BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – It’s no secret that the world of cars and motorsports is dominated by men. Women make up less than 10% of all motorsports participants worldwide.

Hoping to get more women behind the wheel, the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green is hosting its second annual Women in Motorsports – High Performance Driving induction event on Sunday.

“We’re trying to get more women into driving, into racing, into driving and things like that,” said NCM instructor Myra Devit. “We try very hard to help them by having a female instructor teach them in women’s language how to take a course, how to learn to drive effectively and how to drive better.”

Participants learned everything from basic vehicle controls to high performance driving procedures, all in their own vehicle and at their own pace.

“I think it’s just wonderful to have a group of women together because it’s really empowering,” said NCM volunteer and instructor Sarah Jane Zink. “Together we can be vulnerable and honest, and sometimes it’s intimidating to be around a whole group of men.”

When asked for advice on entering the male-dominated world of motorsport, many replied that it was just about getting ahead and ignoring other people’s opinions.

“I entered a car show. I won a lot and later it was pointed out to me, ‘Hey, did you know you’re the only woman? And blah, blah, blah,'” said attendee and autocross driver Jennifer Reid. “I didn’t even think about it, it didn’t even cross my mind. That wasn’t the motive behind it. I love cars and I don’t care if I’m the only woman or not.”

The instructors added that the course not only teaches high-performance driving, but also shows the younger girls that they can also go full throttle.

“I was out on a quad bike one time and I asked my mum, ‘Why don’t girls race?’ And she said, ‘Actually, they do,'” said spectator Ellie Watson. “I think anyone can do it. I don’t think gender matters, I think you can race no matter what.”

Although the next course is not until next year, the full list of events at the museum is available on the museum’s website.

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