Wayne Carini talks to drag racing legend Shirley Muldowney on Talking Classic Cars
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- This week Wayne was on his own at the Savoy Museum in Cartersville Georgia and had a chance to sit down with Shirley Muldowney, the First Lady of Drag Racing. We're looking forward to having Jay back on our next show and hear what he's been up to. After the interview Shirley walks around her "Last Pass Tour" car with Wayne.
A new Documentary film about Shirley's life was shown at the Savoy Auto Museum Saturday, March 16, and it will Debut on Fox Sports FS1 on Wednesday, March 20 at 7:00 pm.
Shirley Muldowney, an American Top Gas, Funny Car, and match racer is a trailblazer and an inspiration to many in automotive sports. She shattered gender barriers by becoming the first woman to receive a license from the National Hot Rod Association to drive a Top Fuel dragster. With her passion, perseverance, and dedication, she won 18 NHRA national events and became the first person to win two and three of drag racing’s most prestigious titles, Top Fuel, back-to-back. Her impressive achievements have earned her a well-deserved place in the Automotive Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Shirley Muldowney's Website:
www.muldowney....
Women in Motorsports North America:
womeninmotorsp...
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savoymuseum.org/
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When I hear the term “Drag Queen,” this is who I think of. Hey, I grew up in the 60’s & the 70’s reading Hot Rod Magazine. Bless you Cha Cha!
Legend. A national treasure. Nuff said. I have always admired her. She's the queen. There will never be another one like her.
The problem is she thinks her Shit doesn't stink. I was at the last race she in the Peanuts Dragster. I tried to get her autograph along with a little girl along side of me begging Shirley her to come over the rope sign the hero card. In true Shirley fashion she turned her back to the fans.
Shirley is a Drag racing Legend who doesn't get the respect she deserves!
We can chalk that up to a bunch of OLD, WHITE men who to this day doesn’t give the first shit about women or minorities first that matter achieving success on the drag strip, NASCAR track, or the dirt track
I can so relate, an era that can never be duplicated, so blessed to have lived it and been there. Thank you Cha-Cha...........
What a woman, what racer, what an all round incredible human being. I cannot imagine what it mush have been like to sit next her and listen to what she had to say. Thank you for doing this Wayne! There will never be another racer, man or woman like the great Shirley Muldowney!
👍😊👏👏👏👏
Well said
Watched Shirley beat big Daddy at the old Hollywood speedway in Hollywood Florida, both absolute legends! Good interview Wayne!
Yeah the good old days!! Like she's saying, they turned it into a money pit!! And we know the price of parts now!!
I'M 71 YEARS OLD AND WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, IALWAYS HAD THE HOTS FOR SHIRLEY "CHA-CHA" MULDOWNEY... ALL THESE YEARS LATER, I STILL DO❣️... DANICA PATRICK, YOU ARE A FAR SECOND 👍🏻😎
I think most of us lol
What an admirable woman!! I watched Shirley and Don in Sacramento years ago, what a race. Later my niece, Ashley Pettyjohn become a young guns drag racer. Sadley was in a car accident, and passed away from complications shortly after. Thank you Shirley for being a kind an down to earth lady!!🕊️🕊️🕊️👍
I was there at the NHRA Spring Nationals at National Trails in Columbus, Ohio when Shirley became the first woman to win a championship! Love you, Cha Cha!
@ 6:10 Shirley is 100% correct, you must see Top Fuel cars in person, it's still unreal to watch after seeing hundreds of runs.
awesome, no school like the old school ...paving the road to the future GO ! Shirley
Saw her at Heartland years ago. She was out and came up into the bleachers to watch the finals. She sat five foot from me. I got to say hi to her and that was great! Helluva woman.
WOW! I met both of you 20 years apart. Wayne you were very gracious when meeting you at Stahl's Museum in Chesterfield Twp. Mi
a few years ago. On the other hand, I met Shirley when I pulled her over for speeding in Ray Twp. MI. Yes, I let her go with a smile. You are both awesome!!
Here is an excellent example of an American Woman that is a great influence on the younger generations to come! God Bless her🙏🏼!
The lady is living history!
