The daughter of nascar driver bobby norfleet, she has competed on a. Meet nascars first african american driver and winner. The release announced tia norfleet as the first and only africanamerican female driver in nascar and arca, and said she had signed to be represented by platinum sports entertainment group. Tia norfleet on being first african american female nascar driver. Meet the first female african american pit crew member in nascar. He was the first black driver to participate in the race since 1971, and he earned the.
Norfleet was recently featured in an interview in harpers bazaar as part of their one woman series by thinx, which spotlights women who rely on endurance and adaptability to get through the work day. Dec 27, 2012 make room danica patrick, theres a new girl in town. Tia norfleet, the 24yearold daughter of a professional racer. Meet the first black woman to own a nascar team the. Tia norfleet, nascars first africanamerican female driver. However, the first woman to drive in nascar was janet guthrie, and the first black man to drive was wendell scott.
Over the past year, tia norfleet has gotten significant publicity centered around being the only licensed africanamerican female nascar driver. She made history as nascars 1st black woman on pit crew. Mar 23, 2018 nationwide the road success of being a professional race car driver is not easy. His secondplace finish at daytona was the highest finish ever by an africanamerican in the daytona 500, and it was the highest finish by an africanamerican in a nascar top series in 47 years. Oct 26, 2019 louise smith is also the first woman who was inducted in the international motorsports hall of fame. Tia norfleet came to face her own challenges as a black woman in nascar, having. American professional racing driver, model, and advertising spokeswoman patrick got her entry into xfinity series in 2010 before going for the sprint cup series, and here she made 61 starts.
Jun 06, 2018 theres even a story as far back as 2015 about harvillelebron being the first black woman team owner in nascar, yet it curiously omits any reference to an actual team like, you know, competing. Shauntia latrice tia norfleet is an africanamerican drag racing and stock car racing driver. Meet tia norfleet, the first africanamerican female nascar driver and daughter of legendary nascar driver bobby norfleet. She has been touted in the media as the first black woman to race. Scott was the first africanamerican nascar driver and.
Jan 29, 2020 armani williams, a 19year old professional race car driver from detroit, is the first ever nascar driver with autism. At the same time, he became the first fulltime africanamerican driver in the top nascar series since 1971. In 2004, norfleet became the first black woman to gain a nascar late model series racing license. Programs like drive for diversity, which started in 2004, aim to expand the reach of historically underrepresented groups in the sport through a series of internships, pittraining programs, and driver courses through rev racing.
Who was the first woman to drive in nascar answers. Tia norfleet first female africanamerican nascar driver. Norfleet, who lives in augusta, ga, is often hailed as the worlds first female, africanamerican nascar driver shes the first to be licensed by. Now, theres bubba wallace, the first black driver to drive at the daytona 500 in almost 50 years. Not only was scott the first africanamerican in the sport, but has also been credited as the most successful. Meet the first autistic nascar driver who is only 18 years. Nascars 1st black female tire changers inspirational message. How tia norfleet, the first black, female nascar driver, is shattering barriers by keandreashelby posted on march 2, 2018 0 2 m read in a sport where females are still a rarity, tia norfleet has become the first africanamerican female driver to be certified by nascar and arca the automobile racing club of america. First black woman to own a nascar team is ready to race the. Meet the first black nascar driver who won a grand national. The first africanamerican female nascarlicensed driver. Meet tia norfleet nascars first ever african american. Now, theres bubba wallace, the first black driver to. Tia owes her love of cars and racing to her father, who was also a.
The norfleet family has deep connections to trailblazing, legendary racer no. Is melissa harvillelebron nascars first black female owner. Hole nascar carrier of these both twins were excited about making their career as female nascar drivers, and they began the very first racing at the age of nine. Melissa harvillelebron, the first african american woman to own a race team licensed by nascar, isnt the only black woman making history in the historically white and maledominated sport. Brehanna daniels made history when she became the first africanamerican woman to pit a car. And she is the first black woman to be licensed by nascar. Meet nascars first black woman pit crew member teen vogue. Tia norfleet drag racing and stock car racing driver. He elevated himself to the premier grand national division over the next decade, and on december 1, 1963, he became the first african american driver to place first in.
But shauntia latrice norfleet, better known as tia norfleet, is an african american and a woman. With several years of success and perseverance armani is now. Feb 27, 2018 nascar s first africanamerican female tire changers inspirational message. Tia norfleet, the first african american female nascar driver. Theres even a story as far back as 2015 about harvillelebron being the first black woman team owner in nascar, yet it curiously omits any reference to an actual team like, you know, competing. Tia norfleet is racing to become first black woman driver in. This article has been updated and edited to correct melissa harvillelebron s age. This black history month, we honor the game changers. Jun 17, 2011 tia norfleet is racing to become first black woman driver in nascar tia norfleet, the daughter of driver bobby norfleet, is ready to make tracks of her own in the most segregated sport. Nascars first black woman driver begins inspirational journey. Feb 17, 2018 nascar drives diversity with black history milestones.
