Females & Motorsport - Answers Required!!

[dynamik gal]

For purposes of surveying the quotas, general thoughts and statistics regarding females and motorsport, if any FEMALES out there could respond to these few questions it would be much appreciated. Just short answers are fine, you can extend if you wish, or send a PM for any further details.

Your names/alias' etc will not be used, just responses formulated within numerical statistics.

QUESTIONS
1. Have you attended any motorsport event within the past 12 months?

2. If your answer to above was "No", please comment whether you would have attended if the event was a) closer, b) on a different date, c) cheaper to attend, d) other (please explain)

3. Have you noticed the "male" orientated sponsorship and marketing campaigns on and off the track?

4. Have you read a motorsport event program within the past 12 months?

5. Have you read a motorsport magazine (ie: Auto Action) within the past 12 months?

6. Are you interested in participating in motorsport?

7. If you answered yes to the above question, is there a main reason why you have not seeked to partake already?

8. Do you believe that females should be represented stronger within the motorsport industry?

9. Do you believe that females play a strong part in the motorsport industry?

THANKS HEAPS
Should you not want anyone else to see your answers feel free to send them via PM to me.

Your responses are much appreciated!!!

[gomick]

1.... yes i have - winton v8's & superbikes + world superbikes at phillip island.
3.... yes, corona beer at phillip island - do us chicks drink this stuff
4.... yes, i always buy the programs!
5.... yes, i subscribe to motorsport news & penthouse ( ) - i am in it....
6.... no, i am a happy spectator.
8.... grid girls are great - pr chicks would be successful i reckon, though many high ranking males would be sleazy
9.... yes, they support there husbands & boyfriends & it is a great lifestyle.

[Lowndesfan6]

Gomick, were you the centrefold in the penthouse mag.

[Sheila M]

1. Yes, several
3. I tend to ignore them.
4. Sort of - I just use the programmes as a running order and who's in which vehicle.
5. No
6. I already do - I'm a Clerk of the Course for speed events and I'm a Chief Pit Marshal for two Clubs in central England for race meetings.
8. Yes, and the MSA here in England are trying to redress the balance by encouraging women to join various committees.
9. Yes I do, and not just in a supportive role as suggested by Gomick. Over here in England, there are many female senior officials and women marshal numbers are increasing too.

[speedreader]

1. YES, SEVERAL EVENTS
3. YES BUT THEY ARE AIMING AT THE MAJORITY, NOT THE MINORITY
4. YES, TO FOLLOW THE SCHEDULE OF RACING & SOME GENERAL READING
5. YES, ALL THE TIME
6. YES
7. I DO, THERE SHOULD BE MORE COMPETING BUT AS REAL DRIVERS - NOT JUST GLAMOUR PUSS'S IN PINK CARS (SORRY TO ANY REAL FEMALE RACERS COMPETING IN PINK CARS BUT EVEN THE IDEA MAKES ME ANGRY - BE PROUD TO BE A RACER, NOT JUST A FEMALE....
8. YES, BUT ONLY IF IT IS SERIOUS. AS SAID ABOVE, THERE IS TOO MUCH 'CANT DRIVE FOR PEANUTS BUT LOOK GOOD' ATTITUDES SURROUNDING FEMALE DRIVERS WHICH MAKES IT HARDER FOR REAL RACERS LIKE CHRISTINA ORR IN NZ TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION.
9. AS ABOVE, YES FEMALES NEED MORE REPRESENTATION BUT ONLY IF IT GOING TO HELP FEMALE RACERS & ENTHUSIASTS TO ENJOY THEIR SPORT - ITS NOT A QUICK WAY TO MEET A GUY WITH A FEW BUCKS (ALTHOUGH THE SPORT DOES LEND ITSELF TO THIS TOO....)

HOPE THIS HELPS, ITS NOT EASY TO MAKE IT IN THE REAL WORLD OF RACING AND TO THOSE WHO ARE GIVING IT A GO - MY HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS I HOPE IT GIVES YOU ALL AS MANY NEAT MOMENTS AS IT HAS FOR ME

[gomick]

Originally Posted by Lowndesfan6

Gomick, were you the centrefold in the penthouse mag.

your on to me Lowndesfan6

[bathurst77]

Originally Posted by gomick

your on to me Lowndesfan6

Ok so WHEN?

I mean theres gotta be something better to look at then Russel Ingall...

well actually ANYTHING is better then Russel Ingall..

[marcus]

My other half has attended motorsport events in the last 12 months (because I dragged her along )

when she gets home from work I will sit her down and get her to answer the questions for you Dynamik gal

[Kerri]

1. Yes, heaps

3. Depends how you look at it really, sure I guess the advertising is aimed more at Males because the majority of spectators attending race meetings are males.
But for example - if there is beer advertising not only men drink beer, same for wheels and tyres, women need them as well.
I guess I am so used to it I don't really take much notice.