Seen her in Sanair in 1986,when she came back after her bad accident,
Shirley broke the boundaries in drag racing's top class, and she did it in a "top class" fashion! She exhibited just what it takes to break into a "man's sport", achieving excellence and earning the respect of her male competitors, particularly the ones whose doors she blew off! Thank you to another classy individual, Big Daddy Don Garlits, who was a great help in making sure that Shirley got her Top Fuel license! You both were very positive influences to the sport of drag racing. Thank you both for the many great memories! 🏆🏆🏁🏁
As a kid in the early 1970’s my Dad’s best friend was Earnie Hall. Earnie was a AA top fuel dragster driver and I had the awesome experience of going many times to Portland International Raceway. Shirley Muldowney, Don Prudome, Jungle Jim, The Mongoose, The Snake, The Hawaiian etc. just to name a few. What a great experience at a great time in this nations history. I consider myself lucky. Shirley was a pioneer and overcame so many obstacles to become one of the “Great Ones”. Great to see her still doing well.
The Little girl in pink dragster still givin'em HELL!! Yes Sir! GO Shirl!!
What a wonderful Lady straight forward and honest about the sport
Shirley, "I Pack the Chutes". Awesome
It is awesome to hear a champion speak. They are different.
I met Shirley back in the late 70s at the Winter Nationals at the old California Speedway. My cousin and I had pit passes and we hung out for a while at her pit. I say this, she was determined and driven to win and so was her small crew. Great lady and a fierce competitor.
I thought every ticket was a pit pass. I know that's how it is in Indy.
I used to see Her at the Fremont drag strip in the early 70s, along with the Snake and Mongoose, great times.
I was there every race when she was there we came from Antioch ❤
Wow brings back great memories! Pleased Wayne interviewed Miss Shirley. All the best!
ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE RACER AND GROUND BREAKER. SHE PAVED THE WAY FOR SURE!!!
She is a real treasure what a Woman.
SHE IS A ROCK STAR, I remember her well, love it
If your spinning your not winning.. Shirley is a legend ...
She was at her peak when i was a kid and becoming drag racing crazy. She was my favorite driver then and always will be. I'll never forget the sight of that pink car with the Pioneer sponsorship.
Back in the late 70's I was fortunate to see her and all the big names at Great Lakes Dragaway in Wisconsin! Great times...
Still legendary after all these years!!
I remember as a
7 year old kid and the days she would race at Tucson dragway.
😊 🏎 💭
I remember her funny car run @ Cordova Dragway in Ill when her shoots didn't open...she came back 'laying ' across the 'hood' holding corn stalks...long time ago...love this lady - thx for the fantastic interview "Cha Cha"!
Great Lady with a sense of humor; Renegade raceway in Washington, 1970s: my best friend and I got to race her after the night’s events. She and Connie in her crew truck, us in his dad’s Javelin. She blew our doors off! What an honor!
Love this. Haven't seen (or heard!) a drag race, live as Shirley describes it, in probably fifty years. But still remember it, especially that sound. And Shirley was a favourite. Saw her run once, in a Kalitta team AA/FC Mustang, at Cayuga, Ontario, about 1972; it had been at the same strip a few years earlier where Don Garlits had signed Shirley off for AA/FD...
I give her credit for ❤ and the balls to run that flat out ! Remember her as a kid late 70s 80s. She had nothing to be worried about nor should she care now ,she made it ! Thanks Shirley !
I love how candid this woman is. The Queen of drag racing!
I had the pleasure of meeting this Wonderful Legend One Day at the Racetrack!! What Great Memory ❤ Thanks for Your Wonderful Story and History 🥰
Decades ago I watched the movie Heart Like a Wheel with my wife and two young daughters. My wife is not into cars at all, they are nothing more but an appliance. But she loved the movie and how Shirley competed in a mans world and won!!!! Awesome lady.
I followed her racing from her first advertised appearance at US-30 Drag Strip.
I remember the radio advertisements for US 30. Smoking US 30 drag strip where the great ones run.
Shirley is one of my favorite drag racers.Such a cool lady.
What a wonderful lady I met her and got her autograph at englishtown raceway Park New Jersey.❤👍.