The official site of the 1st african american female nascar racing star tia norfleet. He was reportedly the only black nascar driver throughout his career. According to a representative from nascar, while harvillelebron is the first black women to be the sole owner of a nascar team, jennifer satterfieldsiegel is the first women of color to coown a nascar team. You may be thinking about wendell scott, who was the first and to date, only africanamerican driver to win a nascar race, the 1964 event at speedway park in jacksonville, florida. We are looking for sponsors now and we have made history already and will continue as i am the 1st black woman. Lebron said, our goal is to impact all forms of motorsports worldwide. Before that, she was an aerospace engineer, but by 1972, she raced fulltime.
Norfleet is the first africanamerican woman to be licensed as a driver for nascar. Tia norfleet is racing to become first black woman driver in nascar tia norfleet, the daughter of driver bobby norfleet, is ready to make tracks of her own in the most segregated sport. How tia norfleet, the first black, female nascar driver. Mar 07, 20 over the past year, tia norfleet has gotten significant publicity centered around being the only licensed africanamerican female nascar driver. Tia norfleet was recently licensed as nascar s first africanamerican female driver. Meet shauntia norfleet, nascars first africanamerican female driver. This one among the female nascar drivers achieved her 7 top10 finishes with 10th place. None has won a race, and only patrick was a fulltime driver. Two women pit crew members set to make nascar history at. The daughter of nascar driver bobby norfleet, she has competed on a limited basis in late model racing, but claims regarding her racing career have become the subject of controversy. For years, stock car driver tia norfleet was heralded as a shining example of diversity in the historically notsodiverse nascar. The career of nascars first black female driver has been.
Africanamerican single mom is first black woman to own nascar. The huffington posts jordan schultz has profiled the woman who just might become the first africanamerican female nascar driver. Suffolk, va bornaugusta, ga residing auto racer, tia norfleet, sits down with dj smallz and reflects on being the first african american female. Meet tia norfleet, the first ever licensed black woman racer. Verizons celebrating your story tia norfleet posted 7 years ago. The finish was the bestever and only top 5 finish by a woman in nascar series history, though on a regional series level it was eclipsed by shawna robinson at the new asheville speedway on june 10, 1988, when she won the charlottedaytona dash a 4cylinder class acdelco 100 to become the first woman to win a nascar touring series race. Oct 26, 2018 she made history as nascars 1st black woman on pit crewthen she met her idol. A 2016 story by a local news outlet in charlotte states that harvillelebron is the first black woman to have a nascar owners license and that her team would make its truck series debut in 2016. Bubba wallace to become first black driver in nascar cup. While finishing her senior year at norfolk state, brehanna was approached by a nascar. Armani williams, a 19year old professional race car driver from detroit, is the firstever nascar driver with autism. May 24, 2019 africanamericans comprise just 8 percent of nascar s fan base.
He has been using his career as a platform to spread awareness about being autistic, proving that despite the disorder, people like him can still be great in what they focus on. Shes also licensed by the automobile racing club of america arca. Meet shauntia norfleet, nascars first africanamerican. Provided photo melissa harvillelebron never imagined that her entrepreneurial pursuits and ambitions would lead her to make history as the first african american woman to solely own a race team licensed by nascar. Meet tia norfleet, the first black female nascar driver. Woman claims to be first black female nascar owner. When we think of women in nascar we often think of internationally. In 20, christmas abbott became nascars first fulltime female member of a pit crew. Melissa harvillelebron is the first africanamerican woman to own a nascar racing team which happens to be the first multicultural team in. Tia norfleet nascars first female african american driver posted 7 years ago. Be next sat down with the suffolk, virginia, nativeand the first woman to ever be issued a license by nascarto discuss her plight as she looks to move beyond drag racing and. Sep 23, 2011 it wasnt an obsession that was too surprising to her dad, nascar racing pioneer bobby norfleet. The first black woman to own a nascar team completed her first official race feb. With richard pryor, beau bridges, pam grier, cleavon little.
