Women have competed in NASCAR’s top ranks since the organization’s very first race in 1949. The influence of trailblazing female drivers has steadily shaped the sport, making the Hailie Deegan female NASCAR driver impact a crucial part of racing history. Over the seven-decade history of the NASCAR Cup Series, 17 women have taken the green flag at least once, pushing past convention and challenging the norms of stock car racing.
In those decades, only a select few women have had the opportunity to make multiple starts. Danica Patrick stands out as the sole woman to run every race in a Cup Series season, participating in 191 events from 2013 to 2017. Only six women have started at least five Cup races, and just three have reached double-digit entries, illustrating the difficulties female racers have faced in establishing long-term careers at the highest level of stock car competition.
Katherine Legge’s Ambitious NASCAR Journey
Katherine Legge, known for her open-wheel experience, redirected her racing aspirations in 2025 after her appearance at the Indianapolis 500. Instead of returning to IndyCar, Legge chose to pursue NASCAR full time—a pivotal decision for her career. She initially sampled the world of stock cars in 2018, making four starts in the Xfinity Series, sparking a passion for the NASCAR discipline.
“I loved it and wanted to do more… I have so much fun doing it and am so motivated. I really want to make this home,” she said (via NASCAR.com). —Katherine Legge, NASCAR Driver
Legge targeted the Cup Series as her next frontier, aiming to debut at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), but instead made her first start at Phoenix Raceway with Live Fast Motorsports. While her Phoenix outing was challenging—with multiple incidents and an accidental collision ending Daniel Suárez’s day—Legge focused on gaining crucial Cup experience.
“It was going to be my first foray and fly under the radar and that didn’t happen… I wanted to use it to gain experience.” —Katherine Legge, NASCAR Driver
Her time in the Xfinity Series with Jordan Anderson Racing has seen setbacks, such as missing races at Nashville and Rockingham and not finishing three out of four starts. However, Legge made progress, notably leading a lap at Talladega with Joey Gase Motorsports before being swept up in a late-race multi-car crash. For the rest of 2025, she is scheduled for Cup races in Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma, Watkins Glen, and Richmond, as well as Xfinity events at EchoPark Speedway and Indianapolis. Backed by advisors like AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, McLeod, and Anderson, Legge remains committed to mastering NASCAR, with an eye toward possibly rejoining the Indy 500 field in the future.
Sara Christian: Early Trailblazer in a Male-Dominated Field
Sara Christian emerged as a formidable competitor during NASCAR’s maiden season in 1949. Finishing 13th in the championship standings, Christian still holds the record for a female driver’s best season result in the Cup Series. Her fifth-place run at Heidelberg Raceway remains the highest single-race finish by a woman at NASCAR’s highest level.
Christian competed in six of the eight races that season, including the inaugural Charlotte event, where even after handing off her car mid-race, she achieved a 14th-place result. At Daytona Beach and Road Course, she raced alongside her husband Frank Christian, becoming the only married couple to compete in the same race, finishing 18th while Frank placed sixth.
Her sixth-place effort at Langhorne, Pennsylvania, earned Christian an invitation to Victory Lane with Curtis Turner—a rare distinction for anyone besides the race winner. These performances led the United States Driver’s Association to honor her as Woman Driver of the Year for 1949. The final event of her trailblazing season at North Wilkesboro further cemented her legacy.
“They realized that she was good enough to where she could compete with the men.” —Cody Dinsmore, Georgia Racing Hall of Fame
Christian retired in 1950 due to a back injury. She was later inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in 2004, and her husband Frank received the same honor in 2013. Her influence continues to resonate, decades after her passing in 1980, as she paved the way for future generations.
Danica Patrick’s Unprecedented NASCAR Cup Series Career
Danica Patrick stands as the most prolific female driver in NASCAR Cup Series history. From 2012 to 2018, Patrick took the green flag 191 times and remains the only woman to compete full-time at stock car racing’s highest level. She raced with Stewart-Haas Racing, making a significant impression over her five full seasons from 2013 to 2017.
Patrick arrived in NASCAR following a stellar IndyCar career, highlighted by a race win and a third-place finish at the 2009 Indianapolis 500. Her move to the Cup Series was greeted by high expectations. Over her NASCAR tenure, she secured seven top-10 finishes, the most by any woman, though she did not manage to crack the top 20 in overall season standings.
“She didn’t come into the sport to set a car up, she came to the sport to learn to drive it,” said her former crew chief Tony Eury Jr. (via ESPN). —Tony Eury Jr., Crew Chief
Patrick broke additional ground at the 2013 Daytona 500, earning pole position and finishing eighth—the highest finish for a female driver in that storied event. Her legacy is marked by both her on-track results and the heightened visibility she brought to women in motorsports, especially at Stewart-Haas Racing.
Janet Guthrie: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Racing’s Biggest Arenas
Janet Guthrie holds the distinction of being the first woman to race in both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500, achieving those milestones in 1977. With a background in physics from the University of Michigan, she began her career in sports car racing, self-preparing her vehicles without backing from manufacturers.
In the NASCAR Cup Series, Guthrie further solidified her place in history by leading a lap—another first for women. She followed her 1977 debut with Indianapolis 500 appearances in 1978 and 1979, successfully proving her abilities on the sport’s largest stages. Her independence, technical knowledge, and motivation separated her from her contemporaries in both stock cars and open-wheel racing.
“It wasn’t about proving anything — it was about racing.” —IndyStar, on Janet Guthrie
Guthrie’s influence has been formally recognized through her induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2019 and the awarding of NASCAR’s Landmark Award in 2024.
Hailie Deegan: A New Chapter in Female NASCAR Driver Impact
Hailie Deegan’s racing story began in off-road competition, but her breakthrough came in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West from 2018 to 2019, where she became the first woman to win in series history. Deegan notched three victories and logged ten top-five finishes, quickly distinguishing herself among her peers. Her family name carries weight, as she is the daughter of motocross legend Brian Deegan.
After her time in the K&N Pro Series West, Deegan advanced to the NASCAR Truck Series in 2020, recording five top-10 finishes over the span of three years. In 2024, she took on a partial schedule in the Xfinity Series, facing challenges as she continued to develop her skills at higher levels of NASCAR.
For 2025, Deegan embarked on a full 14-race INDY NXT campaign with HMD Motorsports, marking her first season in open-wheel racing. This bold move signaled both her drive to expand her racing repertoire and her willingness to break new ground for women in motorsports. Deegan gained early open-wheel experience at Circuit of the Americas in a Formula Regional Americas event ahead of the INDY NXT season.
“I have much to learn, but I am ready to go… The team brings a wealth of knowledge, and I look forward to soaking up as much of that as possible,” she said (via FOX Sports). —Hailie Deegan, Driver
The Lasting Influence of Female Trailblazers on NASCAR
The paths carved by Sara Christian, Janet Guthrie, Danica Patrick, Katherine Legge, and Hailie Deegan have redefined what is possible for women in NASCAR. Their tenacity and successes have changed perceptions, opened doors, and inspired future generations to pursue careers in racing, regardless of gender. Each driver’s story is marked by moments of breakthrough, from leading laps and winning races to making history at iconic events like the Daytona 500 or forging ahead in open-wheel disciplines.
The continued support from figures like team owners, crew chiefs such as Tony Eury Jr., and organizations like Stewart-Haas Racing has played a role in amplifying the Hailie Deegan female NASCAR driver impact. With emerging talents and the steadfast pursuit of excellence, the sport stands to benefit from an increasingly diverse and dynamic competitor pool, shaping NASCAR’s trajectory for years to come.
