Louisa Smith was born on July 31, 1916 in Barnesville, Georgia. But she lived most of her life in Greenville, S.C. She was married to the late Noah Smith, who did not approve of his wife's job. They never had any children together.
Louisa was tied with Ethel Mobley as the second woman to ever race in NASCAR at its top level. Louisa had the nickname. "Good ole Gal." But Louisa would become known to those in the sport as "the first lady of racing."
Louisa was what they called a barnstormer who ran races for $100 to $150 in first prizes and some extra appearance money. She mixed with such legends as Curtis Turner, Ralph Earnhardt, Bill Snowden, Buddy Shuman and Buck Baker.
In 1947, Louisa Smith went to Daytona Beach, to watch the race on the beach. She drove there in her husband, Noah's new Ford Coupe. Not happy to just sit and watch the race, Louisa decided to join in the race. So she entered her husband's new car into the race. But the results were not what she had hoped for. Louisa rolled the new car. On the bus ride home, Louisa created a story to tell Noah about how the car had broken down. But little did she know that the news would beat her home.
Before Louisa could return home, the news of her wreck had made the front page of her hometown paper. When she got home, Noah asked her, "Where's the car, Louisa?" Her reply, "That ol' trap broke down in Augusta (GA)." Noah showed hre the newspaper. There on the front page was the wrecked car.
Now Bill France Sr. realized that he had something special in Louisa. So against the objections of her husband, Louisa became a regular on the NASCAR circuit. She would travel to Canada the northeast of the United States. In hopes that she could draw attention to the young stock car organization.
Louisa raced from 1949 to 1956. During that time she won 38 races. In formats such as the late models, modifieds where she had 28 victories, midgets and sportsman. She never won any in NASCAR. Her best finish was in a NASCAR race was 16th in 1949 at Langhorne, Pa. Over three years she ran 11 Cup races. Her last Cup race was in 1952 at Morristown Speedway.
She retired from racing in 1956. Even though she stepped out of the car, she never left the sport that she loved. She became very involved in helping to promote the local tracks and sponsoring cars.
She was very active at the track in Darlington, S.C. It was here that she was the grand patron. She resigned from this postion in 1989 after serving more than a decade.
Louisa returned to competition in 1971 as a car owner for numerous drivers. She sponsored Ronnie Thomas at his attempt fro Rookie of the Year in 1978.
Louisa Smith died of cancer on March 4, 2006. She was 89 years old.
Awards for Louisa: 1999 Inductee in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Member of the Living Legends Racing Club in Daytona Beach Member of The Old Timer's Racing Club in Archdale, North Carolina Member of the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame.
I am a southern female who grew up on NASCAR. After all growing up in the backyard of many of the old tracks run here in North Carolina it is was hard not to follow NASCAR.
My Drivers: Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, J.J. Yeley, Kevin Harvick (in that order). I will not pull for a Roush or Hendrick driver. Just because they are the competition to a 3rd championship for Smoke.
