List of female NASCAR drivers


The following is a list of female NASCAR drivers who have participated in a national or regional touring series race since the organization's inception in 1949, along with statistical totals for their NASCAR careers. While some female NASCAR drivers have transitioned or attempted to transition from open-wheel racing and sports car racing, most have climbed the stock-car racing ladder, beginning to race full-sized stock cars in their teenage years. A handful of women have raced with the help of the Drive for Diversity program, created in 2004, with Mackena Bell achieving limited success at the K&N Pro Series level and Kenzie Ruston doing the same in her final season in the K&N Pro Series East.
At least 119 women have qualified for and started a race in one of NASCAR's touring series, including 16 at the premier level. As of September 20, 2019, Shawna Robinson, Hailie Deegan and Manami Kobayashi remain the only women to have won a race in one of NASCAR's touring series, Robinson winning three times between 1988 and 1989 in the now-defunct Dash Series, Deegan won 3 races in the K&N Pro Series West between 2018 and 2019 and Kobayashi won in her debut in 2019 season of NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Elite Club Division. Six female drivers: Deegan, Robinson, Danica Patrick, Tammy Jo Kirk, Mara Reyes and Brittney Zamora have won poles. Relatively few women have contested a full season in any of NASCAR's touring series, although this is increasingly common.

History

20th century

has seen varying levels of participation by female drivers throughout its ranks since the sanctioning body's inception in 1949. Sara Christian competed in the inaugural NASCAR race at Charlotte Speedway. In the second official race, at Daytona Beach and Road Course, Christian was joined by Ethel Mobley and Louise Smith, with Mobley finishing first out of the 3, in 11th. Through the 1950s and 1960s, female racers made only a handful of starts in NASCAR's touring series. Betty Skelton Erde wasn't technically a NASCAR driver, but she drove the pace car at Daytona in 1954, and was clocked at a speed of 105.88 mph on the sand, setting a stock car speed record for women.
No woman had raced NASCAR in a decade when Janet Guthrie started the 1976 World 600, finishing 15th, ahead of Dale Earnhardt. In 1977, Janet Guthrie would become the first woman to lead a Winston Cup Series race under caution, at Ontario Speedway. In 1986, Patty Moise would become the first woman to lead in a Busch Series race.
In 1988, Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series driver Shawna Robinson became the first woman to win a NASCAR Touring Series event, also earning "Rookie of the Year" and "Most Popular Driver" honors. In her sophomore Dash Series run, Robinson became the first woman to earn the pole position for a NASCAR touring series race. Robinson would later become the first female driver to clinch the pole in any of the three major series, winning qualifying for the March 12, 1994 Xfinity Series Busch Light 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Women began to compete more frequently throughout NASCAR's lower series over the course of the 1990s. Patty Moise made a record 133 Xfinity Series starts between 1986 and 1998 and Tammy Jo Kirk scored 37 top-10 finishes and two poles in what was then known as the All Pro Series, before making the first starts for a woman in the Camping World Truck Series.

