Not many are aware of the fact that the history of NASCAR is sprinkled with several talented female racers. Notably, women were even amongst those competing for the win in the very first Cup Series race back in 1949 at Charlotte. Here’s a compilation of the best amongst them who expanded boundaries in their race cars and gave the men a run for their money over the past seven decades.
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7. Sara Christian – Although her racing career was short-lived, Christian’s accomplishments have withstood the test of time. She drove a Ford owned by her husband in that Charlotte race in 1949 and finished in 14th place. Her best finish in the seven races that she drove in was the fifth place she secured in the Heidelberg Raceway.
6. Louise Smith – Smith raced in NASCAR between 1949 and 1956. She drove in multiple racing disciplines ranging from midgets to stock cars and won 38 races throughout her career. Her aggressive racing style earned her a place in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1999). Her best finish in the 11 Cup Series starts she had was 16th place at Langhorne Speedway in 1949.
5. Janet Guthrie – Guthrie’s debut in NASCAR was at the 1977 Daytona 500. She finished in 12th place despite issues with her engine. Over the five years she spent racing, she became the first female to race in a superspeedway track and the first to qualify for the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. She started 33 races in the Cup Series and secured five top-10 results.
4. Shawna Robinson – Participating is one thing but winning is a whole other level. Robinson became the first female to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in 1988 when she reached victory lane in the Dash Series. She raced in the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series throughout the 1990s. She secured pole position for the 1994 Atlanta 300, a second-tier fixture.
3. Toni Breidinger – 25-year-old Breidinger has a widespread following on social media. She races full-time in the ARCA Menards Series and part-time in the Craftsman Truck Series. Her popularity is owed to her secondary career as a model for Victoria’s Secret. She finished in 27th place in the 2024 Daytona 500 driving the No. 1 truck for Tricon Garage.
2. Hailie Deegan – Deegan is one of the most promising youngsters to climb up the ladders of motorsports in recent times. She secured a ride in the Xfinity Series in 2024 after serving a decent stint in the Truck Series. Unfortunately, her contract with AM Racing was nullified earlier this month due to a lack of expected results and she has been relieved of her seat.
1. Danica Patrick – She is perhaps the most influential female racer to grace NASCAR. Patrick was the first woman to start a Daytona 500 from pole position in 2013. She finished in a record-setting eighth place. She was also the first woman to secure a top-5 result in the Indianapolis 500 and has brought in seven top-10 finishes in the Cup Series.
