Whenever I ask a kid who Shirley Muldowney is, they never know. They always guess that she was some homemaker or a teacher. Some even guess that she held political office. When I tell them that she was one of the best car drivers I’ve ever seen, without fail they say, “like Danica Patrick?” And I laugh and say, "something like that."

Muldowney was not only the first woman to be licensed to race in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), she was the first two and three time Top Fuel title holder. She is number 5 on the National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers list and she’s in the Motorsport Racing Hall of Fame.

"NHRA fought me every inch of the way, but when they saw how a girl could fill the stands; they saw I was good for the sport," said Muldowney.

Listen to Ron Barr interview racing legend and pioneer Shirley Muldowney.

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