Cha Cha

[carl s]

from 'History of Women in Funny Cars'
The recently retired Queen of Drag Racing, Shirley Muldowney, started her fuel career in funny cars. She stepped up to fuel funny cars from a Top Gas dragster in 1971. Shirley was teamed with her first husband Jack Muldowney. The team bought a car from Connie Kalitta and began her funny car career. The Muldowneys split and Shirley moved to Michigan. A new modern Mustang funny car was built in 1972. In this car she became the first female to reach a national event final in any fuel class.
The Mustang was lost and Shirley was badly burned in a fire at Dragway 42 in Ohio. A Satellite soon replaced the second Mustang. It also was lost to fire, this time at Indy. The team finished her match race dates in loaned car from Don Schumacher. Shirley retired from funny cars after three short but well documented years where she ran a 6.63, 219 best. Tired of fires, Shirley moved to Top Fuel dragsters and became the sport’s first three-time Top Fuel world champion.

[nitrofan]

I saw Shirley driving the 'bounty huntress ' mustang at new england dragway and also the satellite. She was gutsy that was a dangerous era for 'funny' cars.

[cheeseczar]

When she was at the now closed Baylands Raceway Park in Fremont, CA. I went out to watch. Armed with camera I happened to be standing next to her crew's truck when she was getting ready for a run. I must have taken 20 shots. It was a good moment for me. It was just the two of us. We laughed and got along quite well.

I'd post the pictures...but there was no film in the dam camera.

Of course I blamed my now ex-wife for the whole thing. It was her camera.

[nitrofan]

i hate it when that happens..........