This post is about female racers in the saloon/production scene in Australia. This includes Ute racing. In recent years, there have been several women drivers who have started to appear regularly, and achieve decent finishes. For the results of female drivers in the Bathurst 12 Hours, please click here. For the equivalent drivers in New Zealand, click here. Christine Cole now has her own post, as do Paula Elstrek, Sue Ransom, Melinda Price, Alexandra Whitley, Kerryn Brewer, Ellexandra Best, Madeline Stewart and Sue Hughes.
Amber Anderson - Australian driver who competes in touring cars, mostly Production racers, and sportscars. She began racing a Porsche 944, and still drives it on occasion. She drove in the Bathurst 12 Hours in 2007, 2008 and 2009, finishing fifth in the Porsche in 2009. Her 2007 car was a Toyota Celica, which she shared with Danielle Argiro. They did not finish. They competed together again in 2008, driving a Holden Vectra this time. During the 2007 season, they also drove in the Production Car championship in the Celica. In 2009 she did not race as much and concentrated on driving the course car for the V8 Supercar series. 2010 went in much the same way, but with three rounds of the V8 Supercar development series at the end of the season, with a promise of more in the future. In 2011, again, she did not do much official racing, although she took part in a motorsport reality TV series, competing for a race seat alongside other novice and underfunded drivers. She did not win. For 2012, she was close to a deal for the Fujitsu Supercar Development Series, which appears to have fallen through. She took part in three V8 Ute races, and remained involved as the series' safety car driver.
Danielle Argiro - competed in three Australian Formula Three rounds in 2004, for the Piccola Scuderia team. She finished twelfth overall. That year, she also raced V8 Brutes, coming 23rd. Previously, she raced saloons at club level with some success, since the age of 17. After some time away from major events, she competed in the Bathurst 12 Hours in 2007 as part of an all-female team, driving a Toyota Celica. Her team-mate was Amber Anderson and they were 21st, sixth in class. She also raced a Holden Vectra in Australian Production Cars, sometimes with Amber Anderson as a co-driver in enduro races. She does not appear to have raced much since 2008, although she was ninth in the Golden Holden One Hour race in 2009, driving a Gemini with Kandice Cannon. She has also taken part in some Time Attack speed events, in a Commodore. In 2018, racing as Danielle Walton, she entered the Phillip Island round of the APRC, driving a Holden Commodore for Katilyn Hawkins's team. She did not finish.
Anne Bennett – raced in Australia in the 1960s. She
was second in Class D in the 1964 Sandown 6 Hours, sharing a Toyota Crown with
John Colwell. Previously, in 1962, she was one of the first female entrants
into the major endurance race that became the Bathurst 1000, when she raced a
Simca in the Armstrong 500 at Phillip Island. Her team-mates were Pam Murison
and Diana Leighton. Anne may have been active in other saloon races in the early
1960s, but details of her career are very sketchy.
Samantha
Bennett – raced as
part of Lauren Gray’s all-female team in the 2012 Australian Production Car
Championship, driving a Toyota Echo alongside Lauren and Maddison Gray. She was
seventh in class E, and 50th overall, as she did not complete the
whole season. Previously, she raced at club level, from at least 2009, when she
competed in her regional Holden Gemini Championship. She also raced in sprint
cars and production cars, at club level, and tested for the Suzuki Swift Cup,
with support from the CAMS Women Drivers’ Development Programme. She does not
appear to have raced since 2012.
Carly Black - raced a Renault Clio in the 2016 Australian Production Car Championship. Her best result was eleventh place, at Sydney, and she was 34th in the championship. This was her second time in the APCC, after she raced the Clio part-time in the series in 2014. In between, she raced in the NSW PCC, still in the Clio. She has been active in motorsport since at least 2008, when she took part in the Wakefield 300 enduro, in a Peugeot 206, finishing twelfth.
Karlie Buccini - races in the Australian Production Car Championship, driving for her family team. Her car is normally a BMW E82 135i. She was 26th in the 2023 championship after a part-season. Her best event is probably the Bathurst 6 Hours: she won her class in 2024, sharing with Courtney Prince and Sue Palermo. In 2023, she was 23rd, with Courtney and Ellexandra Best. In a different car, a Suzuki Swift, she was also third in 2022. Previously, she competed in the Queensland Production Car championship in 2019 and 2020, in a BMW.
