It wasn’t that long ago - barely two years - that Ford, Dodge and Chevrolet seemed to be trying to be the first Detroit car manufacturer to get a female driver to victory lane on NASCAR’s Busch or Nextel Cup tours.
But over the past year, that competition has been pushed to the back burner.
Maybe that goal was a little overly ambitious. Nevertheless, Detroit seems to have given up on the effort, at least in any meaningful sense.
That comes just as Danica Patrick has become one of the biggest stars in Indy-car racing - certainly the most marketable.
So it seems odd that NASCAR team owners and sponsors have all but bailed out of the game.
But Toyota is now part of the big mix in NASCAR, and will it pick up the ball here?
Les Unger, Toyota’s national motorsports manager, said that finding a woman who can handle a wheel in NASCAR is daunting - and a very expensive proposition.
Toyota, Unger said, has had female racers on its marketing side for some time.
“We have had this event in Long Beach for 31 years, and for the last 10 years we’ve had virtually every woman who is either now in open wheel or trying to get into open wheel in our race,” Unger said. “Sara Senske, Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick, Lyn St. James. Even Shelly Anderson, on the NHRA side.
“So we feel there is obviously an opportunity out there for women.”
That part of the annual spring Long Beach Grand Prix, however, is a pro/celebrity race, a promotional event, with a field including such people as tennis star Martina Navratilova and TV soap-opera actors.
That is visibility, probably more than some of the NASCAR drivers get for winning at California Speedway 60 miles west in Fontana.
But it’s not a career-making race.
Unger, part of a large Toyota contingent in Indianapolis for last week’s forum on women in motorsports, said that the first woman who can prove she can really cut it in NASCAR could reap a marketing whirlwind.
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I am a female racer in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series at Raceway Park in Shakopee, MN. I have been racing for 9 years now, and I do it all on my own for several reasons. I believe that if NASCAR teams were really serious about getting talented, qualified women into the higher levels of the sport, they would “scout” out local tracks, afterall, that’s where the sport began. I would absolutely love the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a BUSCH car to prove that I have the ability, talent, desire and passion to succeed. I am also VERY marketable and knowledgeable, I feel that I would be a great representative for women in the sport. I do not have any children, and I know that age may be a factor, but should it be? If anyone, male or female, can prove that they deserve the opportunity to represent a reputable team, why shouldn’t they be given the chance? When I’m on the track I am a racer, not a female racer, although that is one of the issues that is marketable for prospective sponsors. Thanks for listening! Kari
I think it’s stupid to force it. When a good Female driver comes out of the wood work they will know.
Pushing it we will just force some woman in the cup, she will do poorly, nobody will want to see
another woman in the race again. Kind of like a few years ago, oh what was her name, she caused more
accidents than gaining ground. She drove the white pretty much sponsorless car.
Anyway, it’s stupid to force it, I don’t think they are ignoring it but just like my job or your job,
you only hire those who are qualified.
It will neat if a woman ever does make it but lets not just throw a woman in there just so we are able to say we have a woman racing
(Sorry , I kind of blabbed here)
I wish I could help promote you Kari, maybe someone out there will find you soon.
I too am from the MN WI area, shoot Kari, you are everywhere on the web! that’s really awesome.
First woman to win a figure 8 race in shokopee, way to go girl.
I think we have a future NASCAR driver on our hands folks!
I’m not going to be racing, but I’m going to be on a pit crew.. and when have you ever seen a woman on a pit crew before? I’m taking automotive engineering courses right now while finishing up high school and then i’m going to North Carolina State to get my bachelors degree in automotive engineering. I have alot of connections right now and could have a job secured in the next couple of years for a top NASCAR team. One reason I want to be on a pit crew is to show other women that it CAN be done. You ARE as good as a man. If a guy can change a tire in 5 seconds, why can’t a girl?
Look for me out there on Tony’s pit crew in 6 years :]
hey Chevy Chica i think i know who you’re talkin about did she drive the 49 car? i think that was Shawna Robinson
Hey Kari, good luck! Whatever you do, don’t sleep with Ray Evernham… I hear that doesn’t work too well!
Seriously, though, I know there are female drivers out there that can wheel a car just as well as the guys. Anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot. It’s only a matter of time before they get “discovered” and get a shot. Perhaps JPM doing so well in Cup and Busch will convince teams take a more serious look at both females and non-WASP drivers, and some progress can be made.
If nothing else, I’m with you, Kari, in thinking that it would be a HUGE marketing deal for a team to get hooked up with a female driver. The sponsorship and merchandise sales potentials have got to be huge!
-Jeff
you are the 7th person from wisconsin i know of named kari. something about naming you girls up there kari! haha. good luck to you in all that you do, for sure. i agree with chevy chica. yeah it’ll be great when one day women are racing in every series and winning in her respective series but don’t force it. if she wrecks a lot, it’s not because she’s a rookie it’s because she’s a woman rookie. plus, the pressure on her would be out of control. look at danica. i mean i’m by no means a fan of hers but that girl is under so much pressure she is acting ridiculous (on and off the track). if a woman comes along and she can race like stewart or gordon and dominate pretty much any track, than awesome. i just hope it doesn’t have to come from some development program. just an amazing driver who happens to be a woman.
Hey Kari, good luck with your career. =]
I think it’s just like with trying to get African American drivers,
etc, into it. There’s no problem with that, but chicks and “minorities”
shouldn’t get special breaks. Everybody’s got to work hard to get to
the top level, that’s just the way it is.
figure 8 racing? Hot Spit!
Please.
Hey Anon, let’s see you go through the crossover on a figure 8 a few dozen times at 60+mph! After you get done soiling yourself, you can go back to your mom’s basement where you make your meaningless posts and she’ll change your diaper, give you a big hug and everything will be okay!
Jeff,
Enjoy the Monster truck show……….heeeeeehaaaaaaa!
Anon, I actually have been to a Monster Truck show, and actually it wasn’t very enjoyable. I’d love to see a race on a figure 8. There’d be a heck of a lot more action than you see in your typical Cup, Champ, IRL, or F1 race!
Yes, Shawna Robinson, that’s her. Where is she now????
I watched figure 8 racing many years ago, it is a cross-breed of racing and demolition derby…………i saw it more as entertainment and NOT racing. A lot of things may take courage, but, that doesn’t make them racing events just cuz a car is involved.
That’s my personal opinion.
Good luck to Kari and Amanda, even though I hate Tony Stewart, so I hope
you land in Gordon’s pit crew :] Just Kidding. But seriously, every
woman is just as good as a male, in racing and in the real world.
Racer’s are racer’s. I hate when they make a deal when a, lets say.. black person, does
something such as.. break a record, and they announce “The first african
american to ever do such and such” WHY?! Why can’t they just be what they are??
I hate when the media and sports attatch race and sex to it, PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE!
AMEN
Amanda, there was a ARCA team once that had a all girl pit crew, they were very competitive> I cant remember who the driver was right now but it will come to me> Good luck to all Female competitors in racing. I rooting for ya!
gkirb,
That would be the Hooter’s race team!
Just joking!
anytime you force any kind of diversity is never good, doing somethin for the sake of will end badly or never end in the first place
But like Jayson and someone else mentioned, you NEVER want to force
this kind of issue. Nothing good will come from it. When it’s time..
it’s time.
NASCAR only wants diversity when they can benefit the most. NASCAR is a cheap, opportunistic entity at times. That’s a shame. There is talent all over the midwestern short tracks, but you need that secret ingredient called money to keep the door or window of opportunity open. You also need a presence. You have to keep your name or face out there. And it gets discouraging because more doors close than ever open. I have a lot of admiration for these drivers that can put their lives on hold to pursue that dream. God bless’em.
Chevy Chica
she does arca everynow and then and races in the way low series. she ran like 6 races for BAM Motorsports before getting replaced by Ken Schrader in 03
Actually there was an all woman pit crew in craftsman truck a few years ago. It was on Donny Deutsch.
I believe there is a female crewmember on one of Hendricks teams.
Good Luck to all the women out there trying to get into motorsports! As a SCCA national driver we get all walks on the track!Women and minorities! I think the major factor is racing from a young age. I was in go karts at 12, most pros were in something at 6 years old. Most little girls do not want to go kart, but for those that do good luck and have fun. As for age NASCAR and F1 for that matter almost all racing series are getting much younger, 20+ is good 30+ is too late! Also I forget the team but last year Iwatched whole thing a female race engineer for a NASCAR team she was in her 20’s and could crew if someone got hurt and she was needed.
Well, seeing as nobody can quite remember who the girls are that are on pit crews in NASCAR already.. i’ll be the first to make a big bang about it and make sure people know my name :] lol
Just had to say THANKS to everyone! I appreciate your support! If you want to see one of my Figure 8 wrecks it’s on youtube.com (type in raceway park figure 8 wreck or something like that and it should get you to the link for the vid) I was running in 2nd place when the idiot didn’t yield to me! I’m in the #98 car. Figure 8 racing is crazy! (but fun!) Thanks again!
RCRGRL* Used to go to your track and the one in Elko back in the 1980’s. Both were challenging to say the least. I was involved with the old ARTGO and ASA series at the time. Those were the days! I wonder what ever happened to guys like Trickle, Wallace, Martin, Kulwicki and Musgrave? We’d even go to catch a Twins game or two if our schedule allowed. Went to that crazy mall a few times. Still do. You have to see it to believe it! The people in your area were hard working, respectful and always gracious to us. They made us feel like we were at home. I even got out of a speeding ticket in the Red Wing area because I had the same last name as a judge. The police officer thought I was his nephew and didn’t want to piss him off. Stand your ground. Don’t let anyone get the best of you. You have talent, so don’t apologize for using it. Just stay focused. Remember, anyone can quit. You don’t know how. You’re a winner. All the best! GG