Shirley Muldowney 'Early Stocker'

[mzagata]

When I was racing Super Stock in 62-64 at Fonda and other tracks in the NE I don't believe she was being paid to race at those venues. Whoever posted about her hitting a timing light pole at Fonda is correct - she did. MZagata

[Paul Ceasrine]

Then, the 'daily driver'... a 'red' 1963 Corvette 327/300 HP.

I believe Jack and Shirley purchased the 'red' 1963 'Split-Window Coupe' Corvette
in October 1962 from Mohawk Chevrolet of out Schenectady, New York -

The 'new' 1963 Sting Ray Corvette' hit the Chevrolet Dealer Showrooms in October 1962.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Then in late-1963..... they sold the 'red' 1962 Corvette (Street/Strip Car).

And purchased another 1963 Corvette..........this time a 'black' 1963 Corvette 'Split-Window Coupe'...327/300 HP.
which they turned into a ........'Street/Strip Car' that would also run in 'C/SP'.

Purchased from Mohawk Chevrolet with;
* L-75.................327/300 HP
* 4-Speed..........M-20 'Close-Ratio' Transmission
* 4.11 Gears..... w/ Posi-Traction

* Added..........4.56 Gears, Headers and Slicks. Was Street-Driven and Raced in 'C/SP' during late-1963.

Ran 13.40's @ 105 MPH

* The 1963 'C/SP' National Record was......13.24 @ 103.38 MPH

* Held by a 1957 Corvette.....283/283 HP....'Fuel Injection'

Fonda Speedway (Dragstrip) archives claims that Shirley won '28 Class Trophies' for 1963.

Including all.........'7'.........'Monthly Powder Puff Events'.

Looks to be a Coco-Cola or Pepsi Cola Trophy 'Year End Award'.
Awarded to the 'driver' with the most Class Trophy wins.

[Paul Ceasrine]

M. Zagata,

Do you remember the 1963 Ford Fairlane {289/271 HP} 'Hi-Po' car that Shirley 'matched-raced' with at,

* Fonda Dragstrip
* South Glens Falls
* Utica-Rome
* Lebanon Valley
* Milton, Vermont
* Tri-Cities, Endicott-Binghamton

Shirley was classed in 'C/SP' with her 'black' 63' Corvette Sting-Ray 'split-window coupe' during the...... 1963 and 1964 seasons.

The Ford Fairlane was classed in "C/S", and I think was owned by Phil Castronova out of Utica-Rome, New York.

"Heads-Up" Match-Races, with both cars running around 13.50's.

They'd each get $75.00 for a "Three-Race Guarantee"

[Paul Ceasrine]

At the beginning of 1965,,,,,,,

Shirley was given a 'black' 1963 Plymouth Fury (426/415 HP)
'Steel-Nose' Max-Wedge to race in AA/SA by Plymouth,
as 'factory-backed' Top Stock Eliminator Racer.

Shirley 'Match-Raced' this car against other 1962, 1963 and 1964
'Max-Wedge' Mopars, as well as 1964 and 1965 Super/Stock Hemi's.

Names included;
* Chuck McJury
* Charlie Lendrum
* Doc Burgess
* Bill Rubin
* Jay Miner

Usual 'appearance fee'..........$150 for a Guarantee of '3' Match Races against another Super Stocker, or AA/S and/or AA/SA car.

All were other 'upstate New York' 'Super/Stock' Drag-racers.

For a brief period in 'early-1965', she held the East Coast 'AA/SA' National Record,
when she ran a 12.12 @ 117.85 MPH at Milton, Vermont in defeating Charlie Lendrum
in an 'Eastern Drag News' sponsored event.

The record was later broken by Don Owen, who ran a 12.09 @ 118.38 MPH.

Shirley is located at the last car ('black' 1963 Plymouth Fury, 426/415 HP'
'AA/SA' {non 'Ram-Air' - Steel-nosed car}.

Photo from 1965



The Fonda Speedway 'Drag Strip' ran through the 'infield' of an Oval Stock Crar Track.

Yes, to the left was the 'Cow Palace', a meat butcher facility.

This Fury was lettered with 'It's Not A Hemi' on the front fenders.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Nico,

Shirley Muldowney did race a '1963 Plymouth Fury' {426/415 HP} in 1965.

Classed in AA/SA - which was ''Factory-Dealer Sponsored' by the Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Chrysler-Plymouth Dealers Association.

They didn't feel she was quite 'ready' for a 1965' S/S 'Race Hemi Lightweight Car,
so they gave her a 'freshened up' - '2-year old'....1963 AA/SA car.

Shirley Muldowney

[Paul Ceasrine]

In 1966 at South Glens Falls........ her first attempt with a 'Rail'.

A Chevy 327, 'Hilborn Fuel Injected'......"Junior Fueler" classed in.......B/Dragster'

Running at.......South Glens Falls



Classed in 'B/D'.....1966 and 1967... featuring... 'Weed Burner Headers'