For the past two years Albury, Wodonga and Districts Car Club has held women’s track day events but the new program can go further because of a $4000 Change Our Game grant.

Club secretary Annabel Silver said the previous one-off events had attracted interest but this didn’t necessarily translate into women taking up the sport.

“It comes down to that community, feeling part of the club and feeling like you belong,” she said.

“Developing that sense of community within the program that we develop was really important.”

RELATED:

The series begins with a webinar information session, which will be saved for future reference, on Monday about “the nuts and bolts” of entering an event, like the paperwork and supplementary regulations.

A hands-on workshop at the Albury headquarters of Matt Chahda Motorsport on February 16 will tackle basic car preparation with an emphasis on safety, such as checking tyres, oils and fluids levels. 

February 24 brings a driver development day for women of all ages and junior boys and girls from 14 to 20 years, with the first half focusing on car control skills followed by timed laps.

Ms Silver said the drivers would have experienced passengers with them, not to instruct but to advise.

“They’ll just be on hand to provide any pointers or to help them feel more confident on the track,” she said.

“The idea would be just to build confidence and perhaps improve times and techniques throughout the afternoon.”

The final two stages of the series will be a motorkhana event, where cars are manoeuvred through cones and obstacles as fast as possible, on May 5 and a special rookie class as part of the club’s Lap Dash on June 23.

“People might not be sure if motor sport is what they want to do, but this whole program is geared towards introducing women to the sport of motor sport and hopefully encouraging them to feel comfortable in that,” Ms Silver said. 

The Victorian government’s Change Our Game grant program supports initiatives that bring together communities, showcase female participation and assist gender equality through sport and active recreation.

Office for Women in Sport and Recreation head, Bridie O’Donnell said first experiences often shaped future involvement in sport and recreation for women and girls.

“So it’s imperative we are able to create an experience that fosters a lifetime of rewarding and recognised involvement,” she said.

For more details go to awdcc.com.au or the Women's Track Day AWDCC Facebook page.