RENEE GRACIE Reflects on Bathurst Debut Abuse and Return to Racing Success

October 7, 2025

• Ten years ago, RENEE GRACIE and Switzerland’s SIMONA DE SILVESTRO made history as the first all-female Bathurst 1000 team, but what should have been a celebration turned into a nightmare. After driver Dave Reynolds called their car the ‘P***y Wagon’ (earning him a $25,000 fine), the real ugliness emerged: death threats, beer cans thrown, booing crowds, and fans who made it crystal clear they didn’t want women in their sport. The divide between how fans treated established star DE SILVESTRO versus newcomer GRACIE was telling – respect for one, hostility for the other.
• That weekend became GRACIE’s ‘start of the end’ in Supercars as she realized she wasn’t seen as a legitimate racer but as a marketing tactic making money for everyone except herself. The blatant sexism was relentless – people told her to her face that women shouldn’t be in motorsport, the opposite of the ‘easy ride’ assumptions. She walked away from V8s feeling used and unprotected, a harsh lesson that putting women on track without proper support systems is just exploