Paula Murphy

Paula Murphy wasn’t just fast—she was first. The woman who broke into the sevens, smashed through 200 mph, and convinced the world that women belonged behind the wheel of anything with an engine became one of drag racing’s most beloved pioneers.

EARLY YEARS

Born June 16, 1928, Paula Murphy grew up in Cleveland with speed in her DNA. Her father Paul, a tool designer, was a self-described speed junkie who clearly passed along the bug. While details of her childhood remain sparse, what’s clear is that Murphy didn’t come to racing late or timidly—she came ready to run.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond the cockpit, Murphy’s life remains largely a mystery in the historical record. What we know is what she did with a steering wheel in her hands—and that was more than enough to cement her legacy.

EARLY SUCCESS

Murphy spent nearly a decade racing sports cars before she ever touched a dragster, getting her start through a referral to Barbara Nieland. She and a partner set four transcontinental speed records in a Studebaker Avanti during coast-to-coast runs, proving she had both stamina and nerve. Then came the big moment: test laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a Studebaker Novi racecar, pushing past 100 mph and becoming the first woman to drive alone at the hallowed track—this at a time when women weren’t even allowed in the pits. By 1965, she was turning competitive times in a Dick Landy-prepared Olds 4-4-2, running a best of 12.46 at 110 mph. But it was jet cars that really caught her eye. “I got interested in that form of racing as it was something I hadn’t tried,” she said, and with that, Paula Murphy was off to the races—literally.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1963: Set the women’s speed record at Bonneville at 161 mph.
• 1965: Made her first jet car outing.
• 1968: Broke into the sevens and shattered the 200 mph barrier in a Mustang Funny Car.
• 1969: Moved to a Don Hardy-built Barracuda after the Mustang.
• 1971: Shattered the NASCAR women’s closed-course record at Talladega Superspeedway, hitting 171.499 mph in Freddie Lorenzen’s STP Dodge stock car.
• 1972: Survived a terrifying rocket dragster crash at Sears Point Raceway when the engine failed at over 300 mph. The parachutes didn’t deploy, and Murphy cartwheeled past the finish line with a broken neck. “I remember seeing sky and saying, ‘Oh no’ and a couple of expletives, but I was knocked out on landing,” she recalled. It marked the end of her time in “really fast cars.”
• 1973: Toured England with Don Schumacher in a Duster-bodied Funny Car, an event organized by Tony Nancy.
• 1976: Raced factory-prepared Datsuns and Hondas, including a B/Modified Compact Datsun and a Z/Stock Honda Civic.
• Career: Became the first woman licensed for a supercharged fuel car and the first woman with an NHRA Funny Car license. She was also the first woman to drive a jet dragster and the first woman to pilot a jet car to a Bonneville record, eventually pushing the women’s land speed record to 236.37 mph in Walt Arfons’ jet car. She won the Olympics of Drag Racing and set an around-the-world driving record.
• 1992: Inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
• 2004: Served as Grand Marshall of the California Hot Rod Reunion.
• 2016: Inducted into the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
• 2017: Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame.

INSPIRATIONS

Murphy’s biggest influence came from home: her father Paul, whose own love of speed set the stage for everything that followed. Beyond that, she forged her own path, curiosity leading her from one racing discipline to the next. When she saw Walt Arfons’ jet car at the drag strips, she didn’t just admire it—she decided she had to drive it.

REPUTATION

Paula Murphy played a pivotal role in drag racing’s formative years, becoming one of the sport’s most skilled and universally beloved competitors. Known as “Miss STP,” “Fastest Woman on Wheels,” and “the World’s Fastest Woman Driver,” she was a seasoned veteran and successful match racer in an era when sponsorships were rare and opportunities for women even rarer. Her friendship with Andy Granatelli of STP opened doors, but it was her exceptional skill and overwhelmingly likable personality that kept them open. Murphy didn’t just blaze a trail for women—she helped redefine what was possible for all drivers. Her legacy sits comfortably alongside Shirley Muldowney’s as proof that women could not only compete but dominate in motorsports’ toughest arenas.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Paula Murphy passed away on December 21, 2023, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire new generations of racers. Her story lives on through the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame, and in the documentary “STP Racer Paula Murphy,” which ensures that the woman who wouldn’t slow down will never be forgotten.

References:

Motorsports Hall of Fame – Paula Murphy
American Hot Rod Foundation – Paula Murphy Profile
NHRA – Paula Murphy Pioneer Feature
Car and Driver – STP Racer Paula Murphy Documentary
Octane Press – Paula Murphy
Fuel Curve – Paula Murphy Biography