For those who consider auto racing to be “a man’s sport” chew on this for a moment: Shirley Muldowney wasn’t just the first woman to get an NHRA top-fuel driver’s licence ever, she was also the first person to win two, and three Top Fuel titles. Muldowney, who’s racing nickname was “Cha-Cha” played on the same level as men like Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme, Connie Kallitas, and Don Garlits – basically the who’s who of the ’70s drag scene.
Muldowney credits her husband, Jack Muldowney with teaching her how to drive and giving her the racing bug. Their stormy relationship, and the challenges Shirley had breaking into the old-boys club that was the NHRA forms the basis for Heart Like a Wheel, the 1983 film starring Bonnie Bedelia as Shirley, and Leo Rossi as her husband Jack. While the film was hailed by critics – it has a 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes – Muldowney herself wasn’t too pleased with it. She didn’t like Bedelia’s performance, having preferred Jamie Lee Curtis for the role, and thought it took too many liberties in reflecting her life. Still, she is quoted as saying that the film was good for the sport and that’s something she felt was important.
Check out the trailer for Heart Like a Wheel – and a little more – right after the jump.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/r_IR9s_b1JM[/youtube]
Great news, it looks like YouTube has the entire movie available to stream for free! Ain’t that a cool bonus?
[youtube]https://youtu.be/nL1BpJ65o2Q[/youtube]
Image: YouTube