Women have always been integrally involved in motorsports in one way or another. So it wasn't a surprise when Sports-in-the-Rough put together the first just-for-women rockcrawling competition. The purpose of the diva-only event was to allow the ladies to dip their toes into the thick and turbulent waters of competition. The challenge came naturally as most of the women already had affection for off-roading and an affiliation in it.
Upper and Lower competition courses at the Rock Garden in Farmington, New Mexico, were set up to test each team's abilities in navigation, driving, and communication. Both challenging courses contained a series of eight stages totaling a punishing 16 stages and demanding two full days of competition crawling. The competitors weren't less fierce, but they were a lot more compassionate than the "other half" competitions.
Three words that best describe the competition are camaraderie, challenge, and communication. The second women's rockcrawl, if it's anything like the first, will offer the same good-spirited competition. Save a spot on your calendar for the next Skyjacker National Rock Crawling Championship for Women in Johnson Valley, California, February 20-21. You can visit www.sportsintherough.com or call 800/556-2801 for event details.
The WomentumMotorsport's Chosen OnesYes, it has been a challenge for women to become more involved in the automotive industry. We salute all the women who have made landmark contributions to the field of motorsports and most recently in the sport of off-roading. It just goes to show that talent, whether it is in driving or wrenching, is not related to gender.
| Contributor | Contribution |
| Janet Guthrie | 1977 The first woman to drive the Indy 500 |
| Shirley Muldowney | 1977, 1980, and 1982 The first driver to |
| | repeat National Hot Rod Association's |
| | Winston World Champion three times |
| Patty Moise | 1987 and 1988 The first woman to lead |
| | the NASCAR Busch Series race at |
| | Road Atlanta in 1987 and to win a Bud |
| | Pole at Talladega in 1988 |
| Pamela Vaters | 1995 The first woman to qualify for the |
| | NHRA Monster Truck Penda Point |
| | competition series |
| Jutta Kleinschmidt | 2001 The first woman to win the |
| | punishing Paris-Dakar Rally |