Look out, Danica – Leilani Munter is the newest “it” girl in racing. She’s testing with IndyCar and ARCA. Photo Credit: leilanimunter.com

If Danica Patrick is the storyline now, diversity is the focus. Promoting diversity, and specifically women, in NASCAR has been going on for years now. That’s quite a leap from decades ago when women weren’t even allowed in the garage area. Now, both men and women are seen strolling in the infield together. Whether they are wives and girlfriends, PR folks, engineers, or reporters, the gals have just as much presence as the guys. However, the ladies have yet to make a prominent appearance on the racetrack.

The last time a female driver started a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was Shawna Robinson in 2002 and Jennifer Jo Cobb was the only female driver to start a race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series last year. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been a bit friendlier to the girls as five drivers competed in at least one race in 2009: Chrissy Wallace, Michelle Theriault, Cobb, Gabi DiCarlo, and Caitlin Shaw.

Many other female drivers have made appearances in ARCA, a driver developmental series, including 10 ladies at a recent test session at Daytona. Theriault, Jill George, Alli Owens, Cobb, Leilani Munter, Amber Cope, Angela Cope, Patrick, and Milka Duno all ran lap times in last week’s test session. Owens was the fastest.

Out of any female driver who has competed in a race in any of NASCAR’s top three divisions, Patty Moise has the most starts. She has a total of 138 NASCAR starts including 133 in NNS competition and 5 in the Cup Series. She finished in the top 10 four times. Robinson has the second most starts of any other female competitor. She raced in all three levels of competition with 8 starts in Cup, 61 in the Nationwide Series, and 3 in the Truck Series. She had one top 10.

Other notable women drivers who made several starts in any of NASCAR’s three series are Kelly Sutton (54), Erin Crocker (39), Deborah Renshaw (38), Janet Guthrie (33), Tammy Jo Kirk (32), Tina Gordon (30), Louise Smith (11), Diane Teel (11), Kim Crosby (10), Sara Christian (7), Teri MacDonald (7), Wallace (7), Theriault (4), Cobb (4), Angie Wilson (4), DiCarlo (3), FiFi Scott (2), Robin McCall (2), Ethel Mobley (2), and Ann Chester (2). Lella Lombardi, Marian Pagan, Goldie Parsons, Christine Beckers, Ann Slaasted, Ann Bunselmeyer, Mara Reyers, Lisa Jackson, Kat Teasdale, Debbie Lunsford, and Shaw have each made one start.

ARCA has also produced a significant amount of feminine racing talent. In fact, many of the drivers listed above have also made several starts in ARCA. Many of them were ARCA fixtures at one time, and many still are. DiCarlo, Robinson, Erin Crocker, Renshaw, Cobb, Moise, Theriault, Gordon, Crosby, Amber and Angela Cope, and Wallace have all made a combined 149 starts. Christi Passmore has the most ARCA starts of any female with 66. Female drivers in ARCA who have yet to make a start in NASCAR include Patty Simko (39 ARCA starts), Owens (23), Karla Lampe (11), Laura Lane (8), Ashley Parlett (2), Sunny Hobbs (2), Amanda Gogel (2), Shari Minter( 2), Amber Koch (2), and Johanna Long (2).

With all these female drivers, though, none have won a race in any of NASCAR’s series or in ARCA. However, with more and more of them working their way up through the ranks, it’s likely that we’ll see a woman driver in victory lane in a few years. With so many young women becoming involved in racing, the face of the sport is changing. No doubt these chicks are making their presence known in the world of motorsports.

Speaking of chicks, check out the video of Danica’s ARCA test this past weekend.