Richard Petty's 200 wins make him the winningest driver. Dominique Van Wieringen is a Canadian stock car racer racing part-time at the ARCA Menards for Rette Jones. No. Therefore, they believe women cant drive, let alone race. Instead of bolstering her career, this move has vilified her in the media, with potential sponsors less than eager to support a driver who has been accused of misrepresenting herself. Kirks last race in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was the 1998 Sams Town 250 (Las Vegas), and in NASCAR Xfinity Series was the 2003 Ford 300 (Homestead). The 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock race at Langhorne Speedway featured three female racers, Louise Smith (from left), Sara Christian and Ethel Flock Mobley. Here are the Female Drivers with the most stars across the three National Series (Cup, NXS, Truck): Johanna Long Robbins was the winner of the 2010 Snowball Derby at the Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola. That was until recruiters from NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program showed up on her college campus in 2016 and introduced her to the sport. The last time a woman drove in the Daytona 500 -- the kickoff to the premier racing series -- was 2018, with trailblazer Danica Patrick. Last year, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards honored Breidinger, the first Arab-American female driver to participate in any NASCAR national series, with its Developmental Series Driver Award . Patrick would record a major milestone by clinching the pole position in the 2012 DRIVE4COPD 300, being the first female driver to clinch it since Shawna Robinson. In four of the six races, she finished in the top 15. She finished 8th, the highest ever finish for an woman in the Daytona 500. In 2018, she won Washington State Rookie and was selected as one of the invitees to Drive for Diversity. Moreover, she finished in 29th position back in 2011, which is also her best. In 2014, Danica Patrick had three top 10 finishes including 6th place in Atlanta. Later, she was signed by Rev Racing in both the years 2019 and 2020. These female racers are setting an example for the females of the next generation. She was listed as one of the drivers for the #15 truck for Billy Ballew Motorsports as a teammate to Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck. 15 for Rick Ware Racing and becoming the first female driver to race in the series since Patrick's retirement. She is the first female driver to lead a Busch Series event. So, Courtney, of course, feels advantages of having a sister as a champion of Funny Car division and father, John Force. Janet Guthrie's second and final appearance in the Daytona 500 came in 1980 when she finished 11th in a Chevrolet fielded by team owner Rod Osterlund Chevrolet. In 2008 at the Camping World Truck, Jennifer made her debut and had 92 starts in total. NASCAR has seen female drivers compete since the inception of its sanctioning body in 1949. The series exists since 2009, but was not officially affiliated with NASCAR until 2012. Shauntia Latrice "Tia" Norfleet may or may not be the first female African-American NASCAR driver. She found out about the NASCAR tryout from a friend . Alumni include NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez. Female drivers competed at a high level all the way back to the earliest days of NASCAR. Beyond raising "millions of dollars" just to get on the track, having female drivers paving the way is also crucial, Balcaen said. Stereotypically, womens driving skills are a standing joke, among others. Their No. Jennifer Jo Cobb currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and drives the #10 Chevrolet Silverado for her own JJC Racing. [69] 2020 was the first season of ARCA as a NASCAR-sanctioned series, so this list begins with 2020. The first female to compete in a NASCAR superspeedway race, Guthrie finished 15th in the 1976 World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Patrick was a novelty that they let in so they could say See we have a woman driver. Louise Smith (1949-1956) Louise Smith, tied for second female NASCAR driver alongside Ethel, became known as "The First Lady of Racing.". She bagged the 2008 Indy Japan 300, the only woman in the scene. She was born on June 25, 1997, in Eagle River, Wisconsin, U.S. Decker has competed at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series and in 2015, participated in the Drive for Diversity. Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 3rd in 2009. Amber Balcaen enters her car at the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Developmental Program in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Oct. 18, 2016. Since then, only 15 pit crew members have been women, according to NASCAR. She's continuing to break barriers in the historically white, male-dominated sport as a tire changer on . Toni Breidinger, the first Arab American female driver in NASCAR, returned to the ARCA Menards Series for the first time since 2018, joining Young's Motorsports to compete part-time for them as part of the Truck Series team's first foray into ARCA. The Busch Light Accelerate Her Program, which is being announced timed to the Daytona 500 this Sunday, marks a $10 million commitment from the brand to sponsor every female driver in NASCAR ages 21 and up over the next three years. Breidinger notably introduced the first beauty brand to NASCAR through a sponsorship deal with the Arab-owned Huda Beauty last year. Twelve years later, Breidinger has become the first Arab American female . In 2020, she competed at the ARCAs Daytona. [22], In 2013, Patrick became the first woman in Sprint Cup history to have a full-time ride in the series (with Stewart-Haas Racing),[22] and eventually the first female driver to clinch the pole position and lead a green flag lap, both occurring at the 2013 Daytona 500, becoming the first woman to lead both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series, AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series, AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series, List of female 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers, "Where Are They Now? Christian stands alone as the first woman driver in NASCAR history. Since then, only 15 pit crew members have been women, according to . Tammy Jo Kirk had 37 Top 10 finishes and two poles in the All Pro Series before becoming the first woman to start at the Camping World Truck Series. She began drag racing and hitting the short track circuit for late model racing, with several top-15 finishes to her name. She's continued to set records: In 2013, she became the first female NASCAR driver to take a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole in the 2013 Daytona 500; her eighth place finish is the highest finish . Her last race was back in 1998, and she is now happily retired, leaving her legacy behind. At Chicagoland Speedway last June, Venturini Motorsports made history by fielding three female drivers in the same event in Natalie Decker, Leilani Munter and Toni Breidinger. Photo courtesy of Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR via Getty Images). While the media paints Tia Norfleet as a liar and a criminal, it seems that she was right on par with other young drivers trying to find their way in the wild world of motorsports. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For the first time in school history, the men's and women's teams earned regional titles in the same season, sweeping the Region 3 titles last Sunday. Johanna Robbins (nee Long) was born on May 26, 1992, and is a historical name in NASCAR history. In addition, she has competed in the complete NASCAR national touring series, ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde and Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series. Last year, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards honored Breidinger, the first Arab-American female driver to participate in any NASCAR national series, with its Developmental Series Driver Award. And yet, since receiving her racing license in 2010 -- the first African-American woman to do so-- Tia Norfleet has battled an alarming number of nay-sayers and obstacles. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. We shall talk about Jennifer Jo Cobb on our list of top female NASCAR drivers. "It's great that men and women can compete in NASCAR. Breidinger hopes programs like Busch Light's will have a "snowball effect" in encouraging more brands to sponsor female drivers. Tia Norfleet is the daughter of NASCAR driver Bobby Norfleet. She married fellow short track driver and Kyle Busch Motorsports engineer Hunter Robbins. By Rachel Cormack. In a race that had a starting field of 45 drivers, including a handful of Hall of Famers, Christian dazzled with a sixth-place finish. Sara Christian competed in the inaugural NASCAR race at Charlotte Speedway (she had Bob Flock finish the race). Below is the list of 10 best female NASCAR drivers of all time to have achieved the seeming inconceivable. Patrick would record a major milestone by clinching the pole position in the 2012 DRIVE4COPD 300, being the first female driver to clinch it since Shawna Robinson. [23] In 2014, Patrick became the first woman to race in the 2014 Sprint Unlimited. Born and raised in Washington, Angela Cope is one of this times most famous NASCAR drivers. In 2017, Patrick became the first female NASCAR driver to lead the prestigious Coca Cola 600. