By Nick Licata – Images by NotStock Photography
Shirley Muldowney is known as the “First Lady of Drag Racing,” and for good reason: she knocked down doors, paving the way for every female drag racer behind her to strap into the seat of a nitromethane-burning top fuel dragster or Funny Car. Born in Burlington, Vermont, Muldowney’s drag racing journey began in the 1950s when she could be found street racing in Schenectady, New York. By the 1960s she moved off the streets and onto organized drag races where she obtained her official NHRA license in 1965, becoming one of the first women to do so.
Competing in a male-dominated sport, Muldowney encountered resistance from sponsors, fellow competitors, and sanctioning bodies, but she plowed through with sheer determination and undeniable talent. In 1977 she became the first woman to win an NHRA Top Fuel Championship and repeated the feat in 1980 and 1982, making her the first driver ever to win three Top Fuel titles.
Muldowney’s success further opened avenues for women to compete in drag racing and especially Top Fuel. She won a total of 18 NHRA national events during her long, historical career, gaining her respect she so rightly deserved while demonstrating that women could go up against the men at the highest level of NHRA drag racing.
Over the years Muldowney has been inducted into numerous halls of fame, including the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and she is ranked number 5 in NHRA’s Top 50 Racers. Today she is celebrated not only for her racing accolades, but her legacy continues to inspire young women in motorsports to work hard and stay determined.
When the team at Red River Customs in Gainesville, Texas, approached Muldowney about building a limited-edition run of 25 Shirley Muldowney 1969 Novas, she was on board, but as she told us, “under the condition that the car had to be fast.”
Accepting the challenge, the Red River crew is not new to building high-performance, special-edition vehicles, as their journey began with a $1 contract from Carroll Shelby to build the iconic Super Snake Mustangs and have since built countless high-profile, custom projects over the past 20 years.
Complying with Muldowney’s request for big horsepower, underhood lies the mighty Chevrolet Performance 632ci big-block rated at just over 1,000 hp. To give the engine some additional flair, the Red River crew garnished the Hogan’s Racing Manifold in pink, paying homage to Muldowney’s legacy of racing pink dragsters. They followed up by laying down another layer of pink on the carbon-fiber inner fenders, creating an attractive home for the burley engine.
Spent fuel exits via a set of stainless Ultimate Headers 1 7/8-inch headers, custom 3 1/2-inch stainless exhaust, and aggressive-sounding Spintech mufflers ensuring the beast within is heard far and wide.
A TREMEC T-56 Magnum backed up with a Ram twin-disc clutch offers efficient high-rpm gear changes while sending power to a Dutchman Axles 9-inch housing stuffed with 3.50 gears and 35-spline Dutchman axles.
A Speedtech Performance suspension system was chosen to manage the car’s immense horsepower while delivering a versatile driving experience—capable of excelling on the dragstrip, handling hard cornering with ease, and maintaining smooth, street-friendly performance for everyday driving. Up front, the Speedtech ExtReme subframe features forged aircraft-grade aluminum spindles with C7 hubs, custom-valved QA1 double-adjustable coilover shocks, 550-pound springs, and 1 1/4-inch sway bar. Out back resides Speedtech’s High Mount cantilevered shock independent suspension system armed with QA1 double-adjustable shocks contributing to the Nova’s track-inspired cornering agility.
Baer 14-inch rotors and pink six-piston calipers reside on all four corners and peek through a set of Forgeline DE3C wheels customized with Shirley Muldowney center caps. The ensemble is wrapped in Michelin Sport Cup 2 rubber to complement the upgraded suspension in straight line or lateral situations.
Inside, Paul-G Custom Interiors and Red River collaborated on an interior that pays homage to Muldowney’s legendary racing career by embedding the leather seat and door inserts listing every dragstrip Muldowney left her mark.
A custom Red River pink shifter resides inside the black leather-wrapped center console, and mounted in the custom dash is a Holley Pro Dash with a tailored gauge layout for real-time performance data, while a 13-inch Android screen controls the powerful Focal sound system, delivering a premium audio experience.
