Shirley Muldowney (born June 9, 1940 in Schenectady, New York), the "First Lady of Drag Racing " was the first woman to receive a licence to drive a top fuel dragster by the NHRA . She won the NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1977 and again in 1980. She retired from racing after a crash in 1984 but returned to the circuit in 1998 when she set a NHRA speed record. Muldowney retired again after the 2003 season. Nicknamed "Cha-Cha"-a name chosen by car owner and then boyfriend Connie Kalitta -she later dropped the moniker, stating: "There is no room for bimboism in drag racing."

Shirley Muldowney is married to Rahn Tobler , who was her crew chief . After Muldoney's retirement, Tobler became crew chief for the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster of Doug Kalitta -the nephew of Connie Kalitta.

In 2004, she was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Muldowney was portrayed by actress Bonnie Bedelia in the 1983 film, Heart Like a Wheel.