Susan Roush-McClenaghan, First Woman to Win Street Legal Drag Racing...

...a feat which will surely make women happy and men look the other way. The performance took place in Joliet, Illinois, during the NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing event.

Susan Roush-McClenaghan races in the McLeod Open Comp class, piloting a 2003 Ford Mustang. After qualifying ninth out of 25, with a 0.047 reaction time, she met her first opponent, Patrick Nothdurft, who, with a -0.26 reaction time left room for Susan to qualify on to the second round of competition.

In the second round, Susan managed to surpass Dave Davis and his ’31 Hemi-powered Ford and met up with Mike Roup. At the top end, Susan pushed just hard enough to force Roup to break out, running an 11.09 on his 11.13 dial, while Susan turned in an 11.73 on her 11.70 number.

In the fourth run, Susan had to face Clarence Harding and his nine-second ’69 Chevelle. Pushing too hard on the starting line with a -0.005 reaction time, Harding moved Susan to the semifinal where she’d find class stalwart Chuck Hockenberry.

Acting pretty much as Harding, Hockenberry recorded a a -0.002 reaction time ending the race before it started and sending Susan on to the final round. Here, Susan met Joe Parisi, who found himself a victim of the same circumstance which impaired his predecessors. With a -0.004 reaction time, the race ended before it even got started and Susan got her first win of the season in this class.

As in any success story, Susan didn't stop here and went to take on the NMRA/NMCA Shootout portion of the event, where she would face the NMRA’s Open Comp winner, Paul Leaman. Leaman didn't stand a chance, making Susan Roush-McClenaghan "the very first female Super Bowl winner after seven rounds of competition during an incredibly exciting weekend," Roush said.