world land speed record for women next spring at the bonneville salt flats in utah. Shirley cha cha muldowney, first lady of drag racing. Born 1940, shirley began racing in 1958 with her first car a 1940 ford with a cadillac v8 engine. Shirley muldowney race car driver was born on the 19th of june, 1940. Dec 23, 2017 heart like a wheel is a 1983 biographical film directed by jonathan kaplan2 and based on the life of drag racing driver shirley muldowney. Born on june 19, 1940, she became the first person to win three top fuel titles. Shirleys birthstone is pearl, moonstone and alexandrite and birth flower is rose.
She began racing in the 1960s, and in 1995 was still in the sport. Shirley s birth flower is rose and birthstone is pearl, moonstone and alexandrite. Female racing pioneer who was dubbed the first lady of drag racing and nicknamed cha cha. See more ideas about shirley muldowney, race cars and drag racing. Shirley muldowney looks less like a race driver than shirley. Find out is shirley muldowney dating anyone right now and who at celebscouples. Continue to next page below to see how much is shirley muldowney really worth, including net worth, estimated earnings, and salary for 2019 and. She had been a race car driver all her life, and now there was no light at the end of the. Shirley muldowney net worth, biography, age, height, dating. Old race cars, shirley muldowney, plymouth muscle cars, women drivers. Jon muldowney, son of nhra drag racing legend shirley muldowney, has died at the age of 59 reports geiger media global. Shirley muldowney female race car driver nhra drag racing auto racing thing 1 sprint cars racing news indy cars car humor. Find out is shirley muldowney dating anyone right now and who at. Drag racing legend shirley muldowney has been a fighter her whole life.
Tobler had been her crew chiefand more important, her husbandtobewhen the former world. Few, if any, drivers have had a greater in impact in drag racing than muldowney, who became the first woman to earn an nhra professional. John muldowney, son of legend shirley muldowney, dead at 59. John muldowney, son of legend shirley muldowney, dead at. Shirley muldowney looses a left front tire and hits the guardrail during qualifying for the 1983 nhra u. Legendary drag racer shirley muldowney r and nhra driver. Threetime nhra top fuel champion shirley muldowney speaks out against the comments made by bernie ecclestone about female race car drivers. On june 29, 1984, muldowneys storybook career almost came to a premature end.
Shirley muldowney race car driver life, age, zodiac. With bonnie bedelia, beau bridges, bruce barlow, leo rossi. Shirley muldowney 1 1940 american race car driver professional drag racing driver shirley cha cha muldowney is not just good for a girl. You raced tommy ivo, we fellas thought you were great and we thought it was so neat to see a woman driver. But she knew some people just didnt approve of a woman race car driver. He was the first driver to hit 200 mph in an nhra sanctioned event kalitta teamed up with shirley muldowney as the bounty hunter and bounty huntress, in a pair of ford mustangs, hers a buttera chassis, his a logghe. As part of the 100 pro wins by women series, the legendary career of shirley muldowney is highlighted in this video. May 24, 2014 courtney force made history on sunday in kansas by collecting win no. Fred farndon as the best natural driver top fuel or funny car, no question. Guthries notable achievements got her included in the womens sports hall of fame in 1980 and the international motorsports hall of fame in 2006. As the first woman to receive a license from the national hot rod association nhra to drive a top fuel dragster, she is one of the pioneers of auto racing. Nhra drag racing auto racing shirley muldowney plymouth muscle cars top fuel old race cars funny cars lung cancer drag cars. For more than a year, from june of 1984 through the summer of 1985, the biggest question in shirley muldowneys life was if she would ever walk again, much less drive a 3,000horsepower race car.
She earned the money being a professional race car driver. Shirley muldowney shirley muldowney was not the first, second, or even third woman to beat the boys at their own game by winning a major nhra drag racing. Nhra legend shirley muldowney speaks out against bernie. Muldowney s influence as a female funny car driver illustrated how women defied gender norms to pursue passions and prove their worthiness as competitive drivers, and shirley s son, john muldowney, followed his mothers success by working on his mothers dragster team, and becoming a fabricator and machinist for other teams. During a race in montreal a front tire failure triggered a 250mph crash that nearly ended her life. For the better part of forty years, shirley muldowney has been an icon in the. All i wanted was to race up and down the streets in a hot rod, declared. Farndon as the best natural driver top fuel or funny car, no question. Despite the high risks of this kind of racing and the burden it places on her family life, she perseveres in her dream.