by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance
It has just been announced that a woman is attempting to become the first female pitcrew member in NASCAR racing. Joining Michael Waltrip Racing, Christmas Abbott is hoping to become a permanent over-the-wall member as an official tire changer.
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Christmas Abbott
Will she become NASCAR's
first female tire changer?
Photo Credit: SportingNews.com |
Being a tire changer was not in Christmas Abbott's mind as a career goal. The petite 5'3", 115-pound Abbott claims that when a friend suggested it was something she might be good at, she wasn't enthusiastic. But she said that she got hooked when she saw how orchestrated and how fast the pit crews were.
“It’s not a gender issue for me,” Abbott said recently at Bristol Motor Speedway. “I decided to change tires because I liked what I did. I liked the excitement of it, the challenge and what it presented. That’s why I pursued this sport.”
Abbott is no stranger to hard work. Abbott herself was a CrossFit gym owner. She had also worked for a defense contractor in a war zone, living in a camp where the ratio of women to men was 6 out of 150. There, you were expected to do your share of the work load. She apparently is not intimidated by the level of competition from NASCAR pitcrew members who have worked hard to get where they are. She states, "I just hope I can perform to where I want to perform."
While she's not the first female to be involved in NASCAR, this is a first for the pits. Back in the hey-day of drag racing, Shirley Muldowney made a name for herself after man-handling her way into the sport as a driver. Yes, women were in the pits, but they were there busily preparing food for the team! She is probably the best known female drag racer, having set many NHRA records and even winning praise and recognition from "Big Daddy" Don Gartlit, "King of the Dragsters". She won three NHRA Winston Top Fuel championships and 18 NHRA national events during her career, and is widely accepted as number five of the Top 50 racers in NHRA history.
Today, we have Danica Patrick who made the leap from open-wheel racing to NASCAR. While there is some controversy on whether her weight advantage gives her an unfair edge, she has been able to produce satisfactory results for her team.
I'm not one to say women need to have a presence in male-dominated sport just for the sake of equality, but if they can prove that they have what it takes to be there, good luck to them! As Guy Algar stated, "No affirmative action, no special treatment. Just base decisions on pure skill and a great work ethic. That's what will win respect and recognition from both men and women."
We'll be following Christmas Abbott to see how she fairs in this mainly male-dominated sport.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.