Teigan Butchers – raced in the 2005 Australian
Production car Championship. She used two different cars: a Proton Satria and a
Citroen Xsara. She was not among the front-runners, and did not score points in
the championship. 2005 seems to have been her only year of competition, and she
now works as a physiotherapist and specialist personal trainer for people with
disabilities.
Michelle Callaghan – raced saloons in Australia in
the 1990s. She competed in two Bathurst 12 Hour races, in 1992 and 1994. The
first time, she drove a Nissan Pulsar as part of an all-female team, with
Tracey Taylor and Melinda Price. They were 17th, and fifth in class
B. In 1994, she was partnered with Brian Callaghan and Chris Symmonds, in a
Class A Toyota Corolla. She finished again, in 23rd place, and again
fifth in class. Earlier, in 1991, she was tenth in the Winton 300, in a Toyota
Corolla. Further details of Michelle’s activities are not forthcoming, although
she did race in Formula Vee at some point.
Emma Clark – raced in Aussie Racing Cars in 2016. Her
car was an Aurion, and she ran in support of ovarian cancer charities. She was
not among the front-runners, with her best finishes being two 23rd
places, at Phillip Island and Hidden Valley. In 2017, she was a much improved driver, and neatly got into the top ten at Symmons Plains. She was 13th overall. 2018 was another season spent in the lower midfield. In 2019, she did a part-season and was 30th in the championship. In a new car, she raced in the 2021 Excel Bathurst Challenge, in a Hyundai Excel, although she finished a long way down the order. Although 2016 was her debut year
in Aussie Racing Cars, she had raced in club events for the past ten years,
driving a Mazda RX-3.
Carole Corness – active in the late 1960s and early
1970s in Australia. She took part in the Hardie-Ferrodo 500 twice, in 1969 and
1970. The first time, she drove a Mini Cooper with fellow Queenslander Ann Thomson, but did not finish. The second
time, she drove a MkI Ford Escort, and was 42nd, alongside Gloria
Taylor. The pair were sponsored by Women’s Day, an Australian magazine. In
1970, she also raced a “Super Bee” MGB with her husband, Iain Corness, and was
active in ladies’ races held at Oran Park, possibly in a Mini.
Emily Duggan - the first female driver to race in V8 Supercars in Australia, in 2016. She entered the three Sandown races in April, finishing one in eleventh place. The rest of her season was spent racing a Hyundai X3 Excel in her home state of New South Wales. She won a one-hour enduro race outright, and was fifth in the state championship. She returned to the X3 NSW series in 2017, and was fourth, driving for her own team. Most of her career has been spent at the wheel of an Excel, the car in which she started her career in 2014. She won her fifth-ever race in this car. In 2018, she moved up to the Toyota 86 one-make series and was 25th overall, with a best finish of eighth at Newcastle. She raced the Excel twice at Mount Panorama. In 2019, she did another season in the Toyota 86, and combined it with a part-season in the Super3 supercar series. She was 19th in Super3, with a best finish of sixth at Winton.
Madison Dunston - races in the Aussie Racing Cars series in Australia. She began with a part-season in 2016, which was a bit of a disaster with only three finishes from twelve planned starts. She fared much better in 2017 in an ARC Altima, and earned two tenth places at Symmons Plains. She was fourteenth in the championship and third out of four female drivers, closely behind Charlotte Poynting and Emma Clark. At the Townsville race, Madison became the first female driver to race against her own father in Aussie Racing Cars. In 2018, she continued in Aussie Racing Cars and also branched out into other series. She did some rounds of the Toyota 86 Racing Series at Townsville, although she was not near the front. In the ARC championship, she was 15th, with one top-ten finish. It was a quiet season for her in 2019 but she managed three top-ten finishes when she switched to the ECB SuperUtes series mid-season. She switched again to a Toyota GT86 in 2021, racing in the Australia 86 one-make series. Her best finish was a 16th place at Townsville, from six races. Her second season in the car in 2022 gave her championship 27th, with a best finish of 23rd at Townsville. Moving sideways championship-wise, she contested the TGRA Scholarship Series in 2023, finishing 26th after a part-season. Her best finish was 20th at Phillip Island.
