Heart Like a Wheel
May 26, 2016 12:46 PM Subscribe
Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney "was the first woman to receive a license from the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) to drive a Top Fuel dragster. She won the NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1977, 1980, and 1982, becoming the first person to win two and three Top Fuel titles. She won a total of 18 NHRA national events." She is ranked fifth on the NHRA top 50 drivers of all time.
"Top Fuel dragsters are the quickest accelerating vehicles in the world and the fastest sanctioned category of drag racers." "The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada." (NHRA) (drag racing)
"Big Daddy" Don Garlits, who is considered the father of drag racing, had this to say about Shirley, "Now, if you ask who do I have the most respect for, I'd say Shirley Muldowney. She went against all odds. They didn't want her to race Top Fuel, the association, the racers, nobody...Just Shirley."
Videos: 1977 Shirley Finishes First - A three-race win streak put Shirley Muldowney in the points lead in 1977, and there she stayed to become the first woman in any motorsport to win a title in a professional racing series. Shirley Shows She's Got The Goods - Wins the 1976 Springnationals in Columbus, Ohio. Shirley Muldowney Career Highlights. Like all Top Fuel drivers know, the risks are high. Crashes do happen. Shirley Muldowney crashes - Montreal 1984 (there is nothing harrowing in this video - but there are some photos of the crash). This accident had an enormous impact on her life, but here she is two years later competing and appearing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She speaks about the crash, her return to racing, and the resistance she received when she first tried to enter the sport.
In 1983 the movie "Heart Like a Wheel" was released. It tells her life story. Here is the movie in full.
In 2003 Shirley formally retired at the age of 63. Shirley's Last Pass. An homage from draglist.com. CBS News.
In Their Own Words: Shirley Muldowney, a 2009 interview (the photo gallery). Racing Heroes – Shirley Muldowney, a 2013 retrospective of her career.
Sadly, it was recently revealed that Shirley has lung cancer and is to undergo surgery.
Previously.
"Top Fuel dragsters are the quickest accelerating vehicles in the world and the fastest sanctioned category of drag racers." "The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada." (NHRA) (drag racing)
"Big Daddy" Don Garlits, who is considered the father of drag racing, had this to say about Shirley, "Now, if you ask who do I have the most respect for, I'd say Shirley Muldowney. She went against all odds. They didn't want her to race Top Fuel, the association, the racers, nobody...Just Shirley."
Videos: 1977 Shirley Finishes First - A three-race win streak put Shirley Muldowney in the points lead in 1977, and there she stayed to become the first woman in any motorsport to win a title in a professional racing series. Shirley Shows She's Got The Goods - Wins the 1976 Springnationals in Columbus, Ohio. Shirley Muldowney Career Highlights. Like all Top Fuel drivers know, the risks are high. Crashes do happen. Shirley Muldowney crashes - Montreal 1984 (there is nothing harrowing in this video - but there are some photos of the crash). This accident had an enormous impact on her life, but here she is two years later competing and appearing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She speaks about the crash, her return to racing, and the resistance she received when she first tried to enter the sport.
In 1983 the movie "Heart Like a Wheel" was released. It tells her life story. Here is the movie in full.
In 2003 Shirley formally retired at the age of 63. Shirley's Last Pass. An homage from draglist.com. CBS News.
In Their Own Words: Shirley Muldowney, a 2009 interview (the photo gallery). Racing Heroes – Shirley Muldowney, a 2013 retrospective of her career.
Sadly, it was recently revealed that Shirley has lung cancer and is to undergo surgery.
Previously.
I have her autograph. I was young enough to still collect them, and my dad ran an engine shop that built a ton of racing engines, and so I got to hang out in the pit and crew areas of most racing events where I could pester my dad to take me to, but he surprised me with a trip to see her race, because I was saying that I was going to be a racer when I got older, and guys in the shop were laughing and saying that girls didn't race, girls waved starter flags and looked cute standing next to the real drivers. My dad, surprising for a red neck in the 70s, was having none of that, so took me to see Cha Cha race, and win, and I got her autograph, and a picture with her and her car. The autograph reads; stay so fast the bastards never catch you. It's awesome.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 1:02 PM on May 26, 2016 [47 favorites]
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 1:02 PM on May 26, 2016 [47 favorites]
Sad news, but at least it wasn't an obit. And yes, Ms. Muldowney does have an impressive record. If you have never seen top fuel dragsters in person it really is awe-inspiring (not to mention ear-splitting and eye-watering). Here's hoping she does well; it is a good sign that they are willing to operate.
posted by TedW at 1:03 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by TedW at 1:03 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
I imagine she inspired some of the girls and women mentioned in this previous post.
posted by TedW at 1:06 PM on May 26, 2016
posted by TedW at 1:06 PM on May 26, 2016
Some say the single hardest thing to do in professional sports is to hit a baseball thrown by a star pitcher. I think driving Top Fuel has that beat.
She is number 5 on the list of all-time greats who could do that.
posted by Slap*Happy at 1:31 PM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
She is number 5 on the list of all-time greats who could do that.
posted by Slap*Happy at 1:31 PM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
Good wishes, Ms Muldowney. Also, somebody link to the L7 song about her please.
posted by jonmc at 1:39 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by jonmc at 1:39 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
She's been a hero of mine since way back when. Here's hoping the surgery goes exceedingly well.
posted by spilon at 1:52 PM on May 26, 2016
posted by spilon at 1:52 PM on May 26, 2016
The way people talk about seeing a Top Fuel race in person makes it sound like quite an experience, a visceral pounding of one's body from the intense sound pressure.
posted by exogenous at 1:57 PM on May 26, 2016
posted by exogenous at 1:57 PM on May 26, 2016
SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!
Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney at the Greeeeat Laakes Speeedwaaay!
It's like the refrain of my childhood.
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:13 PM on May 26, 2016 [9 favorites]
Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney at the Greeeeat Laakes Speeedwaaay!
It's like the refrain of my childhood.
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:13 PM on May 26, 2016 [9 favorites]
THUNDER! THUNDER! THUNDERNATIONALS!
US 131 DRAGWAY!
BE THERE!
posted by Chrischris at 2:27 PM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
US 131 DRAGWAY!
BE THERE!
posted by Chrischris at 2:27 PM on May 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
And she did all that back in the quarter-mile days.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:42 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Thorzdad at 2:42 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Someone get George Miller on the phone. Shirley's cameo with Imperator Furiosa would be awesome.
posted by adept256 at 3:44 PM on May 26, 2016
posted by adept256 at 3:44 PM on May 26, 2016
Super smoking hot butch lesbian folk singer Phranc included Muldowney in her paen to women athletes, Amazons.
posted by not that girl at 4:47 PM on May 26, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by not that girl at 4:47 PM on May 26, 2016 [4 favorites]
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult: Devil Bunnies
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 5:18 PM on May 26, 2016
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 5:18 PM on May 26, 2016
... the quickest accelerating vehicles in the world ...
Not to take anything from Shirley Muldowney, but does a dragster accelerate fast enough to make your face flap, like a rocket sled does?
posted by Bruce H. at 5:26 PM on May 26, 2016
Not to take anything from Shirley Muldowney, but does a dragster accelerate fast enough to make your face flap, like a rocket sled does?
posted by Bruce H. at 5:26 PM on May 26, 2016
Wow, that Phranc video was a new one to me. It's weird to find a great artist I didn't know about who owes more to Bob Dylan musically than to NWA.
And Shirley is fucking awesome. Johnny totally cheated in that golf cart race.
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:30 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
And Shirley is fucking awesome. Johnny totally cheated in that golf cart race.
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:30 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
fast enough to make your face flap
Dragsters have windscreens because you can't see the road when your face is flapping, and you have like 5.5 seconds to make sure you hit the finish line correctly.
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:31 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Dragsters have windscreens because you can't see the road when your face is flapping, and you have like 5.5 seconds to make sure you hit the finish line correctly.
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:31 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Wow, that Phranc video was a new one to me. It's weird to find a great artist I didn't know about who owes more to Bob Dylan musically than to NWA.
Her cover of his song, The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll, is very good.
posted by not that girl at 8:11 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Her cover of his song, The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll, is very good.
posted by not that girl at 8:11 PM on May 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
One advantage of having a well-off friend whose other well-off friends throw him a bachelor party to which you're invited: chartering a Lear jet (!) to fly from Seattle to a drag strip in the LA area (!) to attend a one-day drag racing class (!!). With the cost for his "not software cajillionaire friends" (hi) picked up. (!!!)
They put you in mid-engined dragsters which have restrictor plates so they only make maybe 20% of their real power, which is still leagues away from a top-fuel dragster. It's still a hoot.
It's mostly about reaction time; mine is about sloth level, so I would suck at the "high school drags" let alone anything pro.
I've always admired Shirley and wish her well.
posted by maxwelton at 12:22 AM on May 27, 2016
They put you in mid-engined dragsters which have restrictor plates so they only make maybe 20% of their real power, which is still leagues away from a top-fuel dragster. It's still a hoot.
It's mostly about reaction time; mine is about sloth level, so I would suck at the "high school drags" let alone anything pro.
I've always admired Shirley and wish her well.
posted by maxwelton at 12:22 AM on May 27, 2016
"What's a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?"
"Winning."
posted by louche mustachio at 3:27 AM on May 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
"Winning."
posted by louche mustachio at 3:27 AM on May 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
Slap*Happy: "Some say the single hardest thing to do in professional sports is to hit a baseball thrown by a star pitcher. I think driving Top Fuel has that beat. "
Top Fuel is no doubt difficult, but do the very best drivers fail 60%-70% of the time? The best all-career batting average is Ty Cobb's .366 over 24 seasons ending in 1928. The last .400 season was Ted Williams' in 1941. The best 2015 season batting average was Miguel Cabrera's .338.
posted by chavenet at 8:40 AM on May 27, 2016
Top Fuel is no doubt difficult, but do the very best drivers fail 60%-70% of the time? The best all-career batting average is Ty Cobb's .366 over 24 seasons ending in 1928. The last .400 season was Ted Williams' in 1941. The best 2015 season batting average was Miguel Cabrera's .338.
posted by chavenet at 8:40 AM on May 27, 2016
chavenet: If you look at the 1:30 mark in the "Last Pass" video they show a 33% win rate. That looks to only be for this particular season's starts, but this is a top 25 driver we're talking about, and that's right in line with batting average numbers. Unfortunately, I couldn't find more comprehensive numbers without writing something to screen-scrape the NHRA's results history.
Alternately, in the same video at the 1:00 mark they give some different career stats:
1971-2003
Races: 157
Finals: 27
Wins: 18
#1 qualifier: 13
Championships: 3
So, wins/races is only 11%, but that's more of a "games won" metric than a "batting average", which would be winning any particular quarter mile lap.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 9:26 AM on May 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Alternately, in the same video at the 1:00 mark they give some different career stats:
1971-2003
Races: 157
Finals: 27
Wins: 18
#1 qualifier: 13
Championships: 3
So, wins/races is only 11%, but that's more of a "games won" metric than a "batting average", which would be winning any particular quarter mile lap.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 9:26 AM on May 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
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And, 2016; you just sit the hell down. Tired of your act.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 12:50 PM on May 26, 2016 [7 favorites]