While watching the races at Western Speedway in 1985, Sharon heard the announcer say that they needed ladies for Powderpuff Demos. She had never been in a race car, but was soon on the track competing with Pam Hempting, Mary Collier, Cora Dash and Shelly Hampton which started her thirty-seven year career.
She ran Novelty, Enduros, “Battle of the Sexes” (with Lois Pollard Grant), Figure 8 fun races, Claimers, Rollovers (with Jan Hansen), a Dwarf Car on practice night and Mini Stocks. In addition, she sold 50/50 tickets, helped paint Western Speedway, served as a track official which included six years in the Hornet class as well as flagging both Hornet practice sessions and Mini Stock dashes.
Starting in 1986, Sharon served in many elected positions with various racing clubs and enjoyed that aspect of the sport as well. In the mid 1980’s she was on the Board of Directors for VISSDA and LITRA and held many positions, then moving to Mini Stocks in 1996 where she held posts for the next twenty-two years as Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Chairman and Points Calculator. In 2002, Sharon was one of six people selected for the Board of Directors on the Victoria Auto Racing Hall of Fame where she was Secretary and then Treasurer over a twelve year span.
Sharon received many awards throughout her racing career including Member of the Year many times and in 2010 she received an Appreciation/Dedication award from Western Speedway.
During 2002, she wrote several articles for different issues of “Geared for Racing” magazine as well as local newspapers and was also a contributing writer to the “Thunder Valley Racing” website for women and articles for Western Speedway’s programs. Sharon has had a few articles written about herself, one of which was penned by Laura Pollard for Western Speedway’s program.
From day one at the track, Sharon always wore white jeans when not racing which prompted people that didn’t know her to refer to her as “The lady with the white pants”. She had a knack for calming down upset drivers, dealing with them on a one-to-one basis as she didn’t believe in discussing problems in front of others. During her time officiating for the Hornet division, Caleb VanBree called her “The Warden”. You did what she said, but Sharon was fair. She also mentored a lady in the Hornet class, Helen Thorne, explaining how to run the small inside oval. Helen won two trophies that night and one more the following race night. It was a proud time for both girls!
At the 1988 CKDA Pepsi 100 Challenge, Sharon was the only female participating and drove her Bomber car. She ran for one reason, to gain experience. The other drivers tried to intimidate her but she was undeterred, running sixty-eight laps before her brakes failed. Crewing for her at that time were Connie Constantine and Kerry Steen who also gave advice which she used in future racing. That advice paid off in 1997 when she won her first Mini Stock trophy dash.
At Saratoga Speedway in 1998, Sharon won her first main event, a thirty lap Mini Stock event which was especially memorable as it was the first win by a female driver there in many years. Also that same year she won a Championship Night race and was selected as that season’s Most Improved Driver. Over the years she won many dashes and heat races at both Western and Saratoga.
Sharon, her oldest son Carl and Gary “Mad Dog” Madden built a car for Carl to drive in Pastor of Disaster races and Carl crewed for both Sharon and his brother Sean. After selling her Mini Stock in the late 2000’s, she raced a few times in her son Sean’s car (who was a Mini Stock champion) and also crewed for him. Sharon later became Pit Boss and Lineup Coordinator for the Outlaw 4’s until September 17, 2022 which sadly was the last race run at Western Speedway.
Sharon was always there to lend a helping hand, was a good listener and gained many friends throughout her racing career. She thanks Sean, Carl and Connie Constantine, Gary and Danny Madden, Ryan Patterson, Jim McKay, her sister Carol Bradstock, her parents, her sponsors and so many others for their help and much appreciated support throughout the years.
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- Sharon Constantine (photographer unknown).
