Drag racing pioneer Paula Murphy, the first woman licensed to drive a Funny Car died on December 21 at the age of 95. Murphy began her career in 1964 when she was offered an Olds 442 by the LA and Orange County Dealers Association. 

Murphy's career was one of many trailblazing accomplishments for female drag racers. Known primarily as Miss STP, Murphy regularly drove her Funny car over 200 miles per hour and was a sought-after match race booking. She also dipped into the seven-second zone as well. 

In 1971, Murphy set a new NASCAR women's closed-course record at 171.499 mph while driving Freddie Lorenzen's STP Dodge stock car at Talladega Superspeedway. Murphy participated in multiple events thereafter, including driving a Duster-bodied Funny Car that toured the United States and England in 1973.

Murphy also drove Tony Fox's hydrogen peroxide-powered Pollution Packer rocket dragster at the Winternationals, reaching a pass of 258 mph. She had plans to drive Ky Michaelson's rocket dragster in 1974.

However, tragedy struck during an event at Northern California's Sears Point Raceway (now Sonoma Raceway) in early 1974. After crossing the finish line at 258 mph, the hydrogen-peroxide-fueled rocket engine on Murphy's car would not shut down. When she deployed both parachutes, they tore off the vehicle. Murphy's car careened off the end of the track at approximately 300 mph, flipping multiple times upon landing. Though she suffered a broken neck, Murphy miraculously survived.

The accident wouldn't deter her from driving in other forms of motorsports, and she even did a stint racing in the sportsman categories. 
She was honored for her contributions to the sport and was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2017.

Humbleness defined Murphy's perspective on her career.

"I got really, really lucky...I don't look at myself as anything special...it was just the time for a woman to try to drive a Funny Car, and I felt rather proud that I was the one," Murphy said.