If you still think racing is a manly sport, wake up. It is 2023. There are many female drivers who are competing shoulder-to-shoulder with male drivers. The 10 best female NASCAR drivers are prime examples of that.
NASCAR is one of the biggest American auto racing sanctioning and operating companies. It has showcased some of the best drivers in racing history, both male and female alike. Female drivers have been taking part in NASCAR since the beginning of the company.
Since 1948, many great female drivers have raced for NASCAR. But who are the best among them? Let’s find out.
Here Are The 10 Best Female NASCAR Drivers
| Driver Name | Active Years |
| Janet Guthrie | 1976 – 1980 |
| Sara Christian | 1949 – 1950 |
| Patty Moise | 1987 – 1989 |
| Ethel Mobley | 1949 – 1949 |
| Erin Crocker | 2005 -2006 |
| Tina Gordon | 2004 – 2008 |
| Shawna Robinson | 2001- 2002 |
| Chrissy Wallace | 2010 – 2010 |
| Danica Patrick | 2012 – 2018 |
| Angela Cope | 2011 – 2018 |
1. Janet Guthrie
| Full name | Janet Guthrie |
| Date of birth | March 7, 1938 |
| Place of birth | Iowa City, Iowa |
| First race | World 600 (Charlotte)- 1976 |
| Last race | Coca-Cola 500 (Pocono)- 1980 |
| Best finish | 23rd (1977) |
And we are starting with Janet Guthrie. She is the pioneer of female racing. Many female drivers raced in NASCAR before her, but she was the one to break the gender barriers.
Guthrie was born in Iowa in 1938. She started racing in different companies in 1963. She became the first woman to compete in the Daytona 500. Though she faced gender discrimination inside the racing community, she was determined to make a name for herself.
Guthrie’s popularity continued to increase. And she was finally recruited to race in NASCAR in 1976. She started 33 races in three years and surprised everyone by finishing in the top 10. She achieved the feat five times in her career.
Guthrie became an inspiration for all the female drivers to come after her. She gave hope that they could also compete with men. Because of the impact she had, no one deserves the number one spot more than Guthrie.
Career Stats for NASCAR Cup Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 33 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
2. Sara Christian
| Full name | Sara Williams Christian |
| Date of birth | August 25, 1918 |
| Place of birth | Dahlonega, Georgia[ |
| First race | Race No. 1 (Charlotte)- 1949 |
| Last race | Hamburg (NY) Speedway- 1950 |
| Best finish | 13th (1949) |
| Date of death | March 7, 1980 |
There would have been no Janet Guthrie or Danica Patrick if there were no Sara Christian. She is the first woman to race in NASCAR. In fact, she raced in the very first edition of the NASCAR race and completed in the thirteenth position.
Christian started racing in the 40s and won multiple competitions. She earned a reputation as the best female driver of her time and was elected to race in NASCAR’s first race. She started seven races and finished in the top ten twice in her NASCAR career.
Christian proved to be a strong competitor, and fans were expecting to see more of her. But she wanted to fulfill her duties as a mother properly, so she quit racing only after competing in NASCAR seven times. Christian is still one of the best female NASCAR drivers, despite having a short career.
Career Stats for NASCAR Cup Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
3. Patty Moise
| Full name | Patricia Moise-Sawyer |
| Date of birth | December 29, 1960 |
| Place of birth | Jacksonville, Florida |
| First race | The Budweiser at the Glen (Watkins Glen)- 1987 |
| Last race | Talladega DieHard 500 (Talladega)- 1989 |
| Best finish | 59th (1988) |
Patty Moise, you cannot talk about female racing in the USA without taking her name. She spread the popularity of female racing during the late 80s. But her career started during the 80s.
Moise was born in Florida. She was born in 1960. Women did not have much opportunity to race back then. Yest, she started racing in the IMSA road course series at the age of 16. She was a very skilled driver. However, she did not receive much sponsorship.
Moise began to race for NASCAR in 1987. She competed in five races over the next three years. It is unfortunate that she got very little chance to drive. If she had enough sponsors, she could have given more to female racing.
Career Stats for NASCAR Cup Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
4. Ethel Mobley
| Full name | Ethel Ann Mobley |
| Date of birth | March 8, 1914 |
| Place of birth | Fort Payne, Alabama, U.S. |
| First race | NASCAR’s second race (Daytona Beach)- 1949 |
| Last race | Langhorne- 1949 |
| Best finish | 52nd (1949) |
| Date of death | June 26, 1984 |
Ethen Mobley is another pioneer of female racing. She was the second woman to drive in a NASCAR race. She comes from the Flock family. Three of her brothers are also considered pioneers in NASCAR’s history.
Mobley had participated in only two races in 1949 and had finished in the 52nd position as her best. Mobley could not continue her racing career because of the social customs and barriers of that period. Besides, she faced gender discrimination and harassment.
Despite having a short career, Mobley also inspired the later generation to pursue their career in racing. She, along with Sara Christian, tried to erase gender discrimination. They were both skilled racers but did not have the opportunity to shine. It is an honor to have her on our list of the ten best female NASCAR drivers.
Career Stats for NASCAR Cup Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
5. Erin Crocker
| Full name | Erin Mary Crocker Evernham |
| Date of birth | March 23, 1981 |
| Place of birth | Wilbraham, Massachusetts |
| First race | Emerson Radio 250 (Richmond)- 2005 |
| Last race | Ford 300 (Homestead)- 2006 |
| Best finish | 67th (2006) |
Erin Crocker is a woman of sports. Apart from racing, she also played tennis and soccer. She was born in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, in 1981.
