For Sale: 1963 Chevrolet Corvette in Clifton Park, New York

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split-Window CoupeOriginally Owned by (and Raced by) Shirley Cha Cha Muldowney, The First lady of Drag RacingOriginally Delivered to Marsh Hallman Chevrolet in Albany, NY(Verified by NCRS Shipping Data Report)---------------------------------------------Shirley Muldowney: From Local Corvette Racer to the First Lady of Top FuelFew figures in American motorsports embody grit, defiance, and raw competitive instinct quite like Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney. Long before she became a three-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion and a household name in drag racing, Muldowney's story began not on the national stage, but on the modest eighth-mile strips and back-road circuits of upstate New Yorkoften behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Corvette.Born Shirley Ann Roque in 1940 and raised in Schenectady, New York, Muldowney gravitated toward speed at a young age. By her late teens, she was already immersed in the street racing culture, encouraged and mechanically supported by her husband, Jack Muldowney. Her formal drag racing debut came in 1958 at Fonda Speedway in upstate New York, a venue that would become central to her early development.One of the most intriguingand often overlookedchapters of Muldowney's career centers on her early 1960s racing activities with this silver 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split-Window Coupe. The car itself was a cutting-edge performance machine for its time, featuring a lightweight fiberglass body and available high-output 327 cubic-inch V8 engines, making it a formidable presence on early drag strips. This '63 Corvette represents a critical transition point for Shirley from informal street racing to organized drag competition.By 1963, Muldowney was regularly campaigning this very split-window Corvettepart of the newly introduced C2 generationprepared by her husband with typical grassroots modifications: slick rear tires bolted on for traction, open exhaust for improved flow and sound, and minimal but effective tuning for short-track acceleration. Muldowney recalled that this Corvette was raced frequently on local circuits, particularly:Fonda Speedway (Fonda, NY)Saturday night racing on an eighth-mile strip was a regular routine, where she would "bolt the slicks on... and go racing."Lebanon Valley Dragway (West Lebanon, NY)She competed in stock classes, reportedly running both 1962 and 1963 Corvettes against regional competitors.Milton Drag Strip (Vermont)While better documented with another car, this track was part of her early northeastern circuit in 1963.These were not high-profile national events but intensely competitive grassroots venues where reputations were built. Muldowney's Corvette outings were characterized by consistency and aggressiontraits that would define her later professional career. Her early experience racing production-based performance carsespecially the Corvettewas crucial, giving her a mechanical understanding of traction and launch dynamics, confidence in head-to-head competitions and, perhaps most importantly, local notoriety that helped her break into larger events. Throughout the mid-to-late 1960s, she continued racing across northeastern tracks, including match races and regional events, steadily building a reputation that would carry her into national prominence.The foundation of Shirley Muldowney's legendary career can be traced directly to those early 1960s nights in upstate New York, when a young driver in a modified 1963 Corvette lined up against anyone willing to race. It was therefar from the national spotlightthat she forged the skill, toughness, and identity that would ultimately make her the "First Lady of Drag Racing." She would go on to become the first woman to earn a Top Fuel license (1973), win three NHRA Top Fuel World Championships (1977, 1980, 1982), and redefine the role of women in professional motorsports.