2 days ago
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."
