The Eastern Southland Car Club held its Ladies & Youth Autocross day on the Forbes family land a couple of Saturdays ago, teaching those over the age of 12 how to drive.
Club member and organiser Ismay Howden, whose husband Glenn and son Ryan, 16, compete, said the event was also about trying to attract women to motorsport.
"It’s the hardest group to get in," she said. "Under 18 is easy, but getting ladies in is hard."
Despite a wet ground, there were women at the track that day to learn how to race old cars around a muddy course.
Ryan said you can bring any $100 car, deregistered but up to a warrantable standard, to the paddock for a go, as long as you can trailer it in.
After the age of 12, children are free to enter in the club’s events, and James Laird, 12, was suited up to have a go, the day after his birthday.
His dad Kevin and grandfather Roger, also members of the club, were both on hand to tutor the youngsters and women in the art of autocross.
The three generations were set to compete for the first time the following day in a club competition.
Kevin said the fun day was for "learning the ropes" of the sport.
"A non-threatening environment is what we're trying to make," he said. "So everyone can come and have a go without feeling pressured to perform."
He said it was also good to teach how a car behaves in slippery conditions and other skills that help on the road.
Mrs Howden said having her youngest son Ryan learn how to drive through the club made her far more comfortable with him being behind the wheel.
He already knew how to steer, stop, start, and once out on the road he had just the rules to learn.
Far past a learner was club member Cheryl Marshall, who has been competing with and against her partner Paul Duncan for the last few years.
Representing for the women in a bright pink boiler suit, she said she had noticed more of the fairer sex taking to the sport.
"It’s fun, once it grabs ya," she said.
Ms Marshall grew up on a farm skidding on a paddock for fun anyway, but said it would be good for the "town kids" to attend their events instead of getting into trouble.
