by Lee Pierre
Women’s History Month (March 1-31, 2025) is an annual observance to highlight the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. Women have broken and continue to break many barriers. Women’s History Month began as a local weeklong celebration in Santa Rosa, California in 1978, according to the online National Women’s History Museum. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women planned the week and timed it with International Women’s Day.
The National Women’s History Alliance sets a theme for the month every year. This year’s theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.”
The theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions.”
Women have paved the way for others in all walks of life yet very little is known about them. For this week, the topic of female racecar drivers popped up. It was intriguing to find out about the women who had made a difference and encouraged lesser known females to want to take a shot at driving on the oval track.
Shauntia Latrice Norfleet, born May 1, 1986 in Suffolk, VA, is the first and only African American woman to hold a NASCAR driver’s license. Lyons is a second-generation drag racer that all started with her father, Jack Davis, who was a well-known street racer and drag racing enthusiast in the Los Angeles area. As a young girl, Lyons followed along her father to many a street race and drag racing event.
Chrissy Wallace (born May 15, 1988) is an American stock car racing driver and is the daughter of NASCAR driver, Mike Wallace; niece of Rusty Wallace and Kenny Wallace; cousin of Steve Wallace, and sister of Matt Wallace. She made her Craftsman Truck Series debut April 2008 at Martinsville Speedway, the same track where her father began his career in 1990.
Research shows Cheryl Linn Glass as the first African American female sprint car driver. Born in 1961, Glass had everything to become a success story: she was a model, a business owner, a racing driver, a fashion designer and so many other things… in all, she was “The Lady”.
An even lesser known fact regards Roanoke native, Linda B. Childress, who drove on Franklin County Speedway in 1984 in a “Mad Mad Media Race.” She recalls how both of her younger daughters were frightened during the race because of the speed.
Thomeka, age 10 at the time, remembered, “It was loud and I was scared for you.”
Her younger sister, Kia, age 8, also stated being scared because of the speed and remembers someone telling her that is how everyone drives. She added, “I was happy when you finished. And the hot dogs were really good!”
The oldest, Sophia, at age 14, recalls the event as being cool. “No other mom in the neighborhood ever did it. The people, once realizing that my mom was the one racing, were supportive of us while we watched you race.”
“Women rock!”