Holly Espray - races a Hyundai X3 Excel in Australia. She was ninth in the 2019 Track Attack Excel Cup, a single-make series, finishing on the podium on two occasions. This was her third season in the championship and her best overall finish. She has also done endurance events in the Excel, including the 2019 Track Attack Excel Cup EFS 4x4 Accessories 170, in which she was ninth alongside Jasen Hannagan. Continuing in the Excel, she did five races in the Queensland Excel championship in 2020. In the same car, she was ninth and sixth in the Excel Bathurst Challenge, but she spent most of the year racing a Toyota GT86 in the Australia 86 one-make series. Her best finish was eleventh at Mount Panorama. In 2022, she did some races in a Hyundai Excel, in the National series, before switching to racing Utes in 2023. She was fourteenth in the V8 SuperUtes series, with two seventh places at Sydney and Surfer's Paradise as her best finishes. She also took part in some TGRA Scholarship races in the GT86. She first appears on the major entry lists in 2016, driving a BMW E46 323i in the Queensland Outlaws Sports & Sedan series and other events. She has been racing karts since the age of seven and was still only fourteen when she started racing cars.
Mary Fabian – raced in Formula Gemini in Australia in 1978, driving a Holden Gemini. She was fourth in at least one race. Further details of her time in Formula Gemini are not readily available. In 1980, she raced in the Australian Touring Car Championship, for at least two races, driving an Isuzu-badged Gemini. Again, further details of her activities this season are proving hard to find. Her surname is sometimes spelled “Fabien”.
Maddison Gray - did two seasons of Production Car racing in Australia, driving for her sister Lauren Gray’s team. Her car in both 2011 and 2012 was a Toyota Echo Sportivo. Both times, she raced in Class E for a part-season only, so was not able to feature highly in the leaderboards. In 2013, she recorded a single tenth place at Phillip Island, but does not appear to have done much since then. As well as saloons, she is a regular Formula Vee racer, competing in state championships, also for Lauren Gray Motorsport. This was her main motorsport activity for 2013. In 2014, she competed extensively in Formula Vee, with Hendrick Racing. She tackled the Australian championship, for at least a part-season, and was twelfth in the Victoria state championship. She raced against her sister in some of the rounds. She made a small return to motorsport in 2016, driving a Eunos 30X in the Phillip Island round of Australian Production Cars. She was seventeenth. Later in the season, she drove for Team Brock in the Ken Leigh 4-Hour Endurance Classic. Her car was a Holden HQ Kingswood. She did not finish.
Amy Griffith - raced a Toyota Echo in the Australian Production Car Series in 2017 and 2018. Both years were part-seasons. In 2017, she scored two top ten finishes: tenth places at Phillip Island and Wakefield. The following year, she only raced at Sandown, in the first meeting of the season. Her best finish was a 23rd place. She raced alongside her husband, Mark Griffith, in their own Griffith Racing Corporation team.
Tania Gulson – raced in Australian touring and
one-make series in the 1990s. Her first major races were the AMSCAR Series
events at Amaroo, in 1993. She drove a BMW 635 CSi, and managed to finish most
of her races, but was not among the front-runners. She was driving for her
father, Ray’s team, and was set to contest the Bathurst 12 Hour race with Ray
and her brother, Graham, but she could not start the race, due to not
qualifying. Later on, she did some one-make racing, including the Suzuki Swift
GTi Cup in 1995. In 1996, she won the all-female Mazda 121 Challenge. Later,
she raced motorcycles with her husband, Mark Bennett.
Sheryl Hanright - New Zealander who races in the Ssangyong Ute Racing Series. Her first season in the Ute was the 2015-16 winter season. This followed a title win in the NZ Holden HQ championship in 2015. At the time, she had been racing the car for almost ten years. She has also taken part in some NZ enduro races in it. So far, she has not been quite as successful in the Ute. She finished in 23rd place in the 2016-17 Ute series.
Sarah Harley – races production saloons in Australia.
She began in 2000, and between 2007 and 2011, she raced a Mazda MX-5 in
production sportscar races, usually in her home state of Queensland, although
she did make a trip to Mount Panorama in 2008, for the Production Sports race
at the Easter meeting. In 2010, she took part in the Queensland rounds of the
Mini Challenge, with a best finish of tenth, despite narrowly avoiding being
involved in a serious accident where spectators were injured. After a couple of
seasons in Rocketsports and small sportscar enduro racing, in the MX-5, she got
herself a drive in the 2012 Bathurst 12 Hours, sharing a Lotus Exige with
Christian Klien and Robert Thomson. They were second in Class C, ninth overall.
