Female Racers Have Long History at Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala. NOvember 26, 2008: Whether it has been mixing it up with the boys in stockcar competition or setting speed records, female drivers have a long and storied history at Talladega Superspeedway. Below is a brief look at what several women have accomplished at NASCAR’s Most Competitive Track over the years.

Lyn St. James

Lyn St. James set her first speed record at Talladega Superspeedway in 1985 when she broke the 200 mph mark in a Ford Mustang Probe Prototype. She followed up that feat with a 212.577 mph women’s national speed record in a Ford Thunderbird on Oct. 11, 1988.

Patty Moise

Moise trumped St. James’s speed records in 1989 by driving 216.607 mph around Talladega Superspeedway. She went on to set another record in 1990, moving the bar to 217.498 mph on Jan. 23rd. Moise also competed in the ARCA RE/MAX, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Sprint Cup series’ at Talladega Superspeedway. She earned two pole awards in ARCA competition in April 1988 and July 1988. Her best finish at Talladega was seventh in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 1995.

Janet Guthrie

Guthrie competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series three times at Talladega Superspeedway, with an average starting position of 11th.

Shawna Robinson

Robinson had two top-ten starts in ARCA RE/MAX Series competition at Talladega Superspeedway, with a best finish of sixth in the 2000 ARCA RE/MAX Series 250.

Erin Crocker

Eric Crocker competed three times at Talladega Superspeedway; twice in the ARCA RE/MAX Series and once in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. She recorded top-20 finishes in each of her outings, with a best of fourth in the 2005 ARCA RE/MAX Series 250.

The next generation of famous female racers have already begun competing at Talladega Superspeedway. The ARCA RE/MAX Series 250 in October featured three female drivers, with Chrissy Wallace (daughter of Mike Wallace and niece of Rusty Wallace) scoring a best among the women ninth-place finish.

In 2009, Talladega Superspeedway proudly celebrates forty years of the most competitive racing in NASCAR. While the track has seen changes made to the cars that circle its high-banks, the surface that they race on and the grandstands that thousands of fans fill twice a year, one constant remains; Talladega Superspeedway is authentic NASCAR racing at its finest.