Shirley Muldowney

Here's a pic from Cayuga Dragway up here in Ontario from the 70's of Shirley with Lovely Linda having birthday cake. Last time I had the chance to speak with Shirley was 96 at the Drag Race Reunion in Naigara Falls NY.

 

I was watching the new Jackson Bros 70's Funny Car DVD called "Old Funny Cars N' Force" and there's a sequence of Shirley in there at Fremont in '74 with the Kalitta Mach 1 Mustang. She was sponsored by Frederick's of Hollywood. Epic

 

Competitive yes, easy on the eyes...yes. Bitchy attitude a BIG YES, especially to female fans. You guys can trip allover her all you want but not this guy, she treated my mom who was racing in the early 60's like shit when she asked for an autograph and as you can tell left a pretty good impression on me. She did have a mouth like sailor, and outright lied to your face. She also likes to claim she was the first woman to get a NHRA supercharged liscense. I say Bullshit....it was a friend of mine Barb Hamilton and the guys that signed for her were sorta well known guys. They were a couple of big dudes by the names of Big John and Big Daddy. Shirley will never amount to much in my eyes but who am I?

I think she is the reason they coined the term "No matter how good she looks there is a guy somewhere tired of putting up with her shit"

I'm glad Curtis never did the movie, I dislike Shirley so much that I'd hate to have that feeling spill over into the totally hot Jamie Lee

It took me 4 days (at least) to open this thread just because of the title. I was hoping it would die and be gone but since it keeps popping to the top I had to see what was so important. I'm sure there is someone out there that drools over her as much as I despise her. To each his own I guess

 

Funny you should shed light on this side of her. Ive never met her personaly, but my buddy Art who has been in drag racing since the late fifties feels the same way about her. My favorite quote of his is " I can`t stand that rotten *& nt" Im not sure what they have against each other, but he speaks really bad of her and connie. I love the movie though!

 

I really hate to see the *unt word on car boards, could you edit some of that out?

 

I still think Bonnie Bedelia is hot though!

 

Hell, he's the only one small enough to pass for a women in a fire suit!!!!

 

1965 South Glens Falls Drag-O-Way, New York. Cha Cha borrows a 1/2" wrench from me and I never got it back. She never did cuss at me though.

You gotta understand the times. A young (at the time) girl in an all male environment. Has to act tough and talk tough, I think. I remember when they wouldn't even let a girl on the strip in a few places that I ran.

 

Yeah, you know you're in trouble when you see that green haze coming out of the headers when you get into the hashmarks.

 

If I'm not mistaken,Shirley is married to Rahn Tobler,Cruz Pedregon crew chief,He was Shirleys crew chief during her winning years!

 

Was married.They are toast.
Being local to her area,racing at the same tracks at same time,knowing people
who really knew her,let me state this...ummm,no,I'll be a good boy.

 

OUTSTANDING THRED. but when did she run a twin motor rail?????????????????

 

I can totally respect the accomplishments but it is very true about the mouth.
A friend of mine had a small shop in Carmichael in the 70’s. she was racing or going to race at Sac. raceway anyways her car needed some repairs. When the thing wasn’t ready in her time frame, I was told the true lady came out and it was ugly.

 

I am a little surprised that nobody mentioned the way Don Garlits was portrayed in the movie.
Somebody with influence on the book or the making of the movie really wanted him to look like an obnoxious character.
I have heard that the rivalry went much deeper than just the showmanship part of it.

 

thats priceless rich!:d

 

just got one on order from Amazon it was only $5.50 thanks

 

Got to meet her in the late 70's at a car show.

 

anybody got more pictures of the twin rail?

 

cc...

 

I liked the movie and of course the blue & silver merc.

 

Yeah, Poncho Rendon's nephew,...and she got her license at Cayuga in Canada.

 

....... in Poncho's 'Frito Bandito', here's a shot with 'Cha-Cha' on the cowl

cc

 

Funny, My wife reminded me the other day that "Heart Like A Wheel" was the last movie that we went to the theater to watch. Since then, we either wait for it on the tube or order the video. Wow!!! how time flies. SaltCat

 

I remember some preproduction interviews about this movie, Charles Haid (Renko, Hill Street Blues) was going to play Connie. I was bummed at first when I saw Bridges. But the way they portrayed him as an @$$ I was glad Haid wasn't in it.

 

Here's a couple shots of the lady working on the car between rounds. I'm thinking it was at Englishtown.
Note the Frito Bandito lettering on the trailer.

 

When I started touring with a fuel car in the mid 80's we would run her every now and then, but in 97 we went at it with her for the IHRA championship. We held the points all year long but we swaped the record back and forth all season long. We met in the semi final round in Norwalk, Ohio, it was the run to clinch the championship. She red lite and we took the MPH record back from her and won the championship. When we got down to the shut down area she came over and shook our hands and was first class all the way. Can you imagine how much crap she put up with from the guys over the years???

 

Pro,The funny part is,I'm a friend of Tony and Ponchos(RIP).I got that book for christmas and stumbled on that pic.I went over to poncho's shop to show him,and he went and bought a few copies for his stash.I've met shirley thru him,she has always very nice to me.I've heard the same stories,but she's been good to me.

 

Same deal when I beat her at Columbus. She hopped out of her car, came right over and said, "Excellent job," and shook hands.

 

Holy shit you need to get out more.

 

Had forgotten all about the movie until this thread came along. Got the DVD today. It is the special NHRA edition that comes with a Hot Wheels dragster. Pretty cool for $6 from Amazon.com