21st century

After a hiatus to start a family, Shawna Robinson returned to stock car racing in 1999, contesting a full ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series season in 2000 before returning to sporadic NASCAR-sanctioned competition over the following several seasons. In 2001, Robinson would be the first woman to finish a race in the Winston Cup Series since Janet Guthrie in 1980. In 2003, Robinson would also have the first all-female pit crew for a Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
In 2004, NASCAR inaugurated the Drive for Diversity program, hoping to develop a more diverse driver base. While the program has succeeded in launching the careers of minority drivers including NASCAR Cup Series race-winner Kyle Larson, Camping World Truck Series race-winner Darrell Wallace, Jr., and 2016 Xfinity Series Champion Daniel Suárez, no woman member of the program has gone on to make more than one start in NASCAR's three major divisions.
In 2010, IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick joined NASCAR, racing part-time in the K&N Pro Series East and the Nationwide Series. Patrick would record a major milestone by clinching the pole position in the 2012 DRIVE4COPD 300, being the first female driver to clinch it since Shawna Robinson. However, Patrick would finish 38th after a crash. In 2012, Patrick would eventually race part-time in the Sprint Cup Series.
In 2011, Snowball Derby winner Johanna Long entered the Camping World Truck Series at 19 years of age, being the youngest female driver to race in the series. Long would eventually race in the Nationwide Series, making her debut in the 2012 DRIVE4COPD 300.
In 2012, Danica Patrick was voted NASCAR's Most Popular Nationwide Driver, becoming the first woman to receive that award in NASCAR's top three divisions.
In 2013, Patrick became the first woman in Sprint Cup history to have a full-time ride in the series, and eventually the first female driver to clinch the pole position and lead a green flag lap, both occurring at the 2013 Daytona 500, becoming the first woman to lead both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. Patrick later finished the race in 8th, the highest finish for a woman in the Daytona 500. She also became the first woman to race at every racetrack on the circuit. In 2014, Patrick became the first woman to race in the 2014 Sprint Unlimited. At Talladega she became the first woman to lead laps there. That year she had three top 10 finishes with her best finish of sixth at Atlanta. In 2015, Patrick tied Janet Guthrie for most top ten finishes for a woman with a 7th-place finish at Martinsville. A few weeks later she passed Guthrie for the most top ten finishes for a woman in Sprint Cup history at Bristol. At Michigan she became the first woman to lead under green on a non-restrictor plate track. At Kentucky, Patrick became the first woman to make 100 starts in NASCAR's Cup Series. In 2016, Patrick led a career high 30 laps and completed more circuits than all but three other drivers. Patrick opened 2017 season with a fourth place finish in the Advance Auto Parts Clash. She retired from full-time stock car racing after the 2018 Daytona 500.
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series formed the Lady Cup, a championship system for female drivers in 2014. In 2016, a record 18 different women started a race in one of NASCAR's touring series. Julia Landauer was the most successful within her respective series, finishing 4th in points in the K&N Pro Series West with seven top-five finishes in fourteen races.
In 2018, Hailie Deegan became the first woman to win a NASCAR touring series race in roughly three decades, winning in the K&N Pro Series West. She followed this up by winning the first race of the 2019 K&N West season.
In 2019, Manami Kobayashi became the 3rd woman to win a race in a NASCAR touring series race. She won in her debut in Whelen Euro Series Elite Club Division by lapping just 0.001 seconds from the reference time. Another woman finished 2nd, in the first time ever two women finished 1-2 in NASCAR history.

Summary

SeriesMost StartsMost WinsMost Top 5sMost Top 10sMost PolesMost Laps LedHighest Points Finish
Cup SeriesD. Patrick S. Christian D. Patrick D. Patrick D. Patrick S. Christian
Xfinity SeriesP. Moise D. Patrick D. Patrick S. Robinson & D. Patrick D. Patrick D. Patrick
Truck SeriesJ. Cobb N. Decker J. Cobb, A. Ruch & N. Decker J. Cobb J. Cobb
ARCA Menards SeriesH. Deegan H. Deegan H. Deegan
ARCA Menards Series EastK. Ruston K. Ruston K. Ruston D. Van Wieringen K. Ruston
ARCA Menards Series WestN. Behar H. Deegan H. Deegan N. Behar & H. Deegan H. Deegan H. Deegan H. Deegan
Pinty's SeriesI. Tremblay I. Tremblay J. Landauer I. Tremblay
PEAK Mexico SeriesM. Reyes M. Reyes M. Reyes M. Reyes M. Reyes M. Reyes
FedEx Challenge SeriesG. Ponce G. Ponce G. Ponce M. Limón & G. Ponce
Whelen Modified TourR. Dupuis R. Dupuis M. Fifield
Whelen Euro Series Elite 1 DivisionN. Maillet C. Perrin C. Perrin N. Maillet
Whelen Euro Series Elite 2 DivisionA. Casoli F. Linossi F. Linossi
Whelen Euro Series Elite Club DivisionA. Loibnegger M. Kobayashi A. Loibnegger A. Loibnegger A. Loibnegger
Dash Series K. Schulz S. Robinson S. Robinson K. Schulz ?S. Robinson S. Robinson
Midwest Series M. Rhoads M. Rhoads
Northwest Series K. Schmitt K. Schmitt
Southeast Series T. Kirk T. Kirk T. Kirk T. Kirk T. Kirk T. Kirk
Southwest Series M. Leonard M. Leonard
Southern Modified Tour R. Dupuis R. Dupuis R. Dupuis