The following year, she raced a Mazda 3223 Astina in the Australian Production
Car Championship, winning Class E by two points. She also did some APCC races
in a Honda Integra, and was eighth in Class D, sharing a car with Michael Gray.
In 2014, she was back in the Mazda, and was fifteenth in the Willowbank 300. In 2015, she was tenth in the HQ Holden vs Gemini 1-Hour race, driving a Holden, but she does not appear to have raced since then.
Katilyn Hawkins – races a Suzuki Swift in a one-make
series in Australia. She started in 2013, at the age of 20, with a short
part-season. Her final finishing position was 20th. In 2014, she was
tenth. After a slow start to the season, and some missed races due to car trouble,
she managed a seventh place at Winton,
her home track. Her 2015 activities are unclear; the Swift was put up for sale in
March. However, she was racing a Swift in November, when she took part in the Winton 300 race, finishing thirteenth. She carried on in the Swift in 2016, on a limited programme. She was eighteenth in the Phillip Island round of Australian Production Cars, and 31st in the Winton round of the Australian Endurance Championship. She also tested a V8 Supercar. Her programme in 2017 was very limited; she drove the Swift twice at Winton, and was tenth and twelfth. 2018 was similar: she entered four rounds of the APC series but only finished one, at Winton. She entered additional cars for Danielle Argiro and others during the year but did not always drive herself. She remained involved in 2019, but mostly as a team manager.
Darrilyn Huitt – raced saloons in Australia in the
1970s. She entered the Bathurst 1000 once, in 1973, driving a Holden Torana
with Pat Peck. They did not finish. Darrilyn drove solo in different classes,
and also took part in some of the ladies’ races that were held at Oran Park in
the 1970s, but details of her career are very sketchy. She may have been one of
the drivers in a Renault 12 ladies’ race at Oran Park in 1977.
Ashley Izod - races a Hyundai X3 Excel in one-make series in Australia. She ran almost a full season in the Queensland Excel Cup in 2018 for Hannagan Motorsport, finishing 42nd in a very strongly subscribed championship and earning one podium finish. In 2019, she teamed up with erstwhile single-seater racer Chelsea Angelo for the Track Attack Excel Cup EFS 4x4 Accessories 170, an endurance race. They were sixth overall, driving for the Brett Parrish Racing Organisation.
Lynne Keeffe – raced in Australia in the 1960s and 1970s. She raced in the Bathurst 500 twice, in 1969 and 1970. She did not finish the first time, driving with Christine Gibson. In 1970, she was 36th, driving a Mini with Arthur Olsen. Lynne started off competing in rallies in 1964, initially as a co-driver, then as a driver. She drove in the Southern Cross Rally at least five times, between 1966 and 1970, first as a co-driver, then as a driver. She won four Ladies’ awards, one for navigating, and three for driving, and her cars were a Volvo 122 and a Hillman. In 1970, she navigated for Sue Ransom in the Ampol Round Australia Rally. Lynne also competed in rallycross, but no results are forthcoming.
Lynne Keeffe – raced in Australia in the 1960s and 1970s. She raced in the Bathurst 500 twice, in 1969 and 1970. She did not finish the first time, driving with Christine Gibson. In 1970, she was 36th, driving a Mini with Arthur Olsen. Lynne started off competing in rallies in 1964, initially as a co-driver, then as a driver. She drove in the Southern Cross Rally at least five times, between 1966 and 1970, first as a co-driver, then as a driver. She won four Ladies’ awards, one for navigating, and three for driving, and her cars were a Volvo 122 and a Hillman. In 1970, she navigated for Sue Ransom in the Ampol Round Australia Rally. Lynne also competed in rallycross, but no results are forthcoming.
