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Cover of Drag Racing USA magazine, featuring Shirley Muldowney and her trademark pink dragster

Shirley Muldowney (b. June 9, 1940, Schenectady, New York), the "First Lady of Drag Racing" was the first woman to receive a licence to drive a top fuel dragster by the NHRA. She won the NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1977, 1980 and 1982.

After a crash in 1984 she was sidelined for a long period but returned to the circuit in the late 1980s. She continued to race, mostly without major sponsorship, throughout the 1990s in IHRA competition as well as match-racing events.

She returned to the NHRA towards the end of her career, running select events until her retirement at the end of 2003.

• In 2004, she was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
• She was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1990.
• Ranked No.5 on the National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers, 1951-2000.

Muldowney's success came in the face of enormous opposition from those who felt drag racing was no place for women. Don Garlits, the "Big Daddy" of drag racing, has said about her:

"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."[1]

Muldowney was described by longtime drag racer Fred Farndon as the "best 'natural' driver (top fuel or funny car), no question".[2]

She was nicknamed "Cha-Cha" - a name chosen by car owner and then boyfriend Connie Kalitta. She later dropped the moniker, stating: "There is no room for bimboism in drag racing."

Shirley Muldowney is married to Rahn Tobler, who was her crew chief. After Muldowney's retirement, Tobler became crew chief for the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster of Doug Kalitta, Connie Kalitta's nephew.

Muldowney was portrayed by actress Bonnie Bedelia in the 1983 film, Heart Like a Wheel.

Shirley currently is mentoring Top Fuel driver Hillary Will.

Muldowney files for divorce from Rahn Tobler in late 2006.

L7, an all-female punk band, featured Muldowney in their 1994 track Shirley, on their fourth album, Hungry for Stink.

• Shirley Muldowney's Tales from the Track by Shirley Muldowney with Bill Stephens, published by Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2005
• official site