Shirley, this interview is awsome. Just a couple days ago I saw a picture of you and Linda Vaughn standing at a fence
My favorite races were Shirley against Big Daddy! ✌️❤️🎣
When I saw the movie "Heart like a Wheel" in the early 1980s I became an instant fan, incredible lady. 'Cleetus McFarland' is our local drag racing hero at The Freedom Factory in S W Florida.
Hell yeah brother!!!!😂😂😂😂😂
Thanks for posting the name of that movie! I never forgot her name after watching that film. Bad ass for sure!
Now I want to watch" Heart Like A Wheel" again...and again !
Deserves more than a like!!! Hearts!!!!
Absolutely a legend !!!!! Loved seeing her as a kid and I'm 52 now ! Her, Big Daddy, Snake and Mongoose were my idols in the early 80's.
I love her humility and honesty. What a legend!
Thank you Wayne and Shirley!
Seeing my first Indy 500 race in person about 1982 brought chills to my spine and tears to my eyes because on TV it does the reality of it no justice. I imagine it’s the same in drag racing.
Oh it's truer in drags. You're closer to the action, you can see pretty much all of it from one spot, and the SOUND...nearest thing to it is an extended, amplified volley of rifle fire, and that's only at idle...the sheer roar when a fueler launches feels like it's going to dislodge your soul. (And I haven't been to a drag race in about fifty years. That's how memorable it is.)
Grew up in that era when tv started covering racing, it was always great to cheer on Cha-Cha!
Great Woman. Has done a lot to promote Drag racing. Meet her some years ago , great person to talk with.
What a great interview. Wayne does it so well, and Shirley Muldowney was so very famous those days; great to have this video, Thank you Wayne!
I remember watching her when I was a kid. What an epic time in motorsports, and I got to see it happen :)
Great interview Wayne.
Wow, made my eyes leak.
I really need my eye doctor to figure this out.
At the end, you can hear it in her voice.
I can not ever say it enough. What an awesome lady.
Much respect for this fine lady.
I saw Shirley race Garlits in one of their famous match races at Fremont Raceway in the 70s. What a legend.
LOVE her I was a Drag Race fan going to the Drags watching and being a weekend warrior with my Corvette trying to bracket race. She is such an inspiration.can't wait to see this documentary
32 funny cars on a Saturday night ❤
Saw her drive Connie Kalitta mach 1 funny car at Tri Cities dragway in Saginaw Michigan early 70's 😊😊😊😊😊😊 she was #1 qualified at Reading years back and her team was at the store getting coffee, ice and whatnot, I bought her coffee!!!!😂😂😂😂😂
Good times watching Shirley at KCI Raceway in the day. Along with the other "biggies". Shirley was class in the day and class now. Wayne thanks for this interview! Going to watch the video!
Such an awesome lady.
Loved our conversation at the cajun nationals decades ago.
Sweet sweet woman.
WOW thanks. This REALLY brought back some great memories of my old drag racing days. What an ICON and piller in racing!. Thanks.
Fantastic! -- Glad I found you, Wayne
i met shirley at tri city dragway in saginaw michigan in the 70s , it was during the night of fire match race series between her and dig daddy don garlits , a nice lady then and a class act now , as a michigander i fell honered to have met her
I grew up on Saginaw. One of the neighborhood parents would be enlisted by the other parents to take all us kids out there Saturday night and drop us off till 11 PM, almost every weekend in the summer. I was there that same day, best days and nights of my entire life. Shirley is a blessing to all of us, I hope she relies how she made all of our lives better. Shirley is a winner and my hero!
My daughter raced quarter midgets from when she was 8 to 12 and met Shirley at a car show in Sacramento in 91 and could not have been treated better. Had my daughter stand by her while she did an interview and then continued to sign autographs, she didn't brush anyone off.
Should do a story on Eddie hill.
Shirley Muldowney great video
Did some work on her cars (aero) back in the 80's. Super nice as was Ron. Nothing but respect and admiration for her.
Shirley is one of our national treasures! Looking forward to watching the documentary. Great job, as usual, Wayne.
The woman isnt lacking confidence. She was and is a tough cookie. She is very old school and understands the cars and the mechincal symphony that needs to sing.
She's a legend. Was my mom's favorite.
I Followed Her Career in NHRA on TV.
But I got to See Her More At Match Races at Milan Dragway.
And in the IHRA at Mid Michigan Motorplex.