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center via Getty Images. Though she competed in just seven races over the course of her career, she opened the door to racing for generations of women to come. During the 1990s many women raced in NASCARs lower series. 2023 Nascar Hall Of Fame. You Can Also Read About Romain Grosjean Bio: Crash, Wife, IndyCar & Net Worth>>. They are basically second class citizens and the men will never let them race in the big time. Earning the pole for the 2013 Daytona 500 was a history-making event for Danica Patrick and her Stewart-Haas Racing team. Toni Breidinger, 21, who is of Lebanese descent, has become the first Arab-American female to race in Nascar. That success is what Siegel said he wants for all his recruits who come through the Drive for Diversity program. Then in 2015, Long joined Obika Racing. Patrick is best known for winning the 2008 Indy Japan 300 and becoming the first woman to win in an IndyCar Series race. The following is a list of female NASCAR drivers who have participated in a national or regional touring series race since the organization's inception in 1949, along with statistical totals for their NASCAR careers. 99. Cope made her beginning in this field through the Xfinity Series back in 2011. Outside car racing, Patrick is the first woman to host the ESPYs, hosting the latest edition of ESPNs annual award show. Danica Patrick, a NASCAR driver for women, was born in Beloit, Wisconsin on the 25th of March 1982. Toni Breidinger says that when she sat behind the wheel of a go-kart at age 9, she knew she would become a race car driver. [2], In 2020, Gracie Trotter became the second female driver to win in the West Series, with her victory in the race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring on September 26. Larson, a NASCAR cup series driver and an alumni of the Drive for Diversity program, found himself in the pit fire and was suspended after using a racial slur at a virtual race last year. In the male-dominated sport of car racing, some women have chosen this sport as their career, proved they can compete, and even won the pole position. Sara Christian was the first female driver in NASCAR history. Aaron Fike, Jeremy Mayfield, Junior Johnson, and Travis Kvapil all come to mind as racers with less than squeaky clean records. It's as close to a biopic as Junior Johnson (driver, and later team owner) would ever get, and it delves deep into the bad boy image of "Junior Jackson," a bootlegger turned racing impresario. "It's been a long road, a lot of struggle, and I'm a one-woman show so I'm doing everything on my own," Balcaen, 29, who is competing in the ARCA Menards Series this season, told ABC News. Patricia made her debut in Busch Series in 1986 (Road Atlanta), driving the no.47 Buck Regal for Randy Hope. 23", "Jennifer Jo Cobb to make Cup debut at Talladega with Rick Ware Racing UPDATE", "NASCAR still searching for its Danica Patrick Racing", "Racerchicks.com: Racerchicks Janet Guthrie", "Racerchicks.com: Racerchicks Danica Patrick NEWS", "Patrick Follows in the Footsteps of Pioneers", "Racerchicks.com: Racerchicks Erin Crocker", "Canadian driver, model set for Nationwide debut - Aug 17, 2011 - NASCAR.COM", "NASCAR Nationwide Team Charlotte Auto Fair", "Mara Reyes at Driver Database | Motorsport", "Gabi DiCarlo to Make Truck Series Debut at Fontana", "Racerchicks.com: Racerchicks Alli Owens", "Racerchicks.com: Racerchicks Deborah Renshaw", "Racerchicks.com: Racerchicks Michelle Theriault", "Racerchicks.com: Racerchicks Angie Wilson", "NASCAR acquires ARCA, reaffirms commitment to growth | NASCAR.com", "UNOH Grad Following Her Heart into NASCAR", "Nascar Driver Kristin Bumbera Signs With Hamilton Racing", "NASCAR Female Driver Toni Marie McCray To Take On The Boys At The Showdown At Toyota Speedway", "Catalanos Making It A True Family Night at Stafford", "Open Division Championship Season 2012 Final", "Dexwet-df1 Racing with title ambitions in all divisions in 2019", "Racing-Total presents an international lineup", "NWES 2019 ELITE-Club final results after Hockenheim", D-BOX eNASCAR International iRacing Series, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_female_NASCAR_drivers&oldid=1124996170, Articles with dead external links from December 2022, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 December 2022, at 17:19. [29] Trotter moved up from the West Series to the main ARCA Menards Series, where she would remain in Toyota's driver development program and drive part-time for Venturini Motorsports in the team's No. Leilani Munter - American In 2017, Brehanna Daniels, an alum of the Drive for Diversity program, became the first Black female over-the-wall tire changer in NASCAR's history. She made her debut in NASCAR Xfinity Series in the 2011 Iowa John Deere Dealers 250 (Iowa) and her last race was in the 2018 Ford EcoBoost 300 (Homestead). During the Camping World Races of 2010, Long was booked to race only three races but ended up racing seven. Zamora debuted in the ARCA Menards Series preseason test session in January 2021. [17] In 2012, Patrick would eventually race part-time in the Sprint Cup Series. 