The Female Factor: 15 Female Stock Car Drivers Making Their Move

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It hasn't been easy for females to make their mark on racing. But slowly, both on the international stage and on the local short tracks, they are making progress.

While some of these females are already on their way becoming household names, some are still working their way up the ranks.

Meet 15 ladies who are making it their way. Some of the names you'll recognize. Others, you won't.

Danica Patrick

Racing in:
IZOD Indy Car
NASCAR Nationwide Series

Probably the most well-known female racer, Danica Patrick started racing in the IZOD Indy Car Series in 2005, winning rookie of the year. She also became the first female to win an Indy Car race in 2008 when she won in Japan.

For 2010, Patrick is running the full IZOD Indy Car Series schedule, and also trying her hand at NASCAR.

Sarah Fisher

Racing in:
IZOD Indy Car

Before Patrick started the fuss of female talk in the Indy, it was Sarah Fisher who was the center of attention.

Fisher started racing in the IZOD Indy Car Series in 1999. She became the third female to start the Indianapolis 500 in May 2000 at the age of 19.

Fisher got everybody talking about females in racing—then dropped off the radar in 2004.

She returned in 2006 and ran the full schedule in 2007. She is currently running a limited schedule with her own team.

Milka Duno

Racing in:
IZOD Indy Car

Milka Duno made her Indy debut in 2007 at Kansas Speedway in the Kansas Lottery Indy 300.

Her best career finish is 14th. She is planning to run the full schedule in 2010 to improve upon that.

Chrissy Wallace

Racing in:
NASCAR Craftsmen Truck Series
NASCAR Nationwide Series

Chrissy Wallace made her Truck Series debut at Martinsville Speedway in March 2008, finishing 18th.

For 2010, Chrissy will attempt to drive both the Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series races for Rick Ware Racing.

Jennifer Jo Cobb

Racing in:
NASCAR Craftsmen Truck Series

Jennifer Jo Cobb made her NASCAR debut in the Busch Series (now Nationwide) at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Driving the No. 50 Vassarette Chevrolet for Keith Coleman Racing, she finished 43rd after a crash on lap two.

Cobb has continued, competing in the ARCA Series with a couple Nationwide and Truck Series events on the side.

For the 2010 season, Cobb will race the No. 10 truck, after claiming the team assets when Circle Bar Racing downsized their operation from two trucks to one.

To fund her program, she will use sales from a female race fan clothing line that she created in 2006 called Driver Boutique.

Alli Owens

Racing:
ARCA/ReMax Series

Alli Owens began racing in the ARCA/ReMax Series in 2008 for Mario Gosselin. She began with a part-time schedule, and then drove 10 races for D’Hondt Motorsports in 2009. Her best finish to date is a sixth place finish at Talladega Super Speedway.

In 2010, Owens will get her first crack at the full schedule. She’ll be driving for Venturni Motorsports for the entire year.

When she’s not racing, Owens hosts her own radio show on the Powerup Motorsports Channel on VoiceAmerica.com called "Gas ‘N’ Go with Alli O."

Alison MacLeod

Racing:
ARCA/ReMax Series
USAC Midgets

Alison MacLeod started racing at the age of 7 in go-karts and was hooked after winning her first trophy. She moved up to shifter karts at the age of 12 and was signed by Ford Racing at the age of 14 to run USAC midgets.

For the 2010 season, Macleod is looking for funding to run in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series or ARCA.

Jamie Horner

Racing:
Late Model and Limited Late Model at Peterborough Speedway

Jamie Horner is entering her sixth year of racing stock cars and 11th year of racing in general.

This year, Horner is attempting to enter ACT Late Model races with a long-term goal of entering the Canadian Tire NASCAR series.

Desi Walt

Racing:
Thunder Car at Barrie Speedway

Desi Walt got her feet wet in racing with a Powder Puff race and on the last lap, she was second and knew she could win it so she went for it, yet ended up flipping her car. After the trial, she went into the Pure Stock Division in 2007 and finished 10th overall, winning Most Improved Driver.

She then backed it up with the Barrie Speedway Pure Stock Championship in 2008. Following her championship, she moved up to the Thunder Car division yet didn’t have the best of the season due to transmission and motor issues.

In 2010, she plans to run her Thunder Car again and finish top 10 in points, maybe even top five. Beyond 2010 she hopes to move up to the Late Model division and continue up to the ranks as she dreams to be the next Danica Patrick.

Teri-Lynne Dixon

Racing:
Thunder Car at Barrie Speedway

Teri-Lynne Dixon grew up going to the race track with her dad, and in 2002, her dad started racing in the Thunder Car division.

Dixon decided at the age of 11 she wanted to go race in the Thunder Car division. In 2008, her dad let her take the car out to practice for a couple of laps.

Her big start, though, came on June 13, 2009. She raced her dad’s thunder car, finishing fifth and seventh in the heats and 11th in the feature.

She plans to race the full 2010 Thunder Car Season in her dad’s car. She says she’s taking the year on as a learning year. Her goal is to be able to keep up to the pack.

Crystal Doucette

Racing:
Chargers at Barrie Speedway

Crystal Doucette got interested in racing through her father, Dave Doucette. During her childhood, her dad was involved in derby cars and train races.

In 2002, he started racing at Barrie Speedway. As soon as she saw him out on the track—and experienced the speed and thrill of racing—she wanted to drive a car.

When she turned 15, she, along with her dad and crew, put together a 1993 Mustang for racing. She has raced ever since.

In 2008, she finished third in the Charger points.

Doucette will not race again until the 2012 season because of college. She’ll still be at the race track helping her dad, as well as her boyfriend, Jeff Walt.

Nicole Podewils

Racing:
Mini Stocks at Sunset Speedway

Nicole Podewils began racing in 2006 in the Four Fun division. In her opinion, the year was brutal. But she continued to grow as a driver, and in 2008, she won the Four Fun Championship.

In 2009, she took her car with her and moved up to the Mini Stock Division. She had a good year, winning some races and finished sixth in the points.

In 2010, Podewils plans to race in the Mini Stock class again and add to her success.

Tara Case

Racing:
Mini Stocks at Sunset Speedway

Tara Case has always been around racing, thanks to her father.

She has experienced some success of her own. In the 2008 season, she raced in the Four Fun division and had some success, even getting a couple wins.

She took the 2009 season off to help her fiancé and father. She wants to return to racing in the 2010 season.

Melinda Thomas

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Racing:
Mini Stocks at Sunset Speedway

Melinda Thomas had her rookie year in 2009 in the Mini Stock division. That year gave her valuable experience—and some highlights. She wants to build on that experience in the 2010 season.