Outside, the stunning bodywork and paint were expertly performed by Red River Customs, showcasing a brilliant blend of Axalta and Tropical Glitz finished in Switchblade Silver, Royal Amathist, and Sparkling Berry, once again tying in the color scheme of Muldowney’s unmistakable dragsters. The custom carbon-fiber hood, grille, and bumpers add a sleek, lightweight edge to the build. Anvil Auto door handles enhance the modern aesthetic, while Bangin Headlights provide a bold front end look. Retaining plenty of originality, the car keeps its classic stock taillights for a perfect balance of old and new.
When it came to building the Shirley Muldowney Nova, the mission was clear: Create a powerful vintage street machine worthy of carrying the name of one of the most iconic drag racers in history. Meeting the moment, the Red River team exposed their talent and expertise, then poured their passion into every detail. From concept to execution, they delivered an iconic limited-edition classic muscle car that honors Muldowney’s high-speed legacy on and off the track.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
TECH CHECK
Builder: Red River Customs, Gainesville, Texas
Vehicle: 1969 Chevy Nova Shirley Muldowney Limited Edition
Engine
Type: Chevrolet Performance ZZ632 big-block
Displacement: 632 ci
Compression Ratio: 12.0:1
Bore: 4.600 inches
Stroke: 4.750 inches
Builder: GM
Machine Work: GM
Rotating Assembly: Forged 4340 steel crankshaft, forged steel H-beam connecting rods, Forged aluminum 2618 allow pistons
Camshaft: Hydraulic roller, 0.780/0.782 lift, 270/285 degrees duration at 0.050
Cylinder Heads: Aluminum Spread-port RS-X
Induction: Hogans Racing Manifold, Red River Customs fabricated air intake with dual K&N elements
Fuel Injection: Terminator X Max
Exhaust: Ultimate Headers 1 7/8-inch headers, 3 1/2-inch exhaust by Red River, Spintech mufflers
Valve Covers: GM
Accessory Drive: Concept One Victory
Ancillaries: Custom Griffin radiator, Powermaster alternator, Rick’s Tanks custom fuel tank, Walbro 450 fuel pumps
Output: 1,004 hp 876 lb-ft torque
Drivetrain
Transmission: TREMEC Magnum six-speed
Clutch: Ram twin-disc
Driveshaft: Custom 4-inch aluminum
Rear Axle: Dutchman 9-inch, 3.50 gears, Dutchman 35-spline axles
Chassis
Front Suspension: Speedtech ExtReme subframe, forged aluminum aircraft-grade spindles with C7 hubs, custom high-clearance control arms, QA1 double-adjustable coilover shocks, 550-pound QA1 springs, Sweet Mfg power rack-and-pinion steering, 1 1/4-inch sway bar
Rear Suspension: Speedtech High Mount independent suspension system, QA1 double-adjustable coilover shocks
Subframe Connectors: Red River Customs
Brakes: Baer 14-inch rotors, six-piston calipers, Baer master cylinder, Mal Wood USA pedal assembly
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Forgeline DE3C, 19×9 front, 20×11 rear
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, 265/35R19 front, 315/30R20 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Custom by Red River and Paul-G Custom Interiors
Installation: Red River and Paul G-Custom Interior
Door Panels: Custom leather with gray leather inserts
Seats: Procar by Scat, leather with custom gray leather inserts embedded listing of all dragstrips Shirley Muldowney has raced
Steering: Ididit steering column, Billet Specialties steering wheel
Shifter: Custom by Red River
Pedals: Custom “Cha Cha” pedal pads by Red River
Dash: Custom by Red River and Paul-G Custom Interiors
Instrumentation: 12.3- and 6.8-inch Holley Pro Dash with custom gauge layout
Console: Custom metal, billet aluminum, and leather by Red River
Rollbar: Four-point chromoly by Red River
Wiring: Custom by Red River
HVAC: Restomod Air
Vents: Carbon-fiber rings by Restomod Air
Control Panel: Restomod Air
Entertainment System: Android 13-inch screen; Focal mono four-channel amps, speakers, 8-inch sub
Installation: Abel’s Touch and Red River Customs
Exterior
Bodywork and Paint: Red River Customs
Paint: Axalta and Tropical Glitz, Switchblade Silver, Royal Amathist, and Sparkling Berry
Door Handles: Anvil Auto
Hood: Custom Carbon Fiber by Red River
Grille: Custom by Red River
Bumpers: Carbon Fiber by Red River
Headlights: Bangin Headlights