23 car, jointly fielded by RSS Racing, Reaume Brothers Racing,[30] and later Our Motorsports. She was a competitive rally driver from 1965 through 1974. Catching Up With Shawna", "A FIRST IN EURO NASCAR HISTORY: MANAMI KOBAYASHI WINS IN ELITE CLUB DEBUT", "Gracie Trotter Makes History With Las Vegas Victory", "Trucks: Hailie Deegan returns to DGR for 2022 season - NBC Sports", "Toni Breidinger Announces Major Plans for 2022", "Motorsports pioneer Betty Skelton Erde dies at age 85", "HowStuffWorks "1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Chronology", "Patty Moise News, Stats and Info About the Racing Driver", "Racerchicks.com: Racerchicks Shawna Robinson", "Robinson team to feature first all-female pit crew Thursday May 29, 2003 10:11 AM", "Drive for diversity: NASCAR's push to develop minority drivers moving slowly NASCAR Sporting News", "Danica Patrick wins pole position for Daytona Nationwide race", "Unofficial Results | NASCAR Nationwide Series", "NASCAR Danica Patrick to NASCAR a win-win", "TRUCKS: Johanna Long Wins Snowball Derby", "Johanna Long bests Danica Patrick at 2012 Daytona Nationwide Series race NASCAR News | FOX Sports on MSN", "Danica Patrick finishes eighth in Daytona 500", "NASCAR driver Danica Patrick will retire from the track to become a full-time entrepreneur", "Whelen Euro Series News & Notes: Valencia", "Hailie Deegan makes history with K&N Pro Series West win", "Rising NASCAR star Hailie Deegan wins again with last-lap move", "Toni Breidinger to make Truck debut with Young's Motorsports", "Natalie Decker Signs with RSS Racing for Partial Schedule in Reaume-assisted No. This article was last updated by Bikram Jirel on December 5, 2022. Her No. suspended after using a racial slur at a virtual race last year. The First African-American Female NASCAR Driver. 11 August 1983 (age 39) Charlie Christina Martin born. Her passion for racing began at the tender age of seven, inspired by her father, Brian Deegan. She finished the race in fifth place, her best career finish. At Kentucky, Patrick became the first woman to make 100 starts in NASCAR's Cup Series. Young's also announced that she would make her debut in the Truck Series with them in their new part-time No. Trackhouse Racing. Danica is a successful retired NASCAR driver and the first woman to win an Indy Car Series race. "I could not be more proud of what she's accomplished both as an athlete, but she's been amazing with her brand and social media and creating awareness and really getting people excited about the fact that if she can do it, there are other people that can do it," Siegel told ABC News. Decker ( leftmost in the photo above) is seen as the future. Historically, NASCAR hasn't been a welcoming space for black people. She drove the #10 Sticks N Stuff Chevy for Davis Motorsports at Talladega in 2004. Sara Christian (7 / 1949-1950) So how come you never hear of the women drivers or see them race on TV? Amber Balcaen is a third generation racecar driver from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. "For me to be able to learn the business skills to be able to sign million-dollar sponsors is to me the thing that I'm most proud of because I had to learn how to be a businesswoman before a race car driver to be able to be a race car driver.". Patrick removed the implants after having them for seven years. She retired from full-time competition after the 2017 season. Shawna Robinson (8 / 2001-2002) In 1986, Patty Moise would become the first woman to lead in a Busch Series race.[11]. Darius Days Bio: Family, Contracts And Net Shaun Livingston Bio: Injuries, NBA Championships, Net Who Is Aaron Rodgers Wife? California-native Breidinger, 21, made her debut in . Get to Know These Top Female Drivers. [8], No woman had raced NASCAR in a decade when Janet Guthrie started the 1976 World 600,[9] finishing 15th, ahead of Dale Earnhardt. Tony stands out among the male-dominated sports, being just one of the four women to star in the Auto Menard Series this year. In September, Trotter became the 4th woman to win a late model race at Hickory Motor Speedway. In Australia, Terri Sawyer[13] won the Moomba 100 NASCAR race at the Calder Park Thunderdome, Melbourne on March 3, 1991 driving a Pontiac. Daniels said she has had to tune out a lot of negativity. Another woman (Alina Loibnegger) finished second, in the first time ever two women finished 12 in NASCAR history. She also became the first winner in any ARCA-sanctioned series, because there have been no female winners in the main ARCA Menards Series as of April 2021. However, as Tia worked to gain sponsors to advance