4. Yes, regularly.

5. Yes, but only if there is an article about a category I'm interested in.

6. Yes, I am currently involved with a category (not racing myself though)

7. I used to race years ago but decided to have a second child & that was the end of my racing. I would love to go back to it but my other half won't let me race his car. (party pooper he is)

8. Yes to a degree, there have been programs in the past but as i'm not involved in any of them I don't really know how things progressed in this area.

9. Definitely, behind every successful male is usually an exceptionally talented (or patient) woman.

I love motorsport and have been involved one way or another for many years.
From Drag racing bikes and cars, to circuit racing. Now mostly just admin but would love to get back in a race car occasionally. But it really comes down to the cost of having two people racing in the one family.

[dynamik gal]

Hi guys, thanks for your responses so far, there are a few similarities that are coming through the pipe line, those which hopefully be changed sometime soon!!

Surely there are some more females out there! I require some more answers/responses, so please dont hold back!!

If you dont want to broadcast your thoughts to all within the forum please do not heistate to send your answers via PM to me!

Much appreciated and thanks to those for your responses so far!

[bathurst77]

After chatting to Mrs B77 her answers are

1. No

2.maybe if cheaper (especially the food etc) and more to kep the kids entertained between races.

3. she says its "bloke world" pretty girls dressed skimpily promoting boys-toys and stuff (She said it like it was a BAD thing?)

4 no

5 yes autoaction msport news

6 Are you mad! far too fast.. anything over 100 km gives u nose bleed

7..pass

8 definitely but not token.. "oh look the driver is a girl lets paint the car pink" patronizing stuff. serious female drivers and mangers and engineers should feature.

9. not really no

[SkaifeysGal]

QUESTIONS
1. Have you attended any motorsport event within the past 12 months?
Yes

2. If your answer to above was "No", please comment whether you would have attended if the event was a) closer, b) on a different date, c) cheaper to attend, d) other (please explain)

3. Have you noticed the "male" orientated sponsorship and marketing campaigns on and off the track?
Yes

4. Have you read a motorsport event program within the past 12 months?
Yes

5. Have you read a motorsport magazine (ie: Auto Action) within the past 12 months?
Yes

6. Are you interested in participating in motorsport?
No, i just like watching the sport

7. If you answered yes to the above question, is there a main reason why you have not seeked to partake already?

8. Do you believe that females should be represented stronger within the motorsport industry?
Yes, they should be

9. Do you believe that females play a strong part in the motorsport industry?
No, not at this stage

[EvilPumpkin]

1. Yep - loads

2. n/a

3. Yes - but that's a bit of a chicken and an egg scenario - if the spectators appear to have a larger male demographic, then it makes sense to advertise male oriented products.

4. LOL - yes when the organisers remember to get one for us

5. Yep

6. I'm a marshal

7. N/a

8. Not necessarily - I would like to see the attitude to female drivers change to one where they are simply drivers and gender is irrelevant.

9. Both Mondello and Kirkistown would have a serious problem if they lost all their female marshals, so in terms of Irish motorsport, that would be a yes. Globally, I really don't know. I suspect that they do in certain areas - partcularly in the voluntary areas such as marshalling and organisation. But less so in the more "visible" areas of the sport.

[Vanilla Dice]

1. Have you attended any motorsport event within the past 12 months? YES

2. If your answer to above was "No", please comment whether you would have attended if the event was a) closer, b) on a different date, c) cheaper to attend, d) other (please explain)

3. Have you noticed the "male" orientated sponsorship and marketing campaigns on and off the track? YES

4. Have you read a motorsport event program within the past 12 months? YES

5. Have you read a motorsport magazine (ie: Auto Action) within the past 12 months? YES

6. Are you interested in participating in motorsport? YES

7. If you answered yes to the above question, is there a main reason why you have not seeked to partake already? NO MONEY

8. Do you believe that females should be represented stronger within the motorsport industry? YES, BUT ONLY WHEN THEY EARN IT

9. Do you believe that females play a strong part in the motorsport industry? YES. SOMEONE HAS TO LISTEN TO THE DRIVERS WHINGING

[SalP]

1. Yes, heaps
2. N/A
3. Yes, just look at the Grid Girls and aren't CUB a major sponsor of V8's.
4. Yes, but didn't buy it personally, have found the information in them to be same at every round.
5. Yes, on a weekly basis
6. No, just enjoying watching
7. N/A
8. Yes, without a doubt
9. No, not at this stage

[Dixie Flatline]

On behalf of my wife (who is a member here, but I'm hogging the computer! ):

1. Yes;
2. N/A;
3. Yes - Gillette girls, all of the "chicks" at the event (grid girls, and the like), and the promotion of brothels;
4. Yes - 2005 Australian Formula One Grand Prix program;
5. Yes - Autosport, F1 Racing, Motorsport News, Auto Action;
6. No;
7. N/A;
8. Yes;
9. No - seems limited to eye candy.

