How about ace funny car/Indy car/land speed pilot Paula "Miss STP" Murphy, here shown chatting with "Thunderlungs" Lundberg in a scan from a '67 issue of SS&DI. https://www.nhra.com/news/2016/female-funny-car-pioneer-paula-murphy
Donna Mae Mims - She started racing sports cars in the late 50's. She was an executive secretary at Yenko Chevrolet and first female to win a national racing championship as SCCA champion in 1963. She's in the Corvette Hall of Fame and also raced a Yenko Stinger Corvair, the first of the Yenko COPO cars.
Hefling Spl -early midget c. 1926 of Frank 'Dizzy' Hefling of IL From David Greenlees theoldmotor.com theoldmotor.com/?p=80071 Comment by Mike Osher "The picture of the Helfing SPL may well be a very early “Midget” or board track racer. Frank “Dizzy” Helfing may be the builder and the young lady is probably his wife or girlfriend. Judging from the background it may very well be a track racer."
I don't know about the car but the girls name was Elfrieda Mais. https://indymaven.com/articles/elfrieda-mais-indianapolis-500/
One of my favorite's is my friend Shirley Shahan, she is one of our volunteers at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California. The "Drag-On Lady" is one of the first women to win an NHRA Event!
Ok, I went thru and cleaned this up. Lets try to keep this to vintage Lady race car drivers and such. If your wife is into cars great, but lets try to stay on topic here. Also please no modern cheesecake pinup pics. Lets try to honor the OP's intention for this thread. Thanks
I don’t know if she drove cars, but how about Amelia Airhart(sp)? Kind of a pioneer for women I think?
Although she has unfortunately passed, Donna Mae will also be inducted into the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Hall of Fame this year.
Ethel (Flock) Mobley sister of Tim, Bob and Fonty Flock Sara Christian was the first woman to race in NASCAR, in 1949 her first NASCAR race was actually the first official NASCAR stickily stock (now cup series) race Louise Smith
Phyllis Lindsley, wife of dry lakes legend Jim Lindsley and mother to a racing family. SCTA timer, recorder and secretary to Wally Parks. Phyllis was the first to run on the Bonneville salt, when women couldn't run. At the first Bonneville meet, the SCTA team had finished setting up the timing lights and equipment, so she jumped in Jim's roadster and "unofficially" went thru the traps at about 150mph. She was a major reason the SCTA survived during it's infancy in the early 50's.
Was her name Carol Cox by any chance.. I remember her driving a very fast 62 Catalina, 421 dual quads, swiss cheese frame, aluminum bumpers and body panels but it had a hydro..