Drivers

[NASCAR Cup Series]

Formerly Strictly Stock Series, Grand National Series, Winston Cup Series, Nextel Cup Series, Sprint Cup Series, and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop5sTop10sPolesBest Points Finish
Christine Beckers93197710000N/A
Ann Bunselmeyer105195010000126th
Ann Chester72195020000N/A
Sara Christian711949–19507012013th
Janet Guthrie681976–198033005023rd
Arlene Hiss3800000N/A
Laura Lane8200000N/A
Marta Leonard4600000N/A
Lella Lombardi05197710000N/A
Robin McCall519822000074th
Ethel Mobley9219492000052nd
Patty Moise451987–19895000059th
Marian Pagan52195410000N/A
Goldie Parsons89196510000N/A
Danica Patrick102012–2018191007124th
Shawna Robinson492001–20028000052nd
FiFi Scott278195520000216th
Dorothy Shull00000N/A
Ann Slaasted195010000N/A
Louise Smith941949–195211000063rd

DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPoles
Danica Patrick102014–201740120

DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPoles
Janet Guthrie681977–198030010
Danica Patrick102012–201870031
Shawna Robinson491995–200220000

DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPoles
Patty Moise451988–198920000
Danica Patrick102013–201750140

DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPoles
Danica Patrick102013–201630000

Xfinity Series">NASCAR Xfinity Series">Xfinity Series

Formerly Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series, Busch Grand National Series, Busch Grand National Division, Busch Series and Nationwide Series
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Mackena Bell2320141000069th
Sherry Blakley8300000N/A
Jennifer Jo Cobb132004–201831000029th
Amber Cope242011–20122000082nd
Angela Cope-Ruch782011–201814000055th
Erin Crocker982005–200610000067th
Kim Crosby512004–200610000072nd
Claire Decker7700000126th
Paige Decker9720162000066th
Maryeve Dufault792011–20132000077th
Milka Duno8720142000074th
Tina Gordon392001–200414001051st
Lisa Jackson198210000135th
Tammy Jo Kirk49200315000045th
Katherine Legge1520184000051st
Johanna Long702012–201542000020th
Debbie Lunsford4919891000085th
Patty Moise141986–1998133004022nd
Alli Owens9720161000079th
Danica Patrick72010–201461017110th
Mara Reyes49200510000131st
Shawna Robinson351991–200561001123rd
Kat Teasdale54199810000109th
Diane Teel191982–198611002040th
Chrissy Wallace0201020000106th

DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPoles
Patty Moise14199610000

Truck Series">NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series">Truck Series

Formerly SuperTruck Series by Craftsman, Craftsman Truck Series, Camping World Truck Series, and Gander Outdoors Truck Series
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Jennifer Jo Cobb102008–2020193001016th
Amber Cope6201010000104th
Angela Cope-Ruch442010–202016001031st
Madeline Crane8000000111th
Erin Crocker982005–200829000025th
Claire Decker10201620000105th
Natalie Decker542016–202022011019th
Paige Decker742015–20162000076th
Gabi DiCarlo9020093000054th
Milka Duno1201410000103rd
Cassie Gannis4900000116th
Tina Gordon312003–200416000025th
Tammy Jo Kirk71997–199832000020th
Johanna Long202010–201124000021st
Teri MacDonald722002–20047000055th
Alli Owens7600000119th
Cindy Peterson6300000113th
Deborah Renshaw82004–200538000024th
Shawna Robinson4920033000072nd
Natalie Sather5000000107th
Caitlin Shaw722009–20102000088th
Kelly Sutton022003–200754000026th
Michelle Theriault722008–20106000068th
Dominique Van Wieringen0220161000076th
Chrissy Wallace032008–20097000042nd
Angie Wilson8120024000051st

DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPoles
Jennifer Jo Cobb102014–201840040
Madeline Crane80201510010

DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPoles
Jennifer Jo Cobb102014–201840041
Madeline Crane80201510010

ARCA Menards Series

Several women have qualified for and started at least one ARCA Menards Series race, like Danica Patrick, Leilani Munter, Alli Owens, Erin Crocker, Shawna Robinson, Sarah Cornett-Ching, Deborah Renshaw, Maryeve Dufault, Toni Breidinger, Milka Duno, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Nicole Behar, Hailie Deegan, Natalie Decker and others. However the series exists since 1953, the series was not officially affiliated with NASCAR until its buyout on April 27, 2018. 2020 will be the first season of ARCA as a NASCAR-sanctioned series, so the list will be made from 2020 onwards. Also starting in 2020, the former K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West are now called ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West, respectively.
ARCA Menards Series
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Natalie Decker52202010000N/A
Hailie Deegan4202030130N/A
Gracie Trotter99202010000N/A
Dominique Van Wieringen30202010000N/A

ARCA Menards Series East
Formerly Busch North Series, Busch East Series, Camping World East Series and K&N Pro Series East
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Amber Balcaen3920171000068th
Mackena Bell212010–201436025013th
Kristin Bumbera9420094000026th
Sarah Cornett-Ching022015–20168000025th
Tiffany Daniels9420095000023rd
Natalie Decker9820191000046th
Hailie Deegan192018–201914003010th
Milka Duno1820141000061st
Holley Hollan50202010000N/A
Ali Kern42010–201617001012th
Julia Landauer8820172001030th
Liane Lombardi520021000070th
Candace Muzny922011–20122000055th
Danica Patrick8320101001045th
Shawna Robinson3519931000075th
Kenzie Ruston962013–201544071706th
Karen Schulz219891000065th
Kat Teasdale9419972000073rd
Michelle Theriault372007–201119003013th
Gracie Trotter99202010000N/A
Dominique Van Wieringen302016–20171504609th
Brittney Zamora9920196001011th
Hanna Zellers5520171000056th

ARCA Menards Series West
Formerly Pacific Coast Late Model Division, Grand National West, Winston West Series, Winston Transcontinental Series, Winston West Series, West Series, AutoZone West Series, West Series, Camping World West Series and K&N Pro Series West
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Nicole Behar332014–201734062308th
Sharon Bishop961978–19812800309th
Jessica Brunelli882011–20149001029th
Bridget Burgess882019–20203000031st
Kristin Bumbera002008–20094000037th
Melissa Davis7920051000051st
Hailie Deegan192018–2019283132353rd
Sarah Fisher202004–200513004012th
Cassie Gannis072011–201811000022nd
Janet Guthrie26197610000N/A
Arlene Hiss3800000N/A
Holley Hollan50202010000N/A
Julia Landauer542016–201728082004th
Marta Leonard4619882000029th
Toni Marie McCray9020102000048th
Candace Muzny0100000N/A
Hannah Newhouse462012–20167002029th
Marian Pagan52195410000N/A
Hila Paulson541956–195720000N/A
Mara Reyes8220041000058th
Shawna Robinson4820011000052nd
Vanessa Robinson552016–20186013036th
Kristi Schmitt1020042000040th
FiFi Scott2781954–195540000N/A
Michelle Theriault7720051000050th
Gracie Trotter99202010110N/A
Brittney Zamora99201914061025th

Whelen Modified Tour">NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour">Whelen Modified Tour

Formerly Winston Modified Tour and Featherlite Modified Series
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Eileen Campbell511995–199620000N/A
Amy Catalano842019–20203000052nd
Renee Dupuis901998–2013115002018th
Lauren Edgerton7220171000063rd
Melissa Fifield012014–202089000015th
Kelly McDougall1900000N/A

DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPoles
Renee Dupuis59201110000

DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPoles
Lauren Edgerton72201710010

International series

PEAK Mexico Series
Formerly Desafío Corona, Corona Series, Toyota Series, Mexico Series
Note: Only partial statistics available prior to 2008 season
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Leslie González20051000050th
Estefanía Reyes282007–201118000028th
Mara Reyes2004–200528082016th

