America has had the likes of Danica Patrick, Natalie Decker and Hailie Deegan compete in NASCAR’s three main series with varying degrees of success, but Australia’s two main series had Terri Sawyer, and she had great success with a win in both categories.

AUSCAR

Terri Sawyer was the first winner of an AUSCAR race when she won the series debut race in 1988.

Race highlights shown Terri coming to the start/finish line in the lead as Greg East spun his #99 Commodore through the tri-oval after he got loose behind Max De Jersey.

The camera stayed on East’s car for several seconds before a commentator announced that Kim Jane taken the lead with viewers now seeing Kim Jane’s #7 in front of Sawyer’s #9.

Confusion reigned Terri made her way back ahead of Kim Jane as Mal Rose shot ahead of them both before Neil Crompton announced that the checkered flag is out, and Terri Sawyer won the race.

Terri’s win ensured that she achieved the first win by a woman in the sport and it was done in the categories’ first ever race.

Her win was followed up by several strong performances in the AUSCAR series, she finished 7th in points for the 1988 season and 7th again in 1989-90.

Terri made a return to AUSCAR racing in the 1992/93 season after missing both the 1990/91 and the 1991/92 seasons, the 1992/93 season return appears to have been a limited run as she finished 27th in points.

NASCAR and Australian NASCAR

Terri attempted two races in the NASCAR Sportsman Series in the United States; her first attempt was the Sportsman 100 which ended in a practice crash as she hit the outside wall of Turn 4.

Terri’s second attempt was the Wiscassett 150 where she qualified 13th but was in an accident on Lap 3 which resulted in a 38th place finish.

Soon Terri was back in Australia and went into NASCAR driving the #1 Pontiac where she soon collected her only NASCAR win by winning the Moomba 100 on March 3, 1991, at the Calder Park Thunderdome, Terri was the first and only woman to win in that category too.

That race ran for 109 laps, 9 laps over the scheduled 100 as three green flag laps were required to end the race.

In 2021, the 1991 Moomba 100 was added to a DVD compilation of Calder Park Thunderdome races titled ‘Classic Australian Motorsport Vol. 7’ which allowed many race fans to see the history making race for the first time or see it for the first time since the race was held.

In the 1990/91 season, Terri finished the NASCAR season in 6th position with 645 points and $25,711 in prize money.

The #1 Pontiac made its reappearance in 2024, it was a roller, rusty in parts but sporting the yellow of the Jim Richards and Terri Sawyer eras, some areas of the car still had the pink from Terri’s pink/purple/blue era.

The car is being restored to its yellow appearance, it should also be noted that the car was also briefly the star of a Mission: Impossible episode titled ‘Church Bells in Bogota’.

Wins

1988 Round 1 at Calder Park Thunderdome (AUSCAR 200)
1991 Moomba 100 (NASCAR)

Cars Raced

AUSCAR
#05 – Holden Commodore
#9 – Holden Commodore
#43 – Ford Falcon

NASCAR
#1 – Pontiac