Start at Kansas Speedway breaks mark for series starts by a female driver
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Ronda Greer Photo |
With Saturday's start at Kansas Speedway, Kelly Sutton has broken the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series record for starts by a female driver. Sutton's 33rd career start moves her past Tammy Jo Kirk atop the record book. Sutton, who finished seventh in the 2004 Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, had already broken Kirk's series record for most career earnings by a female driver earlier this season. She has now earned $279,597 in her NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career.
"I am honored that everyone is paying so much attention to this record," said Kelly Sutton. "If we're talking about setting records, I'd rather it be for first top ten, first pole and, of course, the first win! There are a lot of great female competitors out there, and it's only a matter of time before someone makes it big."
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Ronda Greer Photo |
Sutton, currently in her second full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, has been around racing her whole life. She started racing karts at the age of 12 and followed her father and grandfather racing at short tracks in Virginia. The Crownsville, Md., native won seven feature races competing in the Pro Mini-Stock Series at Old Dominion Speedway between 1992-94. Sutton was voted Most Popular Driver all three years she competed at the track.
Sutton's racing career was put on hold the next year, however, as she battled Multiple Sclerosis. After a short stretch in which Sutton was confined to a wheelchair, her disease began to go into remission.
With the help of sponsor Copaxone, the drug Sutton takes to control her disease, she returned to action in the Goody's Dash Series. Sutton spent three years in the series, which culminated in an eighth place finish and another Most Popular Driver Award in 2002.
"I feel blessed every day," said Sutton. "I am living my dream of racing, and helping others realize there are options to manage their multiple sclerosis. What more could a girl want; except for maybe a trip to victory lane?"
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