Women in Racing

Majors Mobile Detailing Prime 5 Female Racers

What is Prime 5. The Majors Mobile Detailing top 5 list of: automotive developments, facts, features; and fun. Join us as we list the pioneering women in motor racing.

The dawn of the auto age at the beginning of the last century was also the beginning of auto racing around the world. Women are a minority, in motorsports. This did not mean that Women had no interest in automobiles and racing. To the contrary. Women have bought, maintained, and raced automobiles. Here is our Prime 5 listing of the Female racing pioneers.

5. Tia Norfleet

Shauntia Latrice "Tia" Norfleet is the daughter of NASCAR driver Bobby Norfleet, she has completed multiple laps in a late model stock cars and has competed in drag racing.

4. Milka Duno

Milka Duno is a Venezuelan race car driver who competed in the IndyCar Series and competes in the ARCA Racing Series. She is best known for holding the record of highest finish for a female driver in the 24 Hours of Daytona. She entered the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2014.

3. Janet Guthrie

Janet Guthrie is a retired professional race car driver and the first woman to qualify and compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, both in 1977. She had first attempted to enter the Indianapolis 500 in 1976 but failed to qualify. She raced in three Indy 500s, 1977; 1978 & 1979.

2. Sara Christian

Sara Christian was the first woman driver in NASCAR history. She competed in NASCAR's first race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Sara made seven starts in the Sprint Cup Series during the course of two years. Sara's best finish (5th) came in 1949 at Heidelberg Raceway.

1. Maria Teresa de Filippis

Maria was an Italian racing driver. She was the first woman to race in Formula One. She participated in five Grands Prix’s, debuting at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, driving a Maserati. Although her Formula One racing career was brief, she won races in other series and is remembered as a pioneer in the sport.