NHRA UPDATE: MULDOWNEY SET TO RETIRE `SAD DAY' FOR PIONEER DRAGSTER.Byline: Tim Haddock Staff Writer POMONA - Shirley Muldowney Shirley Muldowney (b. June 19 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. , the first woman to earn a National Hot Road Association top fuel license and three-time NHRA NHRA National Hot Rod Association NHRA Northland Human Resource Association NHRA National Human Resources Association NHRA Nursing Home Reform Act NHRA National Hospice Regatta Alliance NHRA National Heritage Resources Act (South Africa) champion, announced her retirement from driving dragsters at the Winternationals at Pomona Raceway on Saturday. ``The day I knew it was going to be the last time, I knew it would be a very sad day,'' a visibly emotional Muldowney said. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. how I'll hold up under the strain. Everyone involved knew it was time.'' Few auto racers are mentioned in the same breath as Bobby Allison Bobby Allison (born December 3, 1937 in Hialeah, Florida) is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, both dying within a year. , Rick Mears and Darrell Waltrip. But Muldowney was when she was named top driver by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association in 1983. Even fewer women are mentioned with Eleanor Roosevelt and Susan B. Anthony, but Muldowney was again when she was honored by the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Senate as one of Thirty Women of Distinction. Muldowney was a pioneering drag racer, not only for being the first woman to win a top fuel championship, but because she was the first NHRA driver to win multiple titles. She paved the way for three-time NHRA pro stock bike champ Angelina Savoie, top fuel driver Rhonda Hartman-Smith and even Indianapolis 500 competitors Lyn St. James Lyn St. James (born Sandra Lynn Eden on March 13, 1947 in Willoughby, Ohio) is a retired professional IndyCar driver with 11 CART and 5 Indy Racing League starts to her name. and Sarah Fisher to earn viable seats in major motor sports competition. ``I did everything I wanted to do,'' Muldowney said. ``I did it exactly the way I wanted to do it. It's a shame it can't go on for another 20 years.'' Muldowney will culminate her 32-year career by entering six events this season. Among those are the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals March 13-16 in Gainesville, Fla., the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Aug. 27-Sept. 1 in Indianapolis, and Nov. 6-9 at the season-finale Automobile Club of Southern California The Automobile Club of Southern California was founded December 13, 1900 in Los Angeles as one of the nation's first motor clubs dedicated to improving roads, proposing traffic laws and improvement of overall driving conditions. NHRA Finals at Pomona. One of the reasons Muldowney said she wanted to race in a limited schedule this season was to say farewell to her fans and friends. ``I knew I had a package for this season and I didn't see anything on the horizon,'' Muldowney said. ``We simply have not been successful. I think it's just the nature of the beast Nature of the Beast is the ninth episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. The episode aired on December 18, 2003. Summary When Al Hawke, her mother's killer, is hunted by The Specialist - a metahuman assassin with the ability to pass through solid . It gets more expensive every year. I didn't want to fade away like so many others.'' With the legacy she has left and the impact she has made in not only motor sports, but as a female pioneer, it's hard to imagine that Muldowney ever fade away in the memories of fans. ``You're only as good as your last E.T. (elapsed time) or miles per hour,'' Muldowney said. ``I look at it from the driver's seat. If you're not muscling it down the strip, you're not doing nothing. I am so thankful to be able to do this for 30 years.'' |
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