FedEx Challenge Series
Formerly Mexico T4 Series, Mini Stock Series, Stock V6 Series
Note: Only partial statistics available
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
María Limón182010900907th
Gisela Ponce232012–201416041307th

Pinty's Series
Formerly Canadian Tire Series
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Sarah Cornett-Ching2520111000054th
Maryeve Dufault1020102000044th
Shannon Harding362010–20114000043rd
Caitlin Johnston0120103000038th
Shantel Kalika432018–20198000019th
Destiny Klym5520173000029th
Shania LaForce012014–20162000051st
Julia Landauer2820189001017th
Ashley Taws7220081000044th
Erica Thiering872014–201511002017th
Isabelle Tremblay072010–201322003012th

Whelen Euro Series Elite 1 Division
The series exists since 2009, but was not officially affiliated with NASCAR until 2012. 2012 was the first season as a NASCAR-sanctioned series, so the list will be made from 2012 onwards.
Formerly Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series Elite Division and Whelen Euro Series Elite Division
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Michela Cerruti920152000038th
Jennifer Jo Cobb1020192000044th
Ellen Lohr9920199000024th
Nathalie Maillet462012–201322001012th
Carole Perrin422012–201416025016th

Whelen Euro Series Elite 2 Division
Formerly Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series Open Division and Whelen Euro Series Open Division
Note: Full statistics only available beginning with 2014 season
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Jessica Amendola9220131000040th
Gabriela Arantes Prado21201511000015th
Carmen Boix12017–201824005011th
Caty Caly4220132001035th
Arianna Casoli542016–201947001015th
Jennifer Jo Cobb102018–20193000038th
Zihara Esteban92012–20138003019th
:pt:Michelle de Jesus|Michelle de Jesus9220131000046th
Francesca Linossi992014–20151800909th
Nathalie Maillet46201410003012th
Erika Monforte882014–201619002010th
Carole Perrin54201512005010th

Whelen Euro Series Elite Club Division
Note: Only partial statistics available
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Jacqueline Geiger700000N/A
Manami Kobayashi22019111112th
Alina Loibnegger66201940236th
Jennifer Maas10201820127th
Nadine Vollekier10201920029th

Defunct series

AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series
Formerly RE/MAX Challenge Series and International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Molly Rhoads20041000052nd

AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series
Formerly Northwest Tour, Winston Northwest Tour, REB-CO Northwest Tour, and Raybestos Northwest Series
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Sharon Bishop961985–19862000065th
Kristi Schmitt102001–20023000036th
LeAnne Tanner3219981000055th

AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series
Formerly Winston All Pro Series, Slim Jim All-Pro Series, Gatorade All Pro Series, Hills Bros. All Pro Series, and Kodak Southeast Series
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Tina Gordon661999–200025003020th
Tammy Jo Kirk521991–19961090103727th
Kristal Loescher0199110000N/A
Noreen Mears219922000072nd
Leilani Münter320000057th

AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series
Formerly Featherlite Southwest Tour
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Tara Beattie2200000149th
Cathy Howard131988–19894000023rd
Marta Leonard461986–19876000019th
Michelle Nagai00000118th
Kristi Schmitt2020011000099th

Goody's Dash Series
Formerly Baby Grand Division, International Sedan Series, Darlington Dash Series, Daytona Dash Series, Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series and Dash Series
Note: Only partial statistics available for the late 1970s
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Sherry Blakley1991–1994290212?8th
Wendy Hicks0000074th
Stacy Holewiak199410000N/A
Renee Kopstein20011000072nd
Arlene Pittman72002–200314000015th
Shawna Robinson211988–19903231822?3rd
Karen Schulz781985–19884801027?5th
Kelly Sutton022000–20033000508th
Lillian Vandiver81976–197810+01?4??28th
Angie Wilson061999–200345046012th

Whelen Southern Modified Tour
DriverActiveStartsWinsTop 5sTop 10sPolesBest Points Finish
Renee Dupuis592011–201311005014th
Lauren Edgerton720162000019th