Peggy Hart
It’s always difficult to say who was the very first to accomplish a feat of human endeavor, but it’s certainly safe to say Peggy Hart was one of the first women to drive a “hot” car in competition on an organized drag strip. Of course, it helped that her husband CJ was operator of Santa Ana, the first commercial drag strip in history. She not only helped operate the strip, but drove the family stocker in competition, then a Cadillac powered Model T roadster, a Willys gas coupe, and, finally, turned more than 130 mph in “Pappy’s” Cad-powered gas dragster in 1954. She even drove at El Mirage dry lake and the Bonneville Salt Flats. Peggy was truly CJ’s partner in life, and business, and is a pioneer in the development of organized drag racing.