Paula Murphy (June 16, 1928 – December 21, 2023) was an American automobile driver who was first and/or fastest in many speed endeavors. In 1975 she was described as “the fastest woman on wheels” by the New York Times.[1]
Biography
Paula Murphy was born in Ohio on June 16, 1928,[2] and moved to California in 1956.[3]
As of 1975, Murphy had been "the only woman to have been allowed to drive an Indy car at speed on the track. That had been in 1963"[4] in a Studebaker car with a Novi engine.[5]
Murphy was also "the first woman to drive a jet-engined car on the Salt Flats".[6]
Murphy was also the "first woman licensed to drive a nitromethane-fueled car"[7] and the first woman to have a fuel funny car license from the National Hot Rod Association.[3]
In the 1960s and 1970s she set numerous speed records, including a Mexico to Canada route, a New York to Los Angeles route, the women's land speed record, and the NASCAR women's speed record.[3] She became part of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2017.[8]
Murphy appeared as a guest on the December 1, 1963, episode of What's My Line?, introduced as "test car driver".[9]
Murphy died on December 21, 2023, at the age of 95.[10][1]
References
- ^ a b Traub, Alex (December 26, 2023). "Paula Murphy, Once 'the Fastest Woman on Wheels,' Dies at 95". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ "Paula Murphy". www.mshf.com.
- ^ a b c "Paula Murphy". Retrieved March 28, 2023.
- ^ Pash, Phil (April 13, 1975). "Only Woman Who Drove There Prefers Back Seat at Indianapolis". The New York Times. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
- ^ "Paula Murphy". Retrieved March 28, 2023.
- ^ "The Shoe and Miss STP are Back!". Retrieved March 28, 2023.
- ^ "Paula Murphy". Retrieved March 28, 2023.
- ^ "Paula Murphy". Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- ^ What's My Line? - Colonel Sanders; Alan King; Martin Gabel [panel] (Dec 1, 1963), retrieved May 28, 2023
- ^ Taranto, Steven (December 21, 2023). "Paula Murphy, trailblazing female race car driver, dies at 95". CBS Sports.
External links
- Paula Murphy at IMDb