[smokinJ]

From Polyheads long suffering Wife:

1. Went to Clipsal (live in Adelaide), went to Konicas at Mallalla too. Bathurst a few years ago (an experience for any women camping up the hill!!)

3. Its all Male orientated!! But look at the market, Im not going to give them a hard time about it the race track is not the place to sell femine hygine products is it??

4. Yes, and they are mostly boring but did find the Clipsal one quite interseting for a change. For once they knew what they were talking about.

5. I flick through Motor Sport news when its on the table.

6. Yeah, if I could drive. (Only learnt to drive a manual last year so...)

7. Skill and a serious lack of CASH!!!!!

8. Do you mean would I like to see more women out there racing?? Of course I would, but I dont want anyone out there who hasnt earned it!! If you want to put a female out there as a token effort I think that would a travesty (think Couger Girls!!!)

As much as it hurts me to say this it has to be said Motor Sport is the domain of men, its just the way it is, its like football. Any attempts to feminise it are just a joke, Sorry.

9. Only if they love the sport for what it is.

[Blueprint]

1. Yes, Perth and Winton round of V8's

2. N/A

3. Yeah I guess, but it is mostly a male sport

4. Yes

5. Yes, but I don't buy them (they belong to the husband!!)

6. No I'm just a spectator

7. N/A

8. Absolutley

9. Not really, there should be a lot more girls involved

[dynamik gal]

I would just like to put in a little thought point here...

Approximately 30% of spectators attending events are Female. This is a rough stat, but those of you who have attended a round before would realise that there ARE other female spectators out there (apart from the ones who are hired to be there - grid girls).

To give you some figures, approx 55,000 females were at Bathurst...

And a very true, real stat (compliments of Roy Morgan Research), currently 66,000 females PARTICIPATE in motorsport within Australia.

Dont you think it's about time that some sponsors/companies/campaigns cater for us females?

Yes, I imagine that Libra would not fit into the "On Track" Sell - as such with grid girls promoting male-branded products - but surely there are campaigns that could be created to suit. I just think its about time that I walked into a race track and saw something that would be interesting to ME... It would make the whole "dealing with the T&A of the grid girls" much more bearable. I'm not trying to get topless men walking round, to be quite frank, seeing hot guy bods walk around the track as promo guys just doesnt do it like it does with grid girls for guys. I think many females would add to that - its like a guy hasnt seen female body parts before!! We females are more into the ingenuiety of a campaign. Hence my questions on should females be better catered for.

People do say that motorsport is a male dominated sport, BUT, thats not to say that the 1/3rd of spectators and supporters who are females should just be forgotten!

Anyway, just thought i'd add another 2c of my thought here and see what everyone else thinks now.

[Antrodemus]

You might also be interested in this article off NASCAR.com about women drivers, and lingerie sponsorship, in NASCAR.

[Kerri]

Excellent post dynamik gal.

[phoneAho]

Well the females spectators get to check out the drivers, while the men get to check out the grid girls, if there were no grid girls we are bound to have sum desperate fella chasing after rusty's car. if there were no female spectators then no more hair whacking you in the head as the cars speed past and the men can spend there money on beer instead of there tickets.

[dynamik gal]

Originally Posted by Antrodemus

You might also be interested in this article off NASCAR.com about women drivers, and lingerie sponsorship, in NASCAR.

GOLD!! This is what i'm talking about. We dont require a female driver for non-motor related companies to back the V8s championship, any team or any category for that matter. Lets hope that with the big guys in Nascar taking the lead that some companies here will realise that the females at the race track are a totally untapped market!

[dynamik gal]

all i can say is that danika showed that its not just looks that get females into motorsport. there needs to be something or someone (TC r u reading?) to promote roles for females across the board in motorsport in australia. not just female drivers, but female mechanics, engineers, data, PR, there were a few floating around the paddock over the weekend doing their bit but surely there are talented females out there with the brains to give what it takes, they need some motivation to put their passion into motorsport instead of assuming that its a mans world.

66,000 females that participate in motorsport across australia cant be wrong...

[speedreader]

Hi Dynamik Gal
I have just come across someone questioning my reputation in May of this year and asking when I last competed in motorsport - was it you ?

If so, I am sorry it has taken so long - I have only just found the question...

If not I am sorry, I dont know how to reply to who was asking...........

Cheers, Speed