Drag Racing's Cha-Cha, Circa 2007
Drag racing seems to have a new "Cha-Cha" in town: Funny Car driver Ashley Force.
Never mind Ms. Force's very impressive rookie year in the NHRA as a member of her father's legendary John Force Racing team; the really important buzz is that this week, she beat Indy Racing League driver Danica Patrick to reach the finals of the AOL Hottest Women Athletes online contest.
Yep, we've come a long way down the drag strip, baby. The motorsports Hottie Meter is still applied to female drivers even in 2007 (not surprising in a society that says they only visit Hooters "for the wings.")
Back in the day, racing legend Shirley Muldowney used the nickname "Cha Cha" as one more way to bring visibility and publicity to the sport by playing off of her status as the lone woman competing at the drag strip.
It doesn't seem to have slowed her or her pink dragster down on the way to the Motorsports Hall of Fame and multiple Top Fuel championships, but today she's happy to just be Shirley, without all of the verbal hip-swiveling.
I'm OK with va-va-voom in its time and place, and it's not as though the men in motorsports don't have to present a groomed, attractive appearance. It would be nice if, after all these years, we could see a little less emphasis on lip gloss and a little more on female driver development.
Aug 24, 2007 5:30 pm
Categories: Women in Motorsports
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