The very early days of NASCAR (1949) had names such as Louise Smith and Ethel Mobley. In 1965, Shirley Muldowney was the first woman licensed by NHRA to drive a gasoline-burning dragster capable of speeds over 150 mph in the quarter-mile. In 1977 Janet Guthrie was the first woman to earn a starting spot in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 (where she was top rookie). Ladies have been making their mark in the Motorsports industry for decades.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Carolyn Melendy. (Read about Carolyn Melendy here: www.competitionplus.com She is considered the first lady of Pro Modified racing, having been involved in the class since the 1990s. At the time it was male dominated, and she recalled that no one wanted to line up next to her to race. The issue to her male counterparts was that  they felt she did not have the skill to drive a Pro Mod car.  

Finally, Bill Kuhlmann (a pioneer in the Pro Mod movement), decided to line up next to her, thinking he would have her by many car lengths. The conclusion was that he was sadly mistaken. Although Carolyn did not win the race, she was right with him all the way. It was there that she began to legitimize herself in the Pro Mod world and consequently open the door for women like me. I’m thankful for that. And on a side note, I would like to mention Annette Summer and Carol Long, two ladies in Pro Mod that I also feel may not get the recognition they deserve. Or even Bunny Burkett (IHRA Funny Car Driver and World Champion) for that matter. Ladies much like me that work hard at their craft without the accolades. True racers. And at the heart of it, that is what we are; racers, drivers and competitors.

The very early days of NASCAR (1949) had names such as Louise Smith and Ethel Mobley. In 1965, Shirley Muldowney was the first woman licensed by NHRA to drive a gasoline-burning dragster capable of speeds over 150 mph in the quarter-mile. In 1977 Janet Guthrie was the first woman to earn a starting spot in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 (where she was top rookie). Ladies have been making their mark in the Motorsports industry for decades.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Carolyn Melendy. (Read about Carolyn Melendy here: www.competitionplus.com She is considered the first lady of Pro Modified racing, having been involved in the class since the 1990s. At the time it was male dominated, and she recalled that no one wanted to line up next to her to race. The issue to her male counterparts was that  they felt she did not have the skill to drive a Pro Mod car.  

Finally, Bill Kuhlmann (a pioneer in the Pro Mod movement), decided to line up next to her, thinking he would have her by many car lengths. The conclusion was that he was sadly mistaken. Although Carolyn did not win the race, she was right with him all the way. It was there that she began to legitimize herself in the Pro Mod world and consequently open the door for women like me. I’m thankful for that. And on a side note, I would like to mention Annette Summer and Carol Long, two ladies in Pro Mod that I also feel may not get the recognition they deserve. Or even Bunny Burkett (IHRA Funny Car Driver and World Champion) for that matter. Ladies much like me that work hard at their craft without the accolades. True racers. And at the heart of it, that is what we are; racers, drivers and competitors.

Being a woman in motorsports is a bit of a phenomenon. I don’t mean that the way you think I do either. We ladies tend to stick together. We are uniquely supportive of each other, yet we are as competitive as they come. Our concentration levels are second to none. We celebrate the fact that we are women because that is what women do. Here is where the phenomenon ends (in my eyes anyway). When it comes to racing, the actual sport and art of racing, we are drivers. That’s it. The cars, the track, the timers and the finish line do not know we are women nor that our competitors may be men. We are all drivers.  

Amazingly, every once in a blue moon I will run into the quintessential Neanderthal with scabs on his knuckles from apparently not having completed the evolutionary process. He is the guy who thinks women should be seen (preferably scantily clad) and not heard. He is also the guy who thinks we as women should be in the kitchen making a sandwich rather than doing what we do. As I said, the occurrence, although rare, does happen. I personally love dealing with this type and I must admit being from New York tends to give me the upper hand as far as comebacks go.  In this day and age, unless you are living under a rock, it’s time to realize; a driver is a driver, and again, the car has no idea if we are male or female.

Now, let’s get back to the phenomenon theory and celebrating the fact that we are women. I am very proud of the fact that in my life I had the honor to skate for one of the most prestigious ice shows to tour North America for over 50 years, the Ice Capades. Being a ‘showgirl’ is an image that has been associated with me for as long as I can remember. My Dina Parise Racing fans, friends and fellow racers have been making the association for many years as well. Therefore, that is why I have introduced a new Dina Parise Racing logo, where style and beauty meets competitiveness and power. I hope it lets all the ladies out there know that they can be whatever they want to be. Don’t dream it, be it. Remember - you only get one ticket in this life, and I’m using mine until it expires!”

See you at the races.