
Erin Crocker-Evernham
WoMo racing // American
Erin Crocker-Evernham is a pioneering female racer who broke barriers in NASCAR as one of the first women to compete in its top three series, making her mark in both sprint cars and stock car racing.
EARLY YEARS
Born on March 23, 1981, in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, Erin grew up in a sports-oriented family. Her father, Robert Crocker, worked as a videographer for the NHL’s Hartford Whalers while her mother Elizabeth managed the family’s trucking business. At age nine, her father introduced her to go-kart racing, shifting her trajectory from traditional sports like soccer and basketball to motorsports. By 14, she was already piloting 600cc mini-sprints and dominating New England dirt tracks.
EARLY SUCCESS
The Crocker family garage became her classroom where she learned to rebuild engines and tweak chassis setups. These skills helped her win three national micro-sprint championships between 1997-1999 as a teenager. Her weekends often involved hauling equipment to races in the family’s truck, blending her mother’s logistics expertise with her father’s passion for racing. This combination of rural New England grit and unwavering family support gave her an edge in the male-dominated world of motorsports.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2003: First woman to win an Empire Super Sprint (ESS) feature race at Brewerton Speedway on July 25[1].
- 2004: Became the first woman to win a World of Outlaws heat race at Volusia Speedway Park on February 10 during the DIRTcar Nationals[2].
- 2005: Named NASCAR Diversity Driver of the Year, the first female recipient of the award[3].
- 2006: Made NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut with Evernham Motorsports at Martinsville Speedway on March 25, finishing 21st[4].
- 2006: Achieved career-best ARCA RE/MAX Series finish of 10th at Kentucky Speedway on May 13[5].
REPUTATION
In ARCA, Erin showed promising talent, securing five top-5 finishes and ten top-10 finishes across 2005 and 2006, with her best finish being second place at Kentucky Speedway in 2006. During her time in the NASCAR Truck Series, she competed in 29 races between 2005-2007, achieving a career-best finish of 16th at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2005. Her career garnered attention not only for her on-track performance but for breaking gender barriers in motorsports, though her NASCAR career was relatively brief, concluding after the 2007 season.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
Erin aims to create sustainable pathways for women in STEM and motorsports leadership roles, focusing on education and mentorship rather than returning to competition. Her long-term vision involves building systems that sustain inclusion in the motorsports industry.
References:
Syracuse.com, “Crocker Makes History at Brewerton,” July 26, 2003
Sports Illustrated, “Heat Wave,” February 16, 2004
ESPN, “Crocker Honored for Breaking Barriers,” December 6, 2005
NASCAR.com Race Results, Kroger 250, 2006
The Courier-Journal, “Crocker Shows Progress in ARCA,” May 14, 2006
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