Shirley Muldowney: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Shirley Muldowney, the "First Lady of Drag Racing" was the first woman to compete in NHRA drag racing. Born June 9, 1940, in Schenectady, New York, she currently holds four Top Fuel drag racing championships. She dropped from straight-line racing after a crash in 1984 but returned to the circuit in 1998 when she set a NHRA speed record. Nicknamed "Cha-Cha", she later dropped the moniker, stating: "There is no room for bimboism in drag racing."

Muldowney was portrayed by actress Bonnie Bedelia in the 1983 film, "Heart Like a Wheel"