Jun 08, 2018 a 2016 story by a local news outlet in charlotte states that harvillelebron is the first black woman to have a nascar owners license and that her team would make its truck series debut in 2016. The adrenaline and skill of driving at high speeds resides in the. Patrick sounds skeptical that she has had a direct, immediate impact on whether the future will have. Brehanna daniels, 24, is the first black woman to go over the wall in nascars national racing series. To be the first black woman to own a nascar team is an amazing accomplishment. Nationwide the road success of being a professional race car driver is not easy. Is tia norfleet really the first africanamerican female. He has continued to demonstrate incomprehensible talent on the track, competing first in gokarts, then bandalero type vehicles, followed by late models, the arca truck pro series, and the nascar driver for diversity combine. Last nascar season, brehanna daniels made history when she became the first africanamerican woman to pit a car in one of the sports national series races. Tia norfleet, daughter of bobby norfleet, who broke into nascar in the 1990s, has become sort of a media sensation for being the first and only licensed africanamerican female nascar driver. Feb 07, 2019 brehanna daniels is changing the face of nascar, becoming the first black woman to work on a pit crew. Meet nicole lyons, first black female race car driver.
Jun 15, 2010 meet nicole lyons, first black female race car driver. Melissa harvillelebron is the first black woman to own a nascar team. Mar 01, 2018 melissa harvillelebron, the first african american woman to own a race team licensed by nascar, isnt the only black woman making history in the historically white and maledominated sport. She made history as nascars 1st black woman on pit crewthen. Be next sat down with the suffolk, virginia, nativeand the first woman to ever be issued a license by nascarto discuss her plight as she looks to move beyond drag racing and qualify for the longer distance tracks, such as daytona and talladega. The official website of tia norfleet the official site. First black woman to publish a book in english in 1773 finally honoured in uk with a plaque. He has been using his career as a platform to spread awareness about being autistic, proving that despite the disorder, people like him can still be.
But now that hes retired from the sport, tia is looking to fill his patchcovered racing jumpsuit and helmut as the first african american female nascar driver. First and only africanamerican female licensed by nascar. Brehanna daniels becomes nascars first black woman pit. The following is a list of female nascar drivers who have participated in a national. Melissa harvillelebron became the first black woman to own a nascar team, and she completed her first official race on february 18. How tia norfleet, the first black, female nascar driver, is. Brehanna daniels, the first africanamerican woman to go over the wall on a pit crew in a nascar national series participated in the program, which recruits and develops drivers and crew members to compete at the sports highest levels. Guthrie, the first woman to race in nascars cocacola 600 in 1976, received an icy reception from the sports biggest drivers as she tried to build her career.
In her sophomore dash series run, robinson became the first woman to earn the pole position for a nascar touring series race. Mar 07, 20 tia norfleet, daughter of bobby norfleet, who broke into nascar in the 1990s, has become sort of a media sensation for being the first and only licensed africanamerican female nascar driver. The true life story of wendell scott, the first black. So being a woman in a male dominated sport allows me to bring out that inner beast, but gracefully. Meet the first autistic nascar driver who is only 18 years old. Meet tia norfleet, the first africanamerican female nascar driver. Shauntia latrice tia norfleet born may 1, 1986 in suffolk, virginia is an africanamerican drag racing and stock car racing driver. This month, daniels hit two historic milestones becoming the first black woman to be. Stone enterprises and owner of e2 northeast motorsports, and her racing. Tia norfleet is the first black female to be licensed by nascar.
Nascar drives diversity with black history milestones. He learned to be an auto mechanic from his father and opened a shop after serving in the army during world war ii. First black woman to own a nascar team is ready to race. Tia norfleet cocacola pay it forward i aspire profile posted 7 years ago. However, scott would acquire a nascar license through a sort of side channel, and began competing in 1953. The daughter of nascar driver bobby norfleet, she is the first africanamerican woman to receive a. In 1988, charlottedaytona dash series later the goodys dash series driver shawna robinson became the first woman to win a nascar touring series event, also earning rookie of the year and most popular driver honors. B rehanna danielsa 24yearold nascar crew memberis breaking barriers for people of color in auto racing. Mar 07, 2018 melissa harvillelebron never imagined that her entrepreneurial pursuits and ambitions would lead her to make history as the first african american woman to solely own a race team licensed by nascar. For her top speed career and sexy looks as a girl car racer angela is wellknown in the racing world. Tia norfleet on being first african american female nascar. According to a representative from nascar, while harvillelebron is the first black women to be the sole owner of a nascar team, jennifer satterfieldsiegel is the first women of color to coown a. Janet guthrie was the first female nascar driver to qualify and compete in the indianapolis 500 and daytona 500.
390 496 876 458 107 1523 1127 807 1333 112 1293 881 1377 354 917 10 361 1374 667 1056 1415 704 886 133 1144 84 770 233 798 1162 1369 1209 1131 334 855 8