IT WAS a split-second decision that could have resulted in catastrophic consequences.

But Rosalind Choo couldn't care less.

All the 28-year-old insurance agent had in mind was to clock a good timing in her Toyota Vios at the SGTrackies Time Attack two years ago.

Luckily for her, she managed to overtake the male driver in front of her without any trouble.

'It happened two years ago at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur. It was the last race for my Toyota Vios before it retired,' Choo told The New Paper. 'On one lap, I caught up on this male competitor and was stuck behind him.

'I was getting impatient because he was affecting my timing and all I had in my mind then was to do a good time.

'I couldn't wait any longer, so I made the bold move to overtake him. Thank goodness nothing happened.'

She finished a credible fourth in the Superlite category with a timing of 3:03 min.

Choo is part of an increasing number of female motorsports aficionados in Singapore.

She now drives a cool Mercedes-Benz SLK-200 convertible and is intending to spend another $20,000 on modifying her car. She is also a committee member of SGTrackies, a club for tracking enthusiasts.

Racing may be a largely male-dominated sport in Singapore, but in recent years the women are becoming more involved in motorsports-related activities.

And mind you, these girls are not bimbos.

'You'll be surprised at how much technical knowledge some of these girls have,' said Tan Teng Lip, president of the Singapore Motorsports Association. His two daughters are also into cars.

'Just like the boys, the girls are crazy over cars. They drive fast cars, frequent the car club forums, spend thousands of dollars modifying their cars, and travel up to Malaysia regularly for a dose of circuit action.'

Dolin Ong, 26, an account manager, is one who spends her free time hanging out in car workshops modifying her 2.5-litre Subaru Impreza WRX. She prefers manual gearboxes for its raw feel of power.

'I got tired of driving under-powered cars, like the previous Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 manual which I owned,' said the 26-year-old, whose WRX has a girly Hello Kitty theme.

'Customising my ride gives me a lot of satisfaction; the sense of control over my car and enhancing it for improved power and performance is overwhelming.'

Daphne Tan, a mother of two who helps her husband run his business, is another avid racing fan. She would sacrifice buying a diamond ring or a new bag to get a new suspension or brake kit.

'I spent close to $40,000 on the first car I started modifying - a Honda Accord Euro-R. I was hooked immediately, and now I own a souped-up Honda Civic Type-R which I spent almost $30,000 on modifications,' said Tan, 32, who also shares a Nissan GT-R - dubbed the 'Godzilla' - with her husband.

Like Tan, Ong pays out of her own pocket to finance her expensive hobby.

During her polytechnic days, she started her own business to earn extra money.

Money and passion

At one point, she also held a few part-time jobs.

'Between money and passion, money is more vital. With it, your car can be as fast and powerful as you want it to be,' said Ong.

There may be a rising trend of female car enthusiasts in Singapore, but the local scene is still very much dominated by men.

'There are definitely more women becoming interested in cars and motorsports these days, but despite this increase, it only makes up a small percentage. It is still a man's world and will always remain so,' said Nicolas Ho, 37, property realtor and clerk-of-course for some local motorsports events.

Despite the strong male presence, Choo said that there is no gender bias in the sport.

'I'm usually the only woman racer in the races I have taken part in,' she said.

'I've not been treated unfairly because of my gender, and I don't feel that I should deserve any advantage or handicap just because I'm a girl.'

• The writer is a freelancer.

GIRL TALK

DO YOU think there is a future for female motorsports enthusiasts in Singapore?

Dolin: There are more female motorsports enthusiasts in Singapore but overall it's still a small number.

Rosalind: It is an expensive sport and not many women are willing to invest time, effort and money into it. They rather spend the money on a spa package instead.

The first thing that needs to be changed is the misconception that girls cannot make good drivers.

ARE MEN generally better drivers?

Daphne: As much as we want to disagree, we think men do have that little bit of innate driving ability in them, more than women.

Dolin: But there are some male drivers who really don't deserve to be on the roads.

Rosalind: Ultimately, it boils down to how much driving time you clock. I'm referring to the number of hours spent driving on the roads, and not the number of years you've had your licence.

The more experience gained, the better driver one will become regardless of gender.

WHAT keeps you going in this sport?

All: You need to have five things - passion, courage, time, money and opportunity.

Daphne: Like any sport, passion is a must. In my seven years of tracking, I have seen many girls come and go. Few have stayed on as long as I have.

DO YOU think female drivers are treated unfairly on the roads?

Dolin: Yes, we do! We always get the guys blaring their horns at us and tailgating us on expressways.

Rosalind: Seeing that we are girls, they try to start a race with us. They think we are no match for them.

DO YOU share this motoring interest with, er, a guy?

Dolin: Yes, my boyfriend, my father and my younger brother.

Rosalind: My previous boyfriend was a fervent trackie. We used to exchange tips on modifications. We also accompanied each other on track days.

Daphne: It's a family affair for me. My husband introduced me to the sport, and then my father and brother were also hooked.

DO YOU have anything to say to our female readers?

All: Prove to the men that we women can drive as well, if not better!