Sara Christian
Encyclopedia
Sara Christian was the first woman driver in NASCAR
history. Her fifth place finish at Pittsburgh reigned as the highest female finish from 1949 until 2011, when Danica Patrick
finished fourth.
. She qualified 13th in the #71 Ford
owned by her husband Frank Christian
. She let Bob Flock
drive the car part way through the race after his engine expired on the 38th lap. He drove the car until it overheated, and finished 14th.
She competed in the second race at the Daytona Beach Road Course
on July 10, 1949, and finished 18th. The 28 car field also included Flock's sister Ethel Mobley
and Louise Smith
which made it the first race to include three woman drivers. Frank also competed in the race and finished sixth in his only career start. They became the only married couple to compete in a NASCAR race until 1986 when Patty Moise
and Elton Sawyer
would compete for the first time together in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series. Patty and Elton would get married in 1990 and continued to compete against one another for years to come.
She finished sixth at the fourth race at Langhorne Speedway
, and became the first woman to earn a Top 10 finish. Race winner Curtis Turner
invited Christian to join him in victory lane. Mobley and Smith again competed against Christian in the race, and it was the last NASCAR race to have three women drivers until July 4, 1977 when Janet Guthrie
, Christine Beckers and Lella Lombardi
all competed in the Firecracker 400.
She finished fifth at the ninth race at Heidelberg Raceway
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. The finish was the best-ever and only Top 5 finish by a woman in NASCAR history, until it was finally eclipsed by Danica Patrick
and her fourth-place finish in the Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300
at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
on March 5, 2011.
She raced in six of the eight events in the 1949 season, and finished 13th in the final points standings.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
history. Her fifth place finish at Pittsburgh reigned as the highest female finish from 1949 until 2011, when Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
finished fourth.
1949
She competed in NASCAR's first race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte SpeedwayCharlotte Speedway
For the current NASCAR track in Charlotte, North Carolina, see Charlotte Motor Speedway.Charlotte Speedway was the site of NASCAR's first Strictly Stock series race on June 19, 1949. The Daytona Beach Road Course held the first race sanctioned by NASCAR in 1948...
. She qualified 13th in the #71 Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
owned by her husband Frank Christian
Frank Christian (NASCAR owner)
Frank Christian was a NASCAR race car owner who owned a series of stock car vehicles from 1949 to 1955. He was also the husband of former NASCAR Grand National Series driver Sara Christian...
. She let Bob Flock
Bob Flock
Robert Newman Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama, USA was an early NASCAR driver. He qualified on the pole position for NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race.-Flock family:...
drive the car part way through the race after his engine expired on the 38th lap. He drove the car until it overheated, and finished 14th.
She competed in the second race at the Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set...
on July 10, 1949, and finished 18th. The 28 car field also included Flock's sister Ethel Mobley
Ethel Mobley
Ethel Mobley of Fort Payne, Alabama was tied for the second female to drive in NASCAR history. Her brother Tim Flock said she was named after the gasoline her father used in his car.-"Flying Flocks":...
and Louise Smith
Louise Smith
Louise Smith was tied for the second woman to race in NASCAR at the top level. She was known as "the first lady of racing."...
which made it the first race to include three woman drivers. Frank also competed in the race and finished sixth in his only career start. They became the only married couple to compete in a NASCAR race until 1986 when Patty Moise
Patty Moise
Patty Moise is a former NASCAR driver. She drove in five Winston Cup races from 1987 to 1989, and 133 Busch Series races from 1986 to 1998. She is the wife of former fellow NASCAR driver Elton Sawyer....
and Elton Sawyer
Elton Sawyer
Elton Sawyer , is a long-time NASCAR driver. He is married to former NASCAR driver Patty Moise. Recently, Sawyer has been a driver coach for the Red Bull Racing Team.-Beginnings:...
would compete for the first time together in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series. Patty and Elton would get married in 1990 and continued to compete against one another for years to come.
She finished sixth at the fourth race at Langhorne Speedway
Langhorne Speedway
Langhorne Speedway was an automobile racetrack in Middletown Township, Bucks County, near the borough of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia....
, and became the first woman to earn a Top 10 finish. Race winner Curtis Turner
Curtis Turner
Curtis Turner was an early NASCAR driver. In addition to his success in racing, he made a fortune, lost it, and remade it buying and selling timberlands. Throughout his life he developed a reputation for drinking and partying...
invited Christian to join him in victory lane. Mobley and Smith again competed against Christian in the race, and it was the last NASCAR race to have three women drivers until July 4, 1977 when Janet Guthrie
Janet Guthrie
Janet Guthrie is a retired professional race car driver and the first woman to qualify and compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500....
, Christine Beckers and Lella Lombardi
Lella Lombardi
Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi was a racing driver from Italy.Born in Frugarolo, she participated in 17 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 20, 1974...
all competed in the Firecracker 400.
She finished fifth at the ninth race at Heidelberg Raceway
Heidelberg Raceway
Heidelberg Raceway was an American auto racing track which was built in Scott Township, Allegheny County, approximately southwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It held weekly races and numerous special events between 1948 and 1973. It held four NASCAR Strictly Stock/Grand National and one NASCAR...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. The finish was the best-ever and only Top 5 finish by a woman in NASCAR history, until it was finally eclipsed by Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
and her fourth-place finish in the Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300
Sam's Town 300
The Sam's Town 300 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series stock car race held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada. It has been scheduled as either the third, fourth, or fifth race of the season for the Nationwide Series since it was first held in 1997....
at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
on March 5, 2011.
She raced in six of the eight events in the 1949 season, and finished 13th in the final points standings.
1950
She competed in one event in 1950. She finished 14th at the 12th race at the Hamburg (NY) Speedway before she retired.Awards
- She was inducted in the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame in 2004.
- She received the 1949 United States Drivers Association Woman Driver of the Year.