Paula Murphy Obituary News: What Happened to Female Race Car Driver, Paula Murphy?

Paula Murphy Obituary News: What Happened to Female Race Car Driver, Paula Murphy?

Paula Murphy Obituary: Paula Murphy, a trailblazing female race car driver who became known as “The Fastest Woman on Wheels” for her exploits across the motorsports world, died Thursday, according to the NHRA. She was 95.

A one-time secretary at Marquardt, an aerospace engineering firm in North Hollywood, Calif., Murphy became interested in racing after attending the 1956 Santa Barbara Memorial Day Race and from there joined the Women’s Sports Car Club, an organization that encouraged women to participate in administrative tasks associated with racing.

After competing in ladies’ races beginning in 1956, Murphy devoted herself to racing full-time starting in 1963 and soon gained notoriety when she set a 161 MPH women’s land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Murphy’s land speed effort came with the support of STP executive Andy Granatelli, who sponsored her racing efforts as Murphy became known as “Miss STP.”

Murphy would compete alongside men in Funny Car competition in 1966, becoming the first woman to ever receive a license from the NHRA to compete in any nitro class. She would also set notable firsts at both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and in NASCAR. Murphy became the first woman to drive alone at high speeds in Indianapolis while testing a Novi in 1963.