Thursday, March 8, 2018

"Legendary Female Driver" Ethel Mobley Born - March 8, 1920

March 8, 1920 - June 26, 1984
Ethel Mobley
Born in Fort Payne, Alabama, USA.
Part of the racing Flock family, three of her brothers are considered to be NASCAR pioneers: Tim, Fonty and Bob Flock. She was married to Charlie Mobley, who fielded Tim's car in NASCAR's modified series. Her brother Tim Flock said she was named after the gasoline her father used in his car.

She was tied for the second female to drive in NASCAR history. She raced in over 100 NASCAR Modified events in her career. She had two Strictly Stock starts.

She raced against her brothers at NASCAR's second event ever on July 10, 1949 at the Daytona Beach Road Course. The event was the first to feature a brother and a sister, and the only NASCAR event to feature four siblings. Ethel beat Fonty and Bob by finishing eleventh, and Tim finished second. She made her only other career Cup start at Langley Speedway and finished 44th. Both events featured three female drivers, Sara Christian, Louise Smith and Mobley.

In June 1949, she entered a racing competition in Florida, competing against 57 men drivers. She finished in 8th place.

On August 7, 1949, she became the first female racecar driver to compete against men in the state of Georgia when she entered a race at Central City Park Speedway in Macon, Georgia. She was rated as the top woman driver in the southeastern United States, having won many competitions in all-women races.

Ethel Mobley died on June 26, 1984 at the age of 64.

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