Megan
Kirkham – raced
Mazda cars almost exclusively between 1996 and 2002. She started much earlier,
in the 1980s, in club events. Her car then was a Ford Escort. She competed in
this car up to Production Championship level, before taking some time out for
motherhood, and racing part-time along with her husband, Phil Kirkham. In 1996,
she made a major comeback, and was one of the twelve women who took part in the
Mazda 121 Challenge. For the following two seasons, she raced a Mazda 626 in
Production events, including two runs in the three-hour Bathurst Showroom
Showdown. Both times, she shared the car with Phil. Her best result was
twelfth, in 1997. For 1999, the 626 was swapped for an MX-5, which she used in
the GT Production championship, finshing fourth in Class S. A move to Class B
in 2000 gave her a ninth place. The same car was good for sixth in Class E in
2001. She carried on in 2002, but the results are not forthcoming. After that,
Megan retired again, and worked as the team manager for Phil and their son
Declan. In 2012, she was set to do some more racing herself, with daughter
Lyndsay, but it is unclear whether this happened.
Robin Lacey - races saloons and sportscars in Australia, often in endurance events. She has been active since at least 2004. Normally, she does part-seasons in the Queensland Production Car Championship, using a Mazda MX5 until 2016 and a Volkswagen Scirocco after that. In 2007, she had a good year in the series, finishing seventh overall with Sarah Harley. Normally, she shares cars with her husband, Peter Lacey. In 2021, they teamed up with Matilda Mravicic for the Bathurst 6 Hours, but did not finish. This was Robin’s third attempt at the race. She and Matilda were fourth in class in the 2018 and 2019 events. In 2022 she raced a Volkswagen Scirocco in the 6 Hours, with the same team.
Bronwynne Leech - racing in the Ssangyong Ute Racing Series in 2016-17, in New Zealand. She is driving a pink Ute, in support of breast cancer charities, having had the disease herself. Her team is named 4-D Cup, and will feature other drivers. She only began racing in 2016, initially in a Peugeot 206 that she raced as part of an all-female team in endurance events. Her co-drivers were Sheridan Broadbent and Wendy Metcalfe.
Maria Mare - South African-born racer who began her career in her 40s, in 2007. She mainly competes in her home state of Queensland and the Holden Commodore has been her most frequent car of choice. She has done part-seasons in the Queensland Outlaw Sports & Sedan series, Queensland Saloon and HQ Holden championships, either in the Commodore or in a Ford Falcon. Since 2017, she has been racing a 6200cc Dodge Ram pickup in the Sports class of the Outlaw series.
Bronte
Michael – began
racing in 2011, when she was only 16. She started out with a historic Datsun
120Y, which she used for two seasons in Queensland. Continuing in historics in
2012, she raced a Holden Torana and HQ, finishing twelfth in the Golden Holden
One Hour race. 2013 included her taking part in the Suzuki Swift Racing Series, vying
for a funded place in the championship in 2014. She was 19th
overall. She also raced a Hyundai Excel in the Excel Cup, a series she returned
to in 2014 for three races, finishing 29th, as well as some
endurance events in the same vehicle. Mid-season, she did some rounds of the
Production Championship in a Honda Integra, and had a best finish of eleventh,
at her home track of Queensland.
Elly Morrow - Australian driver most famous for competing in the V8 Supercar junior classes. She first entered the Super3 championship in 2021, driving a Holden Commodore. After three races, she had a best finish of sixth at Mount Panorama and was thirteenth in the championship. Brad Jones Racing moved her up to Super2 in 2022, which proved tougher. She was fourteenth overall, just missing out on a top-ten finish at Townsville. After missing the last meeting of the season, she then joined the Shannons S5000 Tasman Series, a V8 single-seater championship. She was the first woman to enter and was tenth overall, with a best finish of eighth at Surfer’s Paradise. At the start of 2023, she continued her single-seater adventures with a run in a Formula Ford at Mount Panorama, finishing eighth. Her main plan for 2023 was another campaign in Super2, driving a Ford for the Tickford team. She did all twelve races and was thirteenth overall.
Matilda Mravicic - has raced a Mazda MX5 or a Volkswagen Scirocco in Australia since at least 2009. She has competed in the Bathurst 6 Hours four times, in 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2018, finishing fourth in class in the first two races. Her car was the Scirocco. All three times, her co-driver was Robin Lacey. Before that, she drove the MX5 in single-make championship and endurance events, including three runs in the Valvoline 300 at Wakefield. She also drives in Targa endurance rallies occasionally in the Mazda.