Great Interview, Looking Forward to the TV Show on FS1
That's my lady.
The very first drag race I ever watch was a Shirley Muldowney race. She is my all time favorite driver and I do have a Cha-Cha funny car and one of my prize possessions is my pink dragster die casts. Shirley is the greatest, never miss a chance to see anything about her. Thanks you Shirley for make me a race fan and a huge fan of yours.
A great lady and racer met her at Bristol and watched her beat Kenny Bernstein loved it what a racer she was have pictures of her me and my wife just love her and her racing she was one of the best.
THANK YOU Shirley.for thrilling use at Irwindale Raceway in S California. I'm 65 yrs old and remember hearing the ground shaking 12 miles away in Arcadia calif. Love you. I was ten yrs old. I have a belt drive on my harley Davidson. Because I remember. Those days.❤❤❤❤❤❤
I had the pleasure of having a conversation with her a few years ago what a down to earth lady
She has done alot for women in drag racing she is a legend
What a legend followed her career from why back…what a lady ❤
Super hero material 😵
I got to see Shirley at the Gatornationals in the mid 80's. She was in her pit with the team getting ready for the next round. She was so intense and focused I don't think she realized there must of been a crowd of a 100 fans surrounding her.
I got a chance to talk to her last year in Joliet. She is so cool and a very nice person. Got a autographed poster. So cool. I remember seeing her race on tv. 👍🏻👍🏻
Wayne,what a nice surprise to have Shirley on. Absolutely Awesome.
Heart like a wheel was my favorite movie when i was a kid
Fantastic racer!
I grew up watching her on Sunday afternoons.
I have 1 of this ladys Top Fuel Dragster in my collection, I'll need to do a video of it, amazing career and Lady, God bless her, awesome video Wayne, may I use bits of this video in my show of Shirley's drag car?? Ill give links to your video and channel shout out, Thankyou in advance, just subscribed to your Channel👊 Cheers 🍻 KC Cradle Mountain 🏔Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺🤝🇺🇲😎👍👊
Hell yes. Love me some Shirley ❤
If memory serves, the motors run around 8000 RPM during a run. Maybe 8500. It's interesting listening to them during a run especially in car cameras. You can hear the clutch stages engage and pull the RPM's down, then it hits lockup 1/1 and the RPM's climb again.
Back in February 1964 I saw Garlits beat Kalitta at Ramona, CA with a trap speed of 198+. I can’t remember his ET. Then Shirley came along and showed ‘em how. What a racer she was.
Love you Shirley. I saw you race the large father in Edmonton Alberta at Capitol raceway i believe in 1975 or 76 when i was in grade ten or eleven. If i remember correctly you beat Big Daddy. Both of you Legends..Amen
She speaks the truth. Once corporations get involved, whatever the endeavor it's fucked.
Yes you are correct that is why I quit watching NASCAR. It seemed like more emphasis was placed on the sponsors product then on the actual racing. I don't want to watch a 500 mile commercial.
I grew up in the 70s , this woman was amazing. Nitro methane shakes the ground. She's cool as hell!!!!!!!!!!
Shirley is a bona fide legend!!!!
Met her at Pomona...about 40 years ago 😃.
At the height of her career!
So gracious and kind to all of the fans.
Classy lady!!
Saw her race at Mile High race way between Denver and Colorado Springs in 1971. She was running Super Pro stock then, I believe.
Saw more than a few drag races on TV, that Shirley was competing in. And saw a few where she crashed, and it always scared me when a crash happened. And I’ve worked on cars for the last 40 years, never worked on a race car or dragster but I’ve been next to a few when they got started up. I’ve also fired a few hot roads up with open headers, and no exhaust manifolds that I built and while loud enough to feel them they didn’t even come close to the level of a dragster or nascar engine loud. Only thing I found that was louder, was the whine of a jet engine.
Pro Mod is now the best class in drag racing. Not ruined by the megabucks the way Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car are today.
Yeah she's talking about the good old days!! I was racing back then. Not in her league, but we were starting out. Or trying I should say.
When Shirley would come to Mid Michigan speedway they would come to my stepdads store for fried chicken. Uncle Pauls Foods Vestaburg, MI. I wish I could have met her. Great lady!