Shawna Robinson

Shawna Robinson didn’t just race against men—she beat them, made history doing it, and forced NASCAR to pay attention to what a woman could do behind the wheel of a stock car.

EARLY YEARS

Born November 30, 1964, in Des Moines, Iowa, Robinson was the youngest of five children in a family where racing wasn’t just a hobby—it was a lifestyle[1]. Her father, Richard “Lefty” Robinson, was an amateur racer and promoter of diesel truck races, while her mother Lois drove race cars until Shawna came along[2]. Growing up around the roar of engines and the smell of burning rubber, Robinson was hooked on motorsports from the start. After graduating from Saydel High School in 1983, she spent the summer working as a department store cashier, wrestling with what came next[3]. The answer arrived when she accompanied her father to help promote truck races—and realized she didn’t want to watch from the sidelines anymore[4]. At just 16, her father fielded her first ride, and by 19, she was racing competitively[5].

OTHER INTERESTS

After stepping away from professional racing, Robinson channeled her creativity into Happy Chair, a furniture company she founded that transforms worn and weathered pieces into soul-stirring works of art[6]. She’s also passionate about interior and event design, bringing the same precision and attention to detail she once applied to setups and race strategy into creating beautiful spaces[7]. It’s a different kind of thrill than racing, but it’s one that lets her build something lasting—and still make people happy in the process.

EARLY SUCCESS

Robinson started her racing career in the rough-and-tumble world of big rig racing, and she didn’t waste time proving she belonged. She racked up 30 victories early on and earned GATR (Great American Truck Racing) Rookie of the Year honors in 1984[8]. Four years later, she moved into the NASCAR Dash Series and was named Rookie of the Year again in 1988[9]. Then, in June of that year, she did something no woman had ever done: she won a NASCAR-sanctioned race, taking the checkered flag at the AC Delco 100 in Asheville, North Carolina[10]. She was 23 years old, and she’d just rewritten the rulebook. In 1987, she also won the GATR Big Rig 100 at Flemington, New Jersey, and the Milwaukee Mile Bobtail 100, becoming the first woman to win a points-scoring race on a superspeedway[11]. She wasn’t just breaking barriers—she was lapping them.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1984: Named GATR Rookie of the Year[12].
• 1987: Won the GATR Big Rig 100 at Flemington, New Jersey[13].
• 1988: First woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race (AC Delco 100, Asheville, NC)[14].
• 1988: Named NASCAR Dash Series Rookie of the Year[15].
• 1989: Nominated for Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation[16].
• 1992: Runner-up in the Busch Series Rookie of the Year standings[17].
• 1994: First woman to win a pole position in the Busch Series (Busch Light 300, Atlanta Motor Speedway) with a record lap of 174.330 mph[18].
• 2000: Set an ARCA qualifying record at Michigan International Speedway[19].
• 2002: Competed in the Daytona 500, finishing despite running out of gas, breaking a drive shaft, spinning out, and dodging multiple crashes[20].

INSPIRATIONS

Robinson looked up to legends like A.J. Foyt, Sammy Swindell, and Steve Kinser during her teenage years, but it was Janet Guthrie—the first woman to race in the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500—who showed her that a woman could compete at the highest levels of motorsport[21]. Guthrie’s courage and tenacity gave Robinson the blueprint for what was possible, even when the odds were stacked against her.

REPUTATION

Robinson earned respect not because she was a woman in a man’s sport, but because she was fast, fearless, and relentless. She didn’t ask for special treatment, and she didn’t get any. When she qualified for the pole at Atlanta in 1994, it wasn’t a feel-good story—it was the fastest lap of the day, period[22]. She survived a chaotic first-lap accident in that same race and kept coming back for more[23]. Her 2002 Daytona 500 run—plagued by mechanical failures and chaos—became a testament to her grit. “My head’s spinning,” she admitted afterward, but she finished the race[24]. Robinson also believed the greatest adversity female NASCAR drivers faced wasn’t external—it was internal. She once shared that self-doubt and the pressure of being “the woman driver” could be more limiting than anything the men on the track threw at you[25]. She wasn’t just racing cars; she was racing expectations.

Robinson retired from racing in 1995 to start a family, giving birth to her son Tanner in 1996 and her daughter Samantha in 1997[26]. She returned to competition in 1999, racing in ARCA, and made a brief comeback in 2001 with Michael Waltrip Racing, driving the No. 99 car for three Busch Series races[27]. She married engine builder Jeff Clark in November 1994[28]. Years after her racing career ended, Robinson faced a different kind of battle: breast cancer. She completed her last radiation treatment in September 2015[29]. Then, just six months later, her son Tanner was diagnosed with testicular cancer shortly before his 20th birthday[30]. Robinson became a source of strength and information for him during his chemotherapy, drawing on her own fight to help him through his[31]. Both are now cancer-free, and Robinson has remained close with her extended racing family, including her ex-husband’s relatives[32].

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

REFERENCES

[1] Robinson, Shawna – Racing Family
[2] Robinson, Shawna – Racing Family
[3] Shawna Robinson – Wikipedia
[4] Shawna Robinson Facts for Kids
[5] Shawna Robinson – WomenInRacing.org
[6] About – Shawna Robinson, Creator of Happy Chair
[7] About – Shawna Robinson, Creator of Happy Chair
[8] Shawna Robinson – Wikipedia
[9] Shawna Robinson PDF Bio
[10] Shawna Robinson Becomes First Woman to Win a NASCAR Race
[11] Shawna Robinson – Justapedia
[12] Shawna Robinson PDF Bio
[13] Robinson, Shawna – Encyclopedia.com
[14] Shawna Robinson – Dash Division Debut
[15] Shawna Robinson PDF Bio
[16] Shawna Robinson PDF Bio
[17] Shawna Robinson PDF Bio
[18] GN Race Has Woman Up Front
[19] Shawna Robinson – WomenInRacing.org
[20] Robinson proud of her finish – ESPN
[21] Shawna Robinson – Wikipedia
[22] GN Race Has Woman Up Front
[23] Robinson, Nemechek blame Wallace for crash
[24] Robinson proud of her finish – ESPN
[25] Fast and FuHERious: An Interview with NASCAR Driver Shawna Robinson
[26] Shawna Robinson PDF Bio
[27] Shawna Robinson Facts for Kids
[28] Shawna Robinson Facts for Kids
[29] Shawna Robinson reflects on her and son being cancer free
[30] Shawna Robinson reflects on her and son being cancer free
[31] Cancer is a family fight for former race car driver Shawna Robinson
[32] Cancer is a family fight for former race car driver Shawna Robinson