Brooke Newson - raced a Subaru Impreza in Improved Production Nationals in Australia. She began in the class in 2015, driving a Mitsubishi Mirage in the 1600cc Western Australia series. She acquired the Impreza in 2016 and was eighth in the Western Australia 2000cc championship. She did more 2000cc races in 2017 and also competed in the Wanneroo 300 as part of an all-female team with Stephanie Esterbauer. They were sixth overall. Since then, Brooke has not raced as much as she would have liked as the Impreza developed serious problems at the Improved Production Nationals, held at The Bend. At the end of 2019, she switched to racing sprint cars.
Lorraine Orchard - raced in endurance events and Formula Vee from the 1970s onwards. She began in Formula Vee in 1976, initially in hillclimbs. Her car was a Venom. Later, in 1981, she raced a Triumph Dolomite with Martin Power, sharing the car for the Hang Ten 400 at Sandown. They were 26th overall. In 1985, she drove for the Gerald Kay team in the Australian endurance championship, as team-mate but not co-driver to Martin Power in another Dolomite.
Sue Palermo - usually races German cars in Improved Production in Australia. Her best result so far has been a class win in the 2024 Bathurst 6 Hour, driving a BMW 135i E82 with Karlie Buccini and Courtney Prince. They were tenth overall. That year, she also raced a Mercedes AMG C63 in the Duggan Family Hotels Combined Sedans series, finishing fifth in class. She used the same car in the Improved Production Nationals.
Cheryl
Parnell – raced
a Mini in New Zealand in the late 1970s, for at least three seasons. No actual
race results are forthcoming, but pictures exist of Cheryl alongside her Mini,
which was sponsored by Unipart in 1976. She continued to race in 1977 and 1978,
until the car was sold at some point.
Pat Peck – raced from about 1969 to 1973, normally in
a Ford Falcon or Holden Torana. She drove in the big Bathurst races on three
occasions, between 1971 and 1973. Her first attempt gave her a 29th
place in a Torana, with Jan Holland. The two raced against each other in 1972,
but neither finished. She did not finish in 1973, either. During the same time
period, she drove both the Falcon and the Torana in the big yearly Sandown
endurance race, but does not appear to have finished any of them, either. After
this, she continued to race karts, and had some success at club level. She now
runs a chain of garages.
Maisie Place - races a Mazda RX-8 in Australia. Since 2019, she has been a regular presence in the one-make series for that car. A full season in 2021 led to a tenth place in the championship, her best so far. A part-season in 2022 led to an 18th place. This improved to 17th in 2023. She uses the same car in endurance races such as the Wakefield Park 300, which she has competed in twice, once in the RX-8 and once in an MX5 in 2018. As well as racing herself, she manages Maisie Place Motorsport, which runs three cars for herself and others in the RX-8 Cup and various endurance races.
Charlotte Poynting – raced for two different teams in
Aussie Racing Cars in 2016. This was her debut season, and it was mostly a
learning year, but she did manage to win one race, at Hampton Downs, and was
fourth in another, at Queensland. Her cars were a Camaro and an Aurion. She was
28th in the championship. 2017 was another split season, spent racing for her own team and Laser Electrical. She was twelfth in the championship, with three top-ten finishes: two ninths and a tenth. In 2018 she was twelfth again and best female driver, but her top-ten tally rose to five. She also did some rounds of the SsangYong Ute series. Another strong season in ARC followed, with three top-ten finishes and twelfth overall. She also raced in the ECB SuperUtes Series at Queensland, and managed one ninth place from pole. The 2020 ARC series gave her an eighth place at Mount Panorama. She did not do as well in 2021, managing an eleventh place at Symmons Plain as her best finish. After a year out, she returned to ARC in 2023. Prior to her switch to cars, she raced
karts in Australia for five years.
Nicole Pretty – raced touring and stock cars in Australia
in the 1990s. In 1998, she raced a Holden Commodore prepared by her family
team. She took part in the FAI 1000 Classic event with her brother, Nathan, but
they did not finish. In 1999, she did another major touring car race, the
Bathurst V8 300. Again, sharing the Commodore with Nathan, she was fifth
overall. That year, she did some more races in the SCS series, including one at
Calder Park, for which she did not qualify. After that, she seems to fade from
the scene, although the Pretty family remains involved in Australian circuit
racing.
Summer Rintoule - races at Toyota 86 in the one-make series organised by Toyota Gazoo Racing. She got her start in Toyotas aged 16, in 2023, taking part in the TGRA 86 Scholarship Series. Previously, she had raced a Hyundai Excel in another one-make championship. In 2024, she took on both the Australian and New Zealand GR Cup. So far, her best result has been a 25th place at Sydney Motorsport Park, in the Australian series. She also raced in the Bathurst 6 Hours, in the same car, finishing fifth in class.
