Auto racing Danick Patrick might be the first woman to win in Indy Cars but women have been racing and winning for 30 years in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

Shirley Muldowney was the first woman to celebrate victory in an NHRA top class. Racing in the Top Fuel division, Muldowney won her first event in 1976 and went on to win 17 more during her career.

Although there were women in drag racing before her, Muldowney set the bar high.

Muldowney was the first woman to get her license, advance to a final round and win in the Top Fuel class. She was also the first driver of either gender to be a repeat Top Fuel champion, after earning her first title in 1977 and two more in 1980 and 1982.

That was then and this is now.

Women are still highly active in NHRA. And one woman even surpassed Muldowney's winning record to hold the title of the winningest female in NHRA.

Angelle Sampey is an active driver and three-time champion in the Pro Stock Motorcycle Series. In 2001, she surpassed Muldowney's 18 wins and currently has won 41 events in the class.

Through the years, seven other women have won in a pro category in NHRA history: Lucille Lee, Lori Johns, Shelly Anderson, Cristen Powell, Karen Stoffer, Melanie Troxel and Peggy Llewellyn.

Troxel is the quickest and fastest woman in NHRA history, clocking a time of 4.458 seconds (Oct. 2005, Dallas) with a career-best speed of 332.51 mph (Feb. 2007, Pomona 1).

After starting her career in Top Fuel where she won four final rounds, Troxel is now trying to break some records in the Funny Car class.

Women have yet to win in either the Funny Car or Pro Stock classes.

Troxel is battling against the next generation to become the first female Funny Car winner. Ashley Force is on the scene now and may just be the next female to garner the attention.

She became the first female driver to advance to a final round in Funny Car in 2007 and has seen two more appearances there this season.