Another Bronx Woman Makes History, This Time in NASCAR as 1st Female Starter

Kim Lopez will be NASCAR's first ever woman and Latina chief starter at this Sunday's Daytona 500 / Image Courtesy of NASCAR — Kim Lopez will be NASCAR’s first ever woman and Latina chief starter at this Sunday’s Daytona 500 / Image Courtesy of NASCAR

Bronx women are breaking barriers left and right.

Last week we had the story of Lt. Col Merryl Tengesdal, a Bronx native, who became the first African-American female to ever pilot the U-2 and now this Sunday, Kim Lopez, a Bronx native of Puerto Rican descent, will be the first woman and Hispanic to be the chief starter for the 57th Daytona 500.

According to NASCAR:

“NASCAR announced today that long-time official Kim Lopez will be the chief starter for Sunday’s 57th running of the Daytona 500. She will become the first woman and first Hispanic to flag the Great American Race, which begins at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, live on FOX, Motor Racing Network Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Lopez, 33, is in her 11th season with NASCAR and has flagged races for the past seven years in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. She also flagged two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races last year, but couldn’t attend the Daytona 500 following the birth of her daughter just three weeks before the race.

“I think this is awesome,” said Lopez, a native of Bronx, New York. “You have little girls who can now look up and say ‘I can do this someday, I can be this someday. If I put my mind to it and work hard, I can make it happen.'”

The chief starter plays an essential role during the race, displaying the eight flags that tell the best drivers in the world to start, slow down, move over or stop. It’s a role that Lopez won’t take for granted on Sunday when the field maneuvers beneath her at speeds of more than 200 mph.

Lopez also will have the honor of waving the checkered flag when the winner crosses the finish line and etches his or her name in NASCAR history.

“Kim will serve as chief starter, because she’s among the best in the world at what she does,” said Chad Little, NASCAR managing director, Technical Inspection and Officiating. “She has pursued her dreams in uncharted territory and we’re excited to see her dreams come true when she flags the Daytona 500.”

Not bad for yet another Bronxite making strides and reaching for the top. We are so proud of you, Kim!!

The people of The Bronx truly are our greatest resource.

Read more:

Daytona 500 chief starter Kim Lopez hopes to be role model – Fox Sports

Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.