Monique Sciberras - former boxer and martial artist who has raced a Hyundai Excel in Australia on and off since 2017. In 2017 and 2018, she entered the New South Wales X3 series for the Excel, running for most of the year in 2018. She was 15th in that year’s championship. In 2021, she returned to the circuits, doing two rounds of the MRF Tyres Excel Bathurst Challenge. Her best finish was a 27th place. Her only race in 2023 was the Bathurst Cahllenge again. She usually competes alongside her father, Brian.
Gwenda Searle – raced production saloons in Australia
in the 1990s. Her car in 1994 was a Suzuki Swift, and she was eighth in Class B
of the Australian Production Car Championship. In 1995, she tried out a more
powerful car, a Class C Toyota Celica, and a Toyota MR2 in the same class. She
was driving for the New Woman
magazine-sponsored Toyota team, and was second in Class C, with one win. That
year, she shared a Celica with the Scots driver, Heather Baillie, in the
Bathurst 12 Hours, but did not finish. Although she no longer races, she is
still involved in motorsport, in development.
Caroline O’Shanesy – raced in the Bathurst 1000 three
times, in 1973, 1975 and 1976. She drove a Mini for the first two attempts,
finishing 26th and 27th. The third time, she drove a
Fiat, but did not finish. She had been racing Minis on the Australian circuits
since at least 1970, and was active in other touring car enduros in 1975,
including the Sandown 250, which she did not finish. Caroline was also a rally
driver, and remained active until at least 1989. In 1984, she was second in the
Australian Rally Championship’s Production class, with Meg Davis, driving a
Fiat Superbrava. She competed several times in the Rally des Femmes, a
women-only event.
Ashleigh Stewart - New Zealand-born driver who races a Radical in Australia. 2019 was her first year of senior competition after ten years racing karts alongside her younger sister, Madeline. The two competed against each other in the Western Australia Formula 1000 series, with Ashleigh in the Radical and Madeline in a Stohr single-seater. The Radical was not as fast as the Stohr and Ashleigh did not do a full season. She also made a guest appearance in the Radical Australia Cup at The Bend, finishing eleventh and thirteenth in her two races.
Helen Stig – raced in the Bathurst 12 Hours in 2007,
as part of an all-female team in a Toyota Celica, with Amber Anderson and
Danielle Argiro. The same year, she competed in the ThunderSports series, in a
Toyota-powered car. She was 20th in the championship. This was her
second year in ThunderSports, as she had driven the same car in 2006. Both
seasons, she did particularly well in the AMRS 500 event, finishing third in
both occasions, in the same car. She was still racing in 2015.
Alexandra Surplice - raced in Australian touring cars in the 1980s, usually in a Toyota. She made three Bathurst starts between 1980 and 1984. Her best result was 26th, in 1984. She also finished 28th in 1980, driving a Toyota Corolla with John Gates. In 1981 and 1982, she shared a Toyota Celica with Doug Clark for other Australian endurance races. Although their finishing record was patchy, they did manage a points finish at Oran Park in 1981.
Hayley Swanson - began competing in sprints in Australia in a Subaru Impreza WRX in 2009. She switched to Aussie Racing Cars in 2011, in a Holden Commodore and Toyota Aurion, but only managed one race in each. In 2012, her career really took off, and she contested a whole season of V8 Utes. It was a learning year, and she was 25th overall after 21 races. In 2013, she entered three Aussie Racing Cars events, in a Commodore. Away from the track, she is a model, and she entered the Australian motorsport-themed reality show “Supercar Showdown.” In 2014, she raced her Impreza in the Winton 300, although she does not appear to have finished. She also raced a Holden in at least some events. She returned to the Winton 300 in 2015, in the Impreza, but did not finish. In 2017, she entered the Impreza into the Wanneroo, but did not finish.
Gloria Taylor – raced saloons in the late 1960s and
early 1970s. She took part in one Bathurst classic, the Hardie-Ferrodo 500 in
1970. She drove a MkI Ford Escort with Carole Corness, sponsored by the
magazine Woman’s Day. They were 42nd overall. The year before, she
had raced another Ford with another female co-driver, Pat Peck. They raced in
the Datsun 3 Hours at Sandown, in a Falcon, and were listed as finishers. She
is also known to have raced a Holden in Australian touring car events, in 1970
at least. She also drove in ladies’ races, often held at Oran Park, in cars
belonging to her husband, Herb Taylor. She died in 1990.
Jane Taylor – raced at Bathurst, in the 12 Hour race,
in 1992 and 1993. In 1992, she drove a Holden Commodore with Alf Grant and
Peter Brierley, but did not finish. Sadly, her second attempt, in a Citroen BX,
also ended in a non-finish. Her team-mates this time were Chris Wiles and Chris
Clearihan. Jane may well have taken part in more races, but information is
proving hard to track down. “Taylor” is the name of at least two racing or
rallying families in Australia, and it is possible she is part of one of them.
Tracey Taylor – raced in the Bathurst 12 Hours in
1992, as part of an all-girl team with Michelle Callaghan and Melinda Price.
They were 17th overall, fifth in class B. Their car was a Nissan
Pulsar. Away from major saloon races, she was also involved in Formula Vee
racing, and seems to have competed in New South Wales in the 1990s.
Unfortunately, further details are proving hard to find.
Ann Thomson – driver from Queensland active in the
late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning in 1966. She partnered Carole Corness in
a Mini Cooper for the 1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500, but did not finish. Earlier, in
1968, she raced a Ford Cortina, a car she also rallied. Among her other cars
were a Lotus Elan and a Holden Kingswood, which she drove in the 1970 Round
Australia Rally. Later, she became more involved in the technical side of
motorsport, acting as a timekeeper, and a Clerk of the Course for State-level
rallies, in addition to serving on club committees. She is still active in her
motor club to this day.
Midge Whiteman - drove in the Bathurst 500 race in 1967 and 1968, finishing both times. Her cars were a Morris 1100 and a Mini respectively. She was 36th in 1967, driving with Jane Richardson, and 41st in 1968 with Christine Gibson. Presumably, she entered other touring car races in Australia, but the results are not forthcoming.
Natalie Willmington – driver from a motorsport family
who competes in different disciplines in Australia. She first raced in the 2006
Production Touring Car Championship, in a Mitusbishi Magna. She was on the pace
straight away, and was third at the end of the year. Sadly, she did not finish
the AMRS 500 enduro. Her second season in the APTCC was another success, and
she was second, driving a Ford Falcon. Back in the Magna, she was sixth in the AMRS
500, driving with Simon Morison. Since then, Natalie has competed in drag
racing and won burnout competitions. She now supports her teenaged son in his
own motorsport career.
Brianna Wilson - raced in the Australian Production Car Championship in 2017. Her car was a Nissan Pulsar. She only did a part-season, but managed to get into the top ten in her last race, finishing ninth at Wakefield. She was 34th in the championship. In addition to this, she raced the car in her state’s (New South Wales) championship, driving for her own team. She was 17th overall. In 2019, she raced a Nissan Pulsar in the Sydney 300 and was fourteenth overall with Nathan Stephens. In 2020, she partnered Gene Phillips for the Wakefield 300. They finished eleventh in a Maxda MX5. She won her class in the 2021 Bathurst 6 Hours, sharing a Mazda3 with Ryan Gilroy. In 2022, she entered again, this time in a Subaru WRX and sharing with Dimitri Agathos. Another Bathurst entry in 2023, in the Subaru, was not as successful.
Brianna Wilson - raced in the Australian Production Car Championship in 2017. Her car was a Nissan Pulsar. She only did a part-season, but managed to get into the top ten in her last race, finishing ninth at Wakefield. She was 34th in the championship. In addition to this, she raced the car in her state’s (New South Wales) championship, driving for her own team. She was 17th overall. In 2019, she raced a Nissan Pulsar in the Sydney 300 and was fourteenth overall with Nathan Stephens. In 2020, she partnered Gene Phillips for the Wakefield 300. They finished eleventh in a Maxda MX5. She won her class in the 2021 Bathurst 6 Hours, sharing a Mazda3 with Ryan Gilroy. In 2022, she entered again, this time in a Subaru WRX and sharing with Dimitri Agathos. Another Bathurst entry in 2023, in the Subaru, was not as successful.
(Picture from http://www.kartsportnews.com/)