Crocker started her NASCAR career in 2005 when she got to drive in NASCAR Xfinity Series. The following year, she finished 67th and got an opportunity to be a part of Ford. She started ten races in the NASCAR Cup series in a span of two years.
Crocker also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. She became one of the first few women who were driving in NASCAR frequently. Crocker got criticized for being promoted too quickly, but it was her skill that earned her the promotion.
Career Stats for NASCAR Cup Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6. Jennifer Jo Cobb
| Full name | Jennifer Jo Cobb |
| Date of birth | June 12, 1973 |
| Place of birth | Kansas City, Kansas |
| First race | Ford 300 (Homestead)- 2004 |
| Last race | Sparks Energy 300 (Talladega)- 2018 |
| Best finish | 29th (2011) |
Jennifer Jo Cobb became one of the most common female faces in the twenty-first century. She is from Kansas and was born in 1973. Cobb started racing in 1991 when she was only eighteen years old. She had her first NASCAR race in 2004.
Cobb has raced in different NASCAR events, including NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and NASCAR Xfinity Series. But she is mostly known for her presence in the Camping World Truck Series. There she started 231 races over the course of thirty-one years.
Though Cobb did not finish in the top 10s, her long career in NASCAR proves her credibility. She has inspired many young female drivers in racing. She also owns and operates Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing.
Career Stats for NASCAR Cup Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
7. Shawna Robinson
| Full name | Shawna Robinson |
| Date of birth | November 30, 1964 |
| Place of birth | Des Moines, Iowa |
| First race | Kmart 400 (Michigan)- 2001 |
| Last race | Pepsi 400 (Daytona)- 2002 |
Next, we have Shawna Robinson. Robinson’s career is a highly inspiring story. She was born in Iowa in a poor family. Both her parents were involved in racing, so Robinson also grew an interest in racing from an early age.
Robinson got an opportunity to drive in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 1991. She was skillful, and everyone was impressed with her performance. Soon, she became a regular face in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. She started 61 races in seven years and once finished in the top 10.
Robinson finally made her NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2001, and she started eight times in the Series. But she failed to make an impression this time around, so she went back to the Xfinity Series again.
Career Stats for NASCAR Cup Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
8. Chrissy Wallace
| Full name | Chrissy Wallace |
| Date of birth | May 15, 1988 |
| Place of birth | St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| First race | DRIVE4COPD 300 (Daytona)- 2010 |
| Last race | Aaron’s 312 (Talladega)- 2010 |
| Best finish | 106th (2010) |
Chrissy Wallace comes from the legendary Wallace family. Her father, Mike Wallace, was a veteran nationwide racer. He was quite popular among the fans. Then her uncle Rusty Wallace is a former NASCAR Champion. Naturally, there were high hopes for her.
Wallace, then a young woman, raced in Thunder Roadsters, Bandoleros, and Legend Cars. She has triumphed in various divisions, and at Hickory Speedway, she was the first female late-model driver to do so.
She debuted in the NASCAR Truck series in 2008. She competed in six races that year. Wallace placed 13th at Talladega in 2009, which was a career-high.
Wallace, then a young woman, raced in Thunder Roadsters, Bandoleros, and Legend Cars. She has triumphed in various divisions, and at Hickory Speedway, she was the first female late-model driver to do so.
She debuted in the NASCAR Truck series in 2008. She competed in six races that year. Wallace placed 13th at Talladega in 2009, which was a career-high. She got to race in the NASCAR Cup Series only twice.
Career Stats for NASCAR Cup Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9. Danica Patrick
| Full name | Danica Sue Patrick |
| Date of birth | March 25, 1982 |
| Place of birth | Beloit, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| First race | Daytona 500 (Daytona)- 2012 |
| Last race | Daytona 500 (Daytona)- 2018 |
| Best finish | 24th (2015, 2016) |
This list would have been incomplete without Danica Patrick. She achieved many things in her racing career. And she holds several records to her name. Some of her records include the following:
- The first female driver to win an IndyCar Series.
- First female racer to clinch a pole position in the NASCAR Cup Series.
- Most top ten finishes among female drivers.
Patrick was born in Wisconsin and became much popular in the IndyCar Series race. Then she became a part of the NASCAR Cup Series, where she represented JR Motorsports. In her initial year, she had moderate finishes, but she quickly learned how to handle heavy stock cars.
Patrick started 191 races in her seven-year career and finished seven times in the top ten, and became the most successful female driver in NASCAR’s history. She is, without a doubt, one of the best female NASCAR drivers ever.
Career Stats for NASCAR Cup Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 191 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
10. Angela Cope
| Full name | Angela Christine Ruch |
| Date of birth | August 18, 1983 |
| Place of birth | Puyallup, Washington |
| First race | Iowa John Deere Dealers 250 (Iowa)- 2011 |
| Last race | ord EcoBoost 300 (Homestead)- 2018 |
| Best finish | 55th (2011) |
Like Chrissy Wallace, Angela Cope also comes from a racing family. She is the third generation racer of the Cope family. After competing in several other promotions, she had her first opportunity to race in NASCAR in 2011. Cope then competed in different events of NASCAR.
Cope started fourteen races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series but never made it to the top ten. She had her best moment in 2011 when she finished her career-best 55th position. Cope did have her limitation, but she made it to the nationwide race competitions, and she deserves praise for that.
Career Stats for NASCAR Xfinity Series
| Career races | Wins | Top tens | Poles |
| 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Conclusion
So they are the 10 best female NASCAR drivers in 2023. They are skillful and talented drivers. They broke the gender barrier with their passion and dedication to racing. They have paved the way for future generation female racers. They will always be remembered Because of their contribution.