her driving career, NASCAR officials have allegedly dissuaded any potential partnerships, citing her past. In 2007, she earned the title of the first female driver winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Despite competing on only six of eight races, Christian finished 13th in points in 1949, her only full season of competition. Known as The Fastest Woman in Racing, Vicki Wood never competed in a Cup Series race, but in the 1950s, she set speed records on Daytona Beach during NASCAR time trials. Auto racing has been around for over 100 years, and the sport has been consistently dominated by men. In 19 Cup Series starts in 1977, Guthrie finished in the top 12 a total of 10 times, with a career-best finish of sixth at Bristol Motor Speedway. In 2013, Patrick became the first woman in Sprint Cup history to race full-time in the series. . How NHL Chooses Their International Recruits, Australias horse racing jewels to go ahead as planned. A former NASCAR driver, Danica is one of the most successful women in open-wheel race history. The first Daytona 500 was held in 1959. In 2010, IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick joined NASCAR, racing part-time in the K&N Pro Series East and the Nationwide Series. Former "Price Is Right" Model Maryeve Dufault Had an Impressive Stint in NASCAR. She drove an Audi R8 LMS in the 2012 Super GT season, becoming the first female driver in the series. Robinson would later become the first female driver to clinch the pole in any of the three major series, winning qualifying for the March 12, 1994 Xfinity Series Busch Light 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. For the last twelve years, Siegel and his team have worked to recruit, train and support minorities like Daniels to increase diversity in all areas of NASCAR. NASCAR Driver Hailee Deegan (Source: Wikimedia). She was 42nd in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2020 and her best finish was 31st in 2019. Deegan grew up competing in off-road racing but made the switch to stock car racing in 2016. "NASCAR hasn't had very much success with the African American community at large because of NASCAR's association with the Confederate flag," Armstrong said. Loving racing karts when she was 5, she started to race at the age of 8. Her victory was the first for a female NASCAR driver since Tammy Jo Kirk won in 1994. The NASCAR fan base is also overwhelmingly white. Toni Breidinger, 21, began racing in the 2021 ARCA season opener at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Saturday. She has run 15 races in the Xfinity Series and 32 races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Finding sponsors as one of the only African-American racers proved incredibly difficult, and Norfleet found himself working harder than his peers to maintain positive relationships within motorsports. Who are the most beautiful and talented female racing drivers 10. "You . Patricia Moise-Sawyer, A Former NASCAR Driver (Source: Twitter). In the 1940s, racing promoter Bill France, Sr. was looking for ways to attract more women to the sport. She made her debut with the Xfinity series, made 10 starts, and finished 72nd in 2004. . Christine Beckers (1 / 1977) at Langhorne Speedway in 1949. The Canadian racer bagged her first win at the Spartan Speedway in Mason. Indianapolis 500 career earnings: $2,865,240. A Professional Stock Car Racer, Johanna Robbins (Source: AL.com). Female NASCAR drivers are proof that stereotypes are often distorted. Toni Breidinger is the first Arab-American female driver in NASCAR history. Born in 1973, Cobb has been an active name in the industry. . The full-time Camping World Truck Series driver was vying to make her first Cup Series start and become the first female to compete in the series since Danica Patrick retired from NASCAR in 2018 . Lella Lombardi (1 / 1977) "I feel like for the first time since I've been involved, a lot of those things are starting to be addressed head on and progress is being made," Siegel said. In 1955, Wood finished third overall in the Class 4 (Unlimited Displacement) category for U.S. Stock Production Passenger Cars. Erin Mary Crocket Evernham (Source: MassLive.com). Danica Patrick In 2019 Camping World 500 (Source: Wikimedia). However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. The sister of early NASCAR racers Tim (Class of 2014), Bob and Fonty Flock, Ethel Mobley Flock competed in two NASCAR races in 1949, posting a best finish of 11th on the Daytona Beach-Road Course in July. Feb 21, 2018. You don't see that every day in NASCAR. In 2011, she started driving the No. In 2019, Daniels became the first Black woman to pit in NASCAR's historic Daytona 500 race. These women have made history in their field and continue to do so. In that race, Patrick became the first female driver to lead a lap in a Cup Series race under green-flag conditions and finished the race in eighth place. Amber Balcaen became the first Canadian woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the U.S. in 2016. In 2001, Robinson would be the first woman to finish a race in the Winston Cup Series since Janet Guthrie in 1980. More power to them! Patrick would record a major milestone by clinching the pole position in the 2012 DRIVE4COPD 300, being the first female driver to clinch it since Shawna Robinson. The top tier of NASCAR, the cup series, has had 16 Female NASCAR drivers in its history. Deegan, Robinson, Danica Patrick, Tammy Jo Kirk and Mara Reyes have won Poles. But I think that inequality is still there and it kind of stems off of the fact that we are lacking on funding," Toni Breidinger, 22, who is competing in the ARCA Menards Series this season, told ABC News. Marie-Claude Charmasson is a lesser-known female race car driver who we think deserves more recognition. She announced to run for the District position on the Cherokee County, Alabama Commission post in 2008. Jennifer In Driven 2 Honor Program (Source: U.S. Army). There are few women and minorities represented across the sport. IndyCar series driver Danica Patrick joined NASCAR in 2010. During her rally career, she drove the Opel Kadett, Chevrolet Corvette, Opel Commodore, and Chevrolet Camaro. Brian Cleary/NASCAR via Getty Images, FILE, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Her last race for NASCAR Xfinity Series was in the 2006 AT&T 250 (Milwaukee). Baker was named one of the 50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers. "It is very low. At the 2013 Daytona 500, Patrick became the first female driver to clinch pole position and lead a green flag lap. NASCAR Las Vegas betting guide . ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Canadian Stock Car Racing Driver, Dominique Van Wieringen (Source: Instagram). Toni Breidinger (born July 14, 1999) is an American professional stock car racing driver & Victoria's Secret Model who competes full-time for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. She also became the first woman to race at every racetrack on the circuit. She was a rival and tied the second female to fellow race driver Louise Smith in 1949. 20 Toyota, owned by her family. Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for BET. This season, there's a new face on the racetrack, and she's creating history. But she officially started racing in 1993 from the Xfinity Series and then made her Camping World Truck debut in 2003. Her fourth-place finish was the highest ever for a female driver, besting the previous record of ninth set by Janet Guthrie in 1978. Robinson is the first woman to win a top level NASCAR sanctioned race. In a little over a decade, more than 60 of NASCAR's women and minority drivers have come through the Drive for Diversity program, he said. Gracie Trotter (Source: Twitter) In 2007, she earned the title of the first female driver winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway. A heavy right foot and the power of a Chrysler Hemi engine helped Vicki Wood set speed records on Daytona Beach in the mid-1950s. Her net worth is alleged to be between $1 million and $5 million. At 29 years of age, Amber has successfully utilized her racing platform to be one of motorsport's largest female influencers - Inspiring and motivating others to pursue their dreams . Paris Berelc is suiting up for an adult role in the new Netflix NASCAR-inspired comedy series The Crew as up-and-coming race car driver Jessie de la Cruz, who is trying to bump Jake Martin . For women competing professionally in the sport, exposure and sponsorships are key to rising in the ranks, but both can be difficult to come by, female NASCAR drivers told ABC News. In addition, she has competed in the Indianapolis 500 nine times, the most of any woman. Jennifer Jo Cobb. Regardless of having the talent, she had to beg her father to buy her a go-kart when she was nine years old. She became the first female to compete in a NASCAR official event in 1949. Moving forward in her career, after concluding the 2016 NASCAR K&N, she debuted at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Driving in the Northwest Super Late Model Series in 2017 and 2018, Zamora was the 1st female winner. Which is pretty much the standard for most competitive sports, isn't it? But it was in 2010, and she earned a total of one start achieving her record of World Truck Series at the Camping World Truck, where she finished in 111th place. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center via Getty Images. The adrenaline and skill of driving at high speeds resides in the . Instagram. Christian competed in NASCAR's first race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.