November 26, 2008 -  If your first and/or only introduction to Telladega was from Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby then you’ve got a lot to learn.

The Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located in Talladega, Alabama. It’s the largest (and second most steeply banked) oval track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and has seating provisions for over 175,000 patrons.

Whether it has been mixing it up with the boys in stockcar competition or setting speed records, female drivers have a long and storied history at Talladega Superspeedway.

To mark 4o years of racing, Talladega takes a look back at what a number of women have accomplished at NASCAR’s Most Competitive Track over the years:

Lyn St. James
Lyn St. James set her first speed record at Talladega Superspeedway in 1985 when she broke the 200 mph mark in a Ford Mustang Probe Prototype. She followed up that feat with a 212.577 mph women’s national speed record in a Ford Thunderbird on Oct. 11, 1988.

Patty Moise
Moise trumped St. James’s speed records in 1989 by driving 216.607 mph around Talladega Superspeedway. She went on to set another record in 1990, moving the bar to 217.498 mph on Jan. 23rd. Moise also competed in the ARCA RE/MAX, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Sprint Cup series’ at Talladega Superspeedway. She earned two pole awards in ARCA competition in April 1988 and July 1988. Her best finish at Talladega was seventh in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 1995.

Janet Guthrie
Guthrie competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series three times at Talladega Superspeedway, with an average starting position of 11th.

Shawna Robinson
Robinson had two top-ten starts in ARCA RE/MAX Series competition at Talladega Superspeedway, with a best finish of sixth in the 2000 ARCA RE/MAX Series 250.

Erin Crocker
Erin Crocker competed three times at Talladega Superspeedway; twice in the ARCA RE/MAX Series and once in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. She recorded top-20 finishes in each of her outings, with a best of fourth in the 2005 ARCA RE/MAX Series 250.

The next generation of famous female racers have already begun competing at Talladega Superspeedway. The ARCA RE/MAX Series 250 in October featured three female drivers, with Chrissy Wallace (daughter of Mike Wallace and niece of Rusty Wallace) scoring a best among the women ninth-place finish.

Filed under: General, Motorsports, Nascar, Profiles by maddy
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Martinsville, VA, March 29, 2008 - This past weekend Chrissy Wallace made her debut in the NASCAR Craftsman truck series. Facing 35 other experienced drivers could have proved overwhelming, but Miss Wallace was able to handle herself with confidence and composure to post a solid top 20 result, finishing on the lead lap.

For more on Chrissy Wallace and her racing career:
http://www.chrissywallaceracing.com/

Filed under: General, Motorsports, Nascar by Becki Wheeler
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As a teenager with braces on her teeth and rubber bands tying back her blonde hair, Chrissy Wallace told all the boys she one day would be a NASCAR driver.

One day is now.

The 20-year-old Wallace, a daughter and niece in the popular Wallace family of racers, is set to make her NASCAR debut March 29 in the Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

Tapped to drive for a championship-caliber team, Wallace said she will drive five Truck races and five ARCA races for Germain Racing, which also fields trucks for drivers Todd Bodine and Justin Marks.

On top of that, Wallace will continue racing Late Model events around the Carolina tracks where she has found Victory Lane four times and was named most popular driver at Hickory Speedway, making her the first female to win in a Late Model stock car at the track in its 57-year history.

Preparing to leave this week for the upcoming Truck test at Martinsville, Wallace said talks to join the Germain family and Toyota began at the end of last season. However, her young-but-tough heart was guarded.

Wallace knows she is competing in a male-dominated sport where in recent years there has been public opposition to females racing on the track. Not only that, she’s grown accustomed to empty promises; opportunities have been served only to be taken away days later.

“But I knew with the Germain family, they stick by their word … if they say they are going to do something they do it,” Wallace said.

More than that, she trusts the same family the employees her father, Nationwide Series driver Mike Wallace, who pilots the No. 7 Camry. The venture will make Mike and Chrissy the first father-daughter duo racing for the same team in NASCAR.

 Full article and more info on Chrissy Wallace here!,

Filed under: Motorsports, Nascar, News Bytes, Profiles by Becki Wheeler
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With her drive, determination, and dream, Deborah Renshaw has the distinction of being the highest ranked female NASCAR driver. Find out more about this Kentucky native and what makes her Pretty Tough!

How did you get started racing? What age?
I got started racing by being around the race track at a young age. My father owned a local late model team in Nashville, TN. I would spend my Saturday’s at the track doing whatever job necessary to make the team a success. I found the need to get behind the wheel as soon as I started helping. I didn’t actually start racing until I was out of High School . . . I started in 1996 when I was 19 yrs.old.

Nickname?
The guys on my late model team used to call me “Leadfoot Lucy”

Other sports/hobbies?
I used to be involved with basketball, tennis & dance. I love spending time at Kentucky Lake . . .I have a Wave Runner and love to go water skiing and tubing. I also love spending time with my family!

(more…)

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