Latest news with #Holden Commodore
ABC News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- ABC News
Thrill of racing entices more women into motorsport breaking down stereotypes
The throbbing sound of a revving V8 engine and the intoxicating smell of diesel and rubber tyres are all part of the appeal of car meets. But it's not only men flocking to car meets across the country — women dig cars too. And now more women are getting involved in the sport on the track and behind the scenes. Car enthusiast Deb Myers never dreamed of racing until she met her husband Ian Crabbe about six years ago. Now she loves the thrill of it. "We recently drag raced at Palmyra Dragway in Mackay and my best time was 10.67 for the quarter mile," Ms Myers said. For the first few years she and her husband would time their trip around the track, also known as a hot lap, taking turns racing in his 2008 Clubsport Holden Commodore. But now they do that in their own identical, supercharged, colour-matched cars, mainly at their local, the Springmount Raceway near Mareeba in Far North Queensland. "And there's quite a lot of ladies that drag race up at Springmount and we always say 'girl power' to them." Mr Crabbe has enjoyed watching his wife blossom in the sport and become increasingly involved in regular car meets. "The car community is very welcoming and more women are embracing it and giving racing a go and I really applaud it," he said. In her 30 years in the industry, self-confessed automotive addict and racing commentator Lara Wilde has seen women become more active, including in racing, behind the scenes as pit crew, attending car meets and in leadership roles. "I'm seeing more women getting a profile in motorsport, not because they are women, but because they are exceptional," Ms Wilde said. She believes it has opened the door for other women to pursue their passion. "It's important for women to be welcomed into the car community and to feel safe and respected," Ms Wilde said. She welcomed a national push to get more women into motorsport. "We're seeing women like Betty Klimenko, who is the first woman to own a V8 Supercar team in Australia. "And Formula One is on a mission to put the first permanent woman driver on the grid of Formula One." Earlier this year, teens Joanne Ciconte and Aiva Anagnostiadis represented Australia in the all-female Formula 1 Academy series for the first time. Motorsport Australia, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)-appointed not-for-profit organisation, said more women were entering the industry nationally, both on and off the track. "Once you're behind the wheel, it's completely gender-free." But Ms Barlow said the initial break into the industry was often a barrier to women, and she believed changing this was an industry-wide responsibility. She said the organisation's Girls on Track program had helped to address the gender imbalance in the male-dominated industry. More than 3,500 girls have completed the program since it launched in 2018, with many pursuing a career in motorsport in varied roles including engineering, team management and coordination. An early introduction to the sport worked for commentator Lara Wilde, who has fostered a love of cars since her youth. Once a hobby, it led to a career that sees her booked 46 out of 52 weekends a year. "I do Summernats, which is the biggest burnout show in Australia, plus Red Nats, Northern Nats, Rocky Nats and all the Nats." Ms Wilde is keen to see even more women challenging stereotypes by pursuing a career in motorsport. Already doing this is Leonie Pollard, a judge at Cairns' NQ Burnouts and Tropical Meltdown and Powerfest in Mackay. "They were looking for a judge for NQ Burnouts about five years ago and my son threw my name in the ring," Ms Pollard said. But she said female judges were still a minority, which she attributed to outdated stereotypes. "I also think social media is partly to blame as men can be quite disgusting with their comments about women on car pages," she said. "They pick on women's looks and their driving and they can be really hurtful." However Ms Pollard, whose children and grandchildren attended races, said many men were supportive of women in the industry, with some even introducing their partners or daughters to the scene. She said women also tended to rally around each other. As the grandmother prepared for her next north Queensland event, she said she had no intention of getting behind the wheel herself. "I worked as pit crew for drag racing many years ago but preferred working in the background because it costs a lot less," she said. "It is an expensive hobby."
Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
My niece thought she had gotten a ‘great deal' after trading in her $30,000 Ford… I was furious after learning what the car dealership had done
A furious uncle has accused a car dealership of ripping off his niece when they sold her Ford Ranger for almost double what they paid her for it when she traded it in. Car enthusiast Razz Ghetto blasted a dealership within Car City Minchinbury, western Sydney, after learning of his niece's bad experience there. She had bought the Ranger with her then-partner for between $20,000 and $30,000, but decided to trade it in for a cheaper model and some cash. The influencer said he was stunned to learn his niece had left the dealership with only a VE V6 Holden Commodore and $3,000 cash. He claimed his niece was told the Commodore was worth about $10,000 to $11,000, and that she received $14,000 in total, including the cash payment. But, he claimed a VE V6 Holden Commodore in good condition would only sell for about $5,000, and was likely worth significantly less. In a major blow to his niece, the dealership advertised the Ford Ranger for $24,995 soon after she traded it in, the car enthusiast claimed. 'They've just taken the first offer not knowing better,' he said in a TikTok video. He said the deal fell well below the $20,000 minimum he expected the car to go for. This broadly aligns with the estimate from Carsales, which values a 2014 Ranger Wildtrak with similar specifications at between $21,700 to $24,900. 'I know at the end of the day, people should know better before doing these things, but sometimes people are in a position where they don't have an option,' he said. 'And why can't they be given a fair go at least?' The Sydney man said the problem was bigger than the dealership in question, claiming car dealers were taking advantage of inexperienced sellers. 'I understand they've got to make money, that's what they do but come on,' he said. 'They see people coming and they'll grab them and they'll rip them (off), because they don't know better.' Social media users shared their outrage, including some who said they no longer sold at car yards, preferring to sell privately. 'It's a car yard, what do you expect?' one wrote. Some were less sympathetic, including one who said dealerships could not be expected to pay retail prices. 'A car yard will never pay retail on a trade, its worth $20k on [Facebook] Marketplace privately but to a dealer that needs to add load pay staff and make a profit you are never going to get as high as if you did privately,' they said. Another agreed owners needed to take responsibility when selling their vehicles. 'Unfortunately it does come down to you. Got to do a bit of your own research when you're making a big investment,' they said. A Car City Minchinbury spokesman declined to comment on the specific incident, but said it takes customer satisfaction 'very' seriously. 'We encourage any customer with concerns to reach out directly to the dealership involved so matters can be appropriately addressed,' he said.
