Shirley Muldowney 'Early Stocker'

[Paul Ceasrine]

Looking for help (photo's) of Shirley Muldowney, on the early stuff.

1958 Chevrolet Biscayne 'red'.....348/315 HP...'3 x 2' Tri-Power'...

This was the 'new' 'Police Package' that featured; {11.00 -1 Pistons and Solid Camshaft}
and 4.11 Gears w/ Posi-Traction, and a 'Borg-Warner 4-Speed 'option'.

She ran this car in;
'SS/S'.....Super Stock/Stick'.......1958 thru 1960 circa

Elapsed Times and MPH
* 1958..........14.80's @ 96 MPH
* 1959..........14.80's @ 96 MPH
* 1960..........14.30's @ 98 MPH

She raced this car in upstate New York {1958 thru 1961}.
* Fonda Dragstrip......................................... ............... {1/8 Mile, 1958}....and.....{1/4 Mile, 1959 and 1960}
* Montgomery Airport/Dragstrip..................................{1/4 Mile, 1958 thru 1960}

* Won 'Top Stock Eliminator' at the 'August 1960' Drags at Pittsfield, Massachusetts 'Airport'.

* As well as the 'Streets of Schenectady'.

The 'owner' claims this was the Muldowney's 58' Biscayne.

[mzagata]

Cha Cha drove my 62 Dart 413 Max Wedge in the Powder Puff class at S. Glens Falls. At the time she was racing a Corvette. mzagata

[Paul Ceasrine]

M Zagata,

Excellent....

I found photo's of her at the Montgomery Airport/Dragstrip from 1960.

Jack and Shirley had a 'red' 1958 Biscayne 348/315 HP 'Tri-Power' that ran in A/Stock.

Advertised as "The 'only' teenage girl-driven A/Stocker in the Northeast".

That date - Tommy Ivo was there, running his 'Reddish-Orange' 'Twin Buick Engine' 'Hilborn Injected' Dragster.

The old Montgomery Newpsaper states that TV Tommy Ivo ran 8.90's @ 160 MPH.

Shirley Muldowney won A/Stock Class, and was beaten in the Semi-Finals of Stock Eliminator.

I wonder if she was getting 'appearance' money that early in her career.

[mopar68]

This is the earliest Shirley I have.



M68

[Paul Ceasrine]

1961

They were running the 'red' 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne - 348/315 HP 'Tri-Power'.

They were cleaning up in 'Stock Trophy Class.....now Classed in 'B/S'... (1961)...

Running.......
* Wednesday Night............................................ Fonda Dragstrip
* Saturday Nighta and Sunday..........................South Glens Falls Dragaway

[Paul Ceasrine]

1962 Corvette {327/300 HP}

Purchased from Mohawk Chevrolet.....with a Borg-Warner T-10 - 4-Speed (Close-Ratio) and 4.11 Gears w/ Posi-Traction.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* In early-1962, started off by running......14.50's @ 95 MPH.............Classed in 'C/SP'

* Won 'every 1962 ' 'Powder Puff Event'.......at Fonda Dragstrip and South Glens Falls Dragway
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Later in 1962....... installed 4.56 Gears, Headers, Slicks and a Clutch Set-Up.

* Was soon running.......13.60's @ 103 MPH..........in 'C/SP'

* The 1962 'C/SP' 'National Record' was... 13.68

* Competed in the 'Sports Car Trophy Class' against the men,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1962 Racing Season

* '1962'.....won a 'total' of '47' Class Trophies

* Fonda Dragstrip.....(Wednesday Nights)..........................{ 27 Class Trophy Wins }
* South Glens Falls Dragway.....(Sunday's).........................{ 11 Class Trophy Wins }

* Also, won 'Class Trophies at;

* Dover Drag Strip...(Sunday).................................. ...............{ 2 Class Trophy Wins }
* Milton Speedway (Vermont)...(Sunday).............................. .{ 2 Class Trophy Wins }
* Tri-Cities (Endicott-Binghamton)....(Saturday Nights)........{ 3 Class Trophy Wins }
* Utica-Rome Dragway....(Saturday Night)............................{ 1 Class Trophy Win }.........'1/8 Mile Track'
* Pittsfield 'Airport/Dragstrip'...(Sunday)............................. ....{ 1 Class Trophy Win }

* Won the 'Sports Car Class Eliminator Event' at Pittsfield, Massachussets 'Airport/Dragstrip' on Sunday, August 19, 1962..

* Won the 'Sports Car Class Eliminator Event' at Utica-Rome Dragway in September 1962

* For 1963, they installed a 'Moroso-type' Hood Scoop.

* They also raced this car in '1963'.

[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"