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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. While some female NASCAR drivers have transitioned or attempted to transition from open-wheel racing and sports car racing (Sarah Fisher, Janet Guthrie, Danica Patrick), most have climbed the stock-car racing ladder (Tammy Jo Kirk, Johanna Long, Shawna Robinson), beginning to race full-sized stock cars in their teenage years. Relatively few women have contested a full season in any of NASCAR's touring series, although this is increasingly common. A few women have raced with the help of the Drive for Diversity program, created in 2004, with Mackena Bell achieving limited success at the K&N Pro Series level and Kenzie Ruston doing the same in her final season in the K&N Pro Series East.
Contents
- 20th century
- 21st century
- Drivers
- Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
- Xfinity Series
- Camping World Truck Series
- KN Pro Series
- International Series
- Modified Tours
- Defunct Series
- References
At least 101 women have qualified for and started a race in one of NASCAR's touring series, including 16 at the premier level. As of the conclusion of the 2016 season, Shawna Robinson remains the only woman to have won a race in one of NASCAR's touring series, winning three times between 1988 and 1989 in the now-defunct Dash Series. Four female drivers: Robinson, Danica Patrick, Tammy Jo Kirk, and Mara Reyes have won poles.
In 2016, a record 18 different women started a race in one of NASCAR's touring series. Julia Landauer was the most successful within her respective series, finishing 4th in points in the K&N Pro Series West.
20th century
NASCAR has seen varying levels of participation by female drivers throughout its ranks since the sanctioning body's inception in 1949. Sara Christian competed in the inaugural NASCAR race at Charlotte Speedway (she had Bob Flock finish the race). In the second official race, at Daytona Beach and Road Course, Christian was joined by Ethel Mobley and Louise Smith, with Mobley finishing first out of the 3, in 11th. Through the 1950s and 1960s, female racers made only a handful of starts in NASCAR's touring series. Betty Skelton Erde wasn't technically a NASCAR driver, but she drove the pace car at Daytona in 1954, and was clocked at a speed of 105.88 mph (170.40 km/h) on the sand, setting a stock car speed record for women.
No woman had raced in a decade when Janet Guthrie started the 1976 World 600, finishing 15th, ahead of Dale Earnhardt. In 1977, Janet Guthrie, would become the first woman to lead a Winston Cup Series race under caution, at Ontario Speedway. In 1986, Patty Moise would become the first woman to lead in a Busch Series race.
In 1988, Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series (later the Goody's Dash Series) driver Shawna Robinson became the first woman to win a NASCAR Touring Series event, earning "Rookie of the Year" and "Most Popular Driver" honors. In her sophomore Dash Series run, Robinson became the first woman to earn the pole position in a NASCAR touring 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.
21st century
After a hiatus to start a family, Shawna Robinson returned to stock car racing in 1999, contesting a full ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series season in 2000 before returning to sporadic NASCAR-sanctioned competition over the following several seasons. In 2001, Robinson would be the first woman to finish a race in the Winston Cup Series since Janet Guthrie in 1980. In 2003, Robinson would also have the first all-female pit crew for a Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
In 2004, NASCAR inaugurated the Drive for Diversity program, hoping to develop a more diverse driver base. While the program has succeeded in launching the careers of minority drivers including Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race-winner Kyle Larson, Camping World Truck Series race-winner Darrell Wallace, Jr., and 2016 Xfinity Series Champion Daniel Suárez, no woman member of the program has gone on to make more than one start in NASCAR's three major divisions.
In 2010, IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick joined NASCAR, racing part-time in the K&N Pro Series East and the Nationwide Series. 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. However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. In 2012, Patrick would eventually race part-time in the Sprint Cup Series.
In 2011, Snowball Derby winner Johanna Long entered the Camping World Truck Series at 19 years of age, being the youngest female driver to race in the series. Long would eventually race in the Nationwide Series, making her debut in the 2012 DRIVE4COPD 300, finishing ahead of Patrick by 17 places.
In 2012, Danica Patrick was voted NASCAR's Most Popular Nationwide Driver, becoming the first woman to receive that award in NASCAR's top three divisions.
In 2013, Patrick became the first woman in Sprint Cup history to have a full-time ride in the series (with Stewart-Haas Racing), 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. Patrick later finished the race in 8th, the highest finish for a woman in the Daytona 500. She also became the first woman to race at every racetrack on the circuit.
In 2014, Patrick became the first woman to race in the 2014 Sprint Unlimited. At Talladega she became the first woman to lead laps there. That year she had three top 10 finishes with her best finish of sixth at Atlanta. In 2015, Patrick tied Janet Guthrie for most top ten finishes for a woman with a 7th-place finish at Martinsville. A few weeks later she passed Guthrie for the most top ten finishes for a woman in Sprint Cup history at Bristol. At Michigan she became the first woman to lead under green on a non-restrictor plate track. At Kentucky, Patrick became the first woman to make 100 starts in NASCAR's Cup Series. In 2016, Patrick led a high of 30 laps in a season. In 2017, Patrick got her first top five in the 2017 Advance Auto Parts Clash, it was an exhibition race but her best finish in a Cup Car with a fourth place finish best for a woman in a Cup car.
Also in 2014, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series formed the Lady Cup, a championship system for female drivers.
Drivers
All statistics used in these tables are as of the end of the 2016 season.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Formerly Strictly Stock Series (1949), Grand National Series (1950-70), Winston Cup Series (1971-2003), Nextel Cup Series (2004-07) and Sprint Cup Series (2008-16)
Xfinity Series
Formerly Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series (1982-83), Busch Grand National Series (1984-94), Busch Grand National Division (1995-2003), Busch Series (2004-07) and Nationwide Series (2008-14)
Camping World Truck Series
Formerly SuperTruck Series by Craftsman (1995) and Craftsman Truck Series (1996-2008)
K&N Pro Series
K&N Pro Series East
Formerly Busch North Series (1987-2005), Busch East Series (2006-07), and Camping World East Series (2008-09)
K&N Pro Series West
Formerly Pacific Coast Late Model Division (1954-69), Grand National West (1970), Winston West Series (1971-93), Winston Transcontinental Series (1994), Winston West Series (1995-2003), West Series (2004-05), AutoZone West Series (2006), West Series (2007), and Camping World West Series (2008-09)
International Series
Peak Mexico Series
Formerly Desafío Corona (2004-06), Corona Series (2007-11), Toyota Series (2012-14), Mexico Series (2015)
Note: Full statistics only available beginning with 2011 season
Pinty's Series
Formerly Canadian Tire Series (2007-15)
Whelen Euro Series Elite 1 Division
Formerly Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series Elite Division (2012) and Whelen Euro Series Elite Division (2013)
Whelen Euro Series Elite 2 Division
Formerly Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series Open Division (2012) and Whelen Euro Series Open Division (2013)
Note: Full statistics only available beginning with 2014 season
Modified Tours
Whelen Modified Tour
Formerly Winston Modified Tour (1985-93) and Featherlite Modified Series (1994-2004)
Whelen Southern Modified Tour
Defunct Series
AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series (2004-06)
Formerly RE/MAX Challenge Series (1998-2002) and International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series (2003)
AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series (2004-06)
Formerly Northwest Tour (1985-86), Winston Northwest Tour (1987-94), REB-CO Northwest Tour (1995-97), and Raybestos Northwest Series (1998-2003)
AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series (2004-06)
Formerly Winston All Pro Series (1991-93), Slim Jim All-Pro Series (1994-2000), Gatorade All Pro Series (2001), Hills Bros. All Pro Series (2002), and Kodak Southeast Series (2003)
AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series (2003-06)
Formerly Featherlite Southwest Tour (1986-2002)
Goody's Dash Series (1992-2003)
Formerly Baby Grand Division (1975-79), International Sedan Series (1980-82), Darlington Dash Series (1983-84), Daytona Dash Series (1985), Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series (1986-89) and Dash Series (1990-91)