Undoubtedly you’ve heard of the glass ceiling. It’s that invisible barrier that has been around for decades and has routinely kept women from climbing the career ladder in certain professional occupations. Wait, make it most professional occupations; especially those deemed more appropriate for men.
However, while the glass ceiling may be frustrating and often get in the way of many women trying to make it to the top, it hasn’t completely stopped a lot of women who have chosen to pursue their dream to work in the heavily male-dominated industry of motorsports.
Women Drivers in NASCAR, NHRA and Indy
Back in the sixties, seventies and eighties Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney was the fastest female driver in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), winning three NHRA Winston World titles in 1977, 1980 and 1982. In addition, she won the American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) World Championship in 1981.
Her willingness to buck the odds and challenge the male status quo led her to be the first woman licensed by NHRA to drive a gasoline-burning dragster. Now in her sixties she continues to drive and work in the field she loves. While you might have thought Muldowney’s entry into the world of racing would open up a lot of doors for other women to follow, it has not been an easy climb.
In the July 27, 2007, NASCAR.com article, “Lack of support at lower level hurts female drivers,” writer Raygan Swan spoke with 1992 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Lynn St. James to get her perspective on the difficulties for women. St. James said that entry into the field is hindered not just by the lack of financial support, but by the lack of fundamental “grass-root” support as well. Additionally, she noted, that she felt while those in power are interested in having females in NASCAR, they aren’t willing to put in the effort to get them there. That means it is up to women to be the driving force.
For St. James that driving force meant creating Project Podium, “a program geared to provide grants on a match-fund basis to female drivers who look to succeed in the highly competitive motorsports industry.”
Another driving force in professional racing is the Force family, which includes three racing daughters: Ashley, Courtney and Brittany. Though their long-winning, popular father (15-time Funny Car champion driver and 17-time champion car owner John Force) tends to overshadow their successes, they each are working hard to have a racing career of their own.
Perhaps the best known of the three, Ashley Force Hood set an NHRA speed record (316.38 miles per hour) just a year ago in her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. Now she is stepping into the role of President of John Force Entertainment, “a company tasked with the responsibility of taking the JFR brand to new markets and new audiences.” In the meantime, she is teaching younger sisters Courtney and Brittany the racing ropes.
Another female racing superstar, Danica Patrick, is one of the hottest female properties in the racing world today. Starting her career in the IndyCar Series, in recent years she has successfully done what few male racers had accomplished before her. She expanded her driving repertoire to include both Indy and the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Although just recently she announced her full-time entry into stock-car racing with JR Motorsports, a company shephered by another woman, co-owner and general manager Kelley Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s big sister.
Patrick has since parlayed her good name and good looks into a marketing empire with brands such as GoDaddy.com, 7-Eleven and Tissot Watches. And though some detractors complain that she has gotten this far in her career weighing heavily on her good looks, Patrick is only one of many successful women in motorsports.
Other Women in Motorsports
Though the sport of racing still remains heavily male dominated, women from all around the world – Simona De Silvestro of Switzerland, Katherine Legge of the U.K. -- have thrown their hats into the ring. But women in motorsports aren’t limited to sitting behind the wheel.
Alba Colon is the top female engineer in any NASCAR-sanctioned series. She is in charge of all of GM Racing's NHRA drag-racing programs, including Funny Car, Top Fuel Dragster, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck and Sportsman series.
She came to her job through education (mechanical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico) and hard work. She competed and was team captain in the Formula SAE program, building and exhibiting race cars during her four years in college.
Another successful woman in the field of motorsports is Gillian Zucker, President of Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., about 50 miles south of Los Angeles. As the General Motors Program Manager for Chevrolet, she is the first female president of a track which hosts a NASCAR Cup Series event. She oversees all the Speedway’s business units including operations, public relations and marketing. She has a long history of working in the field of sports including management positions with the Durham Bulls and at Daytona International Speedway.
What Women Mean to Motorsports
Lest you forget (or don’t realize) the importance of women to the world of motorsports, here are some figures you might not know:
- Of the 6.6 million people attending Winston Cup (now known as Sprint Cup) races each year 40% are women
- According to 74% of men and 62% of women, “women racers bring fans out to the games”
- Women spend 80% of all sport apparel dollars and control 60% of all money spent on men’s clothing
- Women comprise over one-third (34%) of the adult audience for ESPN sport event programs
Ultimately, through perseverance and skill woman have made great strides in the male-dominated field of motorsports. And while the glass ceiling may be only cracked, there are a lot more doors opening for females interested in driving through.
Sources:
Ashley Force Hood website accessed August 24, 2011.
Askpatty. “International Women’s Day 2010 – Two Top Motorsports Women Lead the Way.” Zimbio. March 1, 2010. Accessed August 24, 2011.
Brittany Force website accessed August 24, 2011.
Danica Patrick website accessed August 24, 2011.
International Speedway Corporation website accessed August 24, 2011.
Marketing to Women Quick Facts from She-conomy.com accessed August 24, 2011.
Menzer, Joe. "Earnhardt: Danica to Give JRM, NASCAR a Boost." NASCAR.com. August 26, 2011. Accessed August 26, 2011.
Peltz, Jim. “Think Simona De Silvestro, Not Danica Patrick.” Los Angeles Times, April 16, 2010. Accessed August 24, 2011.
Shirley Muldowney website accessed August 24, 2011.
Swan, Raygan. “Lack of support at lower levels hurts female drivers.” NASCAR.com, July 27, 2007. Accessed August 24, 2011.
Deborah S. Hildebrand - Deborah S. Hildebrand is a freelance writer & HR consultant with 20+ years in human resources & a Bachelor's degree in Business.
