Twins Ryan and Josh Glinn, 14, at the Huntley Hillclimb yesterday. Picture: SYLVIA LIBER
Last year the Wollongong Sporting Car Club went on a membership drive to attract women and boost club numbers.
This season the club, which is one of the oldest Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) affiliated car clubs in Australia, is on the search for youth.
The club is hoping for a similar increase in numbers as to what occurred last year.
Starting the 2012 season with just one female driver, Jo Bell - who also happens to be the club's president - they finished the year with 11 female members out of 100.
The minimum age to obtain a CAMS licence is 14, which enables drivers to take part in events such as the Wollongong's Huntley Hillclimb, an event now in its 60th year.
"The idea is to get young kids off the street and give them a go out here," Ms Bell said at yesterday's Huntley Hillclimb, the first of six for the 2013 season.
"We have two 14-year-olds here today, which is a boost for the club and hopefully that will encourage others to have a go.
"A lot of kids think they are untouchable, but they can come here, learn a few road rules, and do so in a safe environment under guidelines ... if they misbehave they will be asked to leave.
"There can be issues, a lot parents don't want to see their kids involved in motorsport because they think it is too dangerous, but it is no more dangerous than driving on the street."
The two 14-year-olds taking part in yesterday's event were twin brothers Ryan and Josh Glinn.
They made the trip down from the Hawkesbury region for the event.
The pair took turns driving their Triumph Dolomite Sprint up the steep 658-metre course.
The brothers had restored the car which had sitting in a paddock for 12 years.
Josh said the brothers had learned to drive using the family's paddock basher and said that despite a few problems with third gear, they "didn't do too bad" in their first competitive drive.
Ryan said his first drive was "an energy rush" and hoped it would be a step towards becoming a "proper" racing car driver.
The boys worked on the car with their father Howard, who was a little taken aback at first by how steep the course was.
"This is a good chance for them to learn and have their first go at racing up the hill," he said.