Women refusing to take back seat

NHRA is leading the way in motor sports with talented female drivers
Two drivers pull up to the starting line in 7,000-horsepower cars, wait for the green light to flash, and then rocket down a quarter-mile strip at more than 325 mph to see who finishes first.

That image just screams testosterone, doesn't it?

So you might be surprised to learn how many women are making their mark on the National Hot Rod Association drag racing series. Then again, if you've been a fan of NHRA racing for any amount of time, maybe you wouldn't.

Danica Patrick's fourth-place finish in last year's Indianapolis 500 thrust a spotlight on female race drivers, but the truth is women have been competing -- albeit in small numbers -- on the NHRA circuit for the past four decades.

As the NHRA makes its annual stop at Sonoma's Infineon Raceway this weekend for the FRAM-Autolite Nationals, five women scattered throughout the NHRA's four professional divisions find themselves in the top 10 in points.

August 3rd, 2006 Lyn St James will host her annual event in Indianapolis to honor many of these these young women drivers at the 'Women in the Winner's Circle" luncheon held at Indianapolis International Speedway. Anne Stevens Ford Motor Companies, COO will be speaking. Anne is a huge racing fan.

To listen a Podcast about this event click here

That includes three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle season champ Angelle Sampey. 35.

"If you have successful women out there, and they're good drivers, they're not going to have a chance to win unless they're with good teams," Top Fuel driver Melanie Troxel said. "That's what you're seeing, very capable drivers getting together with good teams."

Troxel has benefited greatly in her first full season driving for Don Schumacher Racing. She became the first driver in the history of the NHRA's Top Fuel division to advance to the final round of the season's first five events. That fast start kept her in the points lead through 12 of the first 14 races. Though she's hit tough times in recent weeks, she heads into Sonoma in second place, 40 points behind Doug Kalitta.

Why have women found more success in drag racing than other forms of motor sports?

Troxel points to history.

"We had women involved in drag racing in a lot of different years before, not only competing but winning championships," Troxel said. "Shirley Muldowney won three Top Fuel championships before any man did."

Muldowney -- who won Top Fuel titles in 1977, 1980 and 1982 before finally retiring in 2003 -- is considered the trailblazer for female drag racers. Not only did her success tear down the barriers of a male-dominated sport, it still lends credibility to women who try to break into drag racing today.

"The fact that she came in and won and sort of dominated, it pushed us ahead of the curve," Troxel said.

Though Muldowney gave Troxel a role model to follow as she grew up in the suburbs of Denver, Troxel said the passion she developed for racing came from her father, Mike, who raced Top Alcohol dragsters (similar to but less powerful than Top Fuel cars, which reach speeds over 325 mph).

"I've been around it my entire life," Troxel, 33, said. "I did not have a lot of interest in racing itself until I was in my teens. Then I started paying attention to what was happening with the car, helping out with the family. When I grew up and ran some high school drag racing events, I was hooked."

Top Fuel rookie Hillary Will, who is 10th in points, also said her father, Steve, instilled in her a love for drag racing while she was growing up in Fortuna. By the time Will reached high school, she was sacrificing social time with her friends to go race on the weekends.

"I would miss anything to go to a race, that was my main priority," Will said.

She studied economics at Wheaton College (Mass.), eventually taking a job as a financial analyst. But racing was always No. 1 in her heart.

With help from well-known racer Bucky Austin, a family friend, Will began driving a Top Alcohol dragster in 2005 -- giving up her day job to work full time on securing sponsorship for her car.

Last August, Will was approached by Ken Black Racing and Kalitta Motorsports, one of the NHRA's top teams, and began racing a Top Fuel car for the team this season.

"It's been a whole lifestyle change," Will, 26, said. "I went from working 9-6 every day and being stuck in this cubicle. Now I'm traveling, (and) I'm a part of this very well-known team."

The other two drivers in the top 10 are Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Another woman is likely to break into the NHRA's Funny Car class next season -- with much fanfare. Ashley Force, the daughter of 13-time Funny Car champ John Force, is starring in the A&E reality show "Driving Force," along with her father and two younger sisters, who are also aspiring drivers.

Ashley Force, 23, who competes in Top Alcohol this year, said she draws inspiration from the current crop of women having success at the NHRA's highest level.

"It's exciting to watch girls, who you've watched come up the ranks, and now finally they make it to (the) pro (class), and you see how good they're doing," Force said.

FRAM-AUTOLITE NATIONALS

• WHAT: The 15th of 23 events on the National Hot Rod Association drag racing series

• WHERE: Infineon Raceway, highways 37 & 121, Sonoma

• WHEN: Pro qualifying Friday, 3:15 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. Final eliminations Sunday, noon.

• DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Gary Scelzi (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle)

• TV: Saturday, 5 p.m., ESPN2; Sunday, 5 p.m., ESPN2 (both days tape-delayed)

• TICKETS: Call 800-870-7223 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

That includes three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle season champ Angelle Sampey. 35.

"If you have successful women out there, and they're good drivers, they're not going to have a chance to win unless they're with good teams," Top Fuel driver Melanie Troxel said. "That's what you're seeing, very capable drivers getting together with good teams."

Troxel has benefited greatly in her first full season driving for Don Schumacher Racing. She became the first driver in the history of the NHRA's Top Fuel division to advance to the final round of the season's first five events. That fast start kept her in the points lead through 12 of the first 14 races. Though she's hit tough times in recent weeks, she heads into Sonoma in second place, 40 points behind Doug Kalitta.

Why have women found more success in drag racing than other forms of motor sports?

Troxel points to history.

"We had women involved in drag racing in a lot of different years before, not only competing but winning championships," Troxel said. "Shirley Muldowney won three Top Fuel championships before any man did."

Muldowney -- who won Top Fuel titles in 1977, 1980 and 1982 before finally retiring in 2003 -- is considered the trailblazer for female drag racers. Not only did her success tear down the barriers of a male-dominated sport, it still lends credibility to women who try to break into drag racing today.

"The fact that she came in and won and sort of dominated, it pushed us ahead of the curve," Troxel said.

Though Muldowney gave Troxel a role model to follow as she grew up in the suburbs of Denver, Troxel said the passion she developed for racing came from her father, Mike, who raced Top Alcohol dragsters (similar to but less powerful than Top Fuel cars, which reach speeds over 325 mph).

"I've been around it my entire life," Troxel, 33, said. "I did not have a lot of interest in racing itself until I was in my teens. Then I started paying attention to what was happening with the car, helping out with the family. When I grew up and ran some high school drag racing events, I was hooked."

Top Fuel rookie Hillary Will, who is 10th in points, also said her father, Steve, instilled in her a love for drag racing while she was growing up in Fortuna. By the time Will reached high school, she was sacrificing social time with her friends to go race on the weekends.

"I would miss anything to go to a race, that was my main priority," Will said.

She studied economics at Wheaton College (Mass.), eventually taking a job as a financial analyst. But racing was always No. 1 in her heart.

With help from well-known racer Bucky Austin, a family friend, Will began driving a Top Alcohol dragster in 2005 -- giving up her day job to work full time on securing sponsorship for her car.

Last August, Will was approached by Ken Black Racing and Kalitta Motorsports, one of the NHRA's top teams, and began racing a Top Fuel car for the team this season.

"It's been a whole lifestyle change," Will, 26, said. "I went from working 9-6 every day and being stuck in this cubicle. Now I'm traveling, (and) I'm a part of this very well-known team."

The other two drivers in the top 10 are Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Another woman is likely to break into the NHRA's Funny Car class next season -- with much fanfare. Ashley Force, the daughter of 13-time Funny Car champ John Force, is starring in the A&E reality show "Driving Force," along with her father and two younger sisters, who are also aspiring drivers.

Ashley Force, 23, who competes in Top Alcohol this year, said she draws inspiration from the current crop of women having success at the NHRA's highest level.

"It's exciting to watch girls, who you've watched come up the ranks, and now finally they make it to (the) pro (class), and you see how good they're doing," Force said.

FRAM-AUTOLITE NATIONALS

• WHAT: The 15th of 23 events on the National Hot Rod Association drag racing series

• WHERE: Infineon Raceway, highways 37 & 121, Sonoma

• WHEN: Pro qualifying Friday, 3:15 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. Final eliminations Sunday, noon.

• DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Gary Scelzi (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle)

• TV: Saturday, 5 p.m., ESPN2; Sunday, 5 p.m., ESPN2 (both days tape-delayed)

• TICKETS: Call 800-870-7223 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Comments

[ANNAMARIE mule']

love your website, i have been to car dealerships, and men want to know where my husband is, i dont have one anymore, but please help me get a car.Out the door they send me. Im sick of this treatment, I want to be treated like a person. thank you for listening to me.

[Erica Ortiz]

NHRA has always had great, strong women in the ranks. But as Melanie says, it takes a good team for a talented driver to be successful. Unfortunately, those opportunities are still VERY hard to come by moving up the ranks. Melanie herself experienced this for several years until she landed the contract with Schumacher that finally put her where she belonged... on the track. But getting to that point is still a long, descriminative road for many women, something I hope will start to change with the mainstream publicity that the "Driving Force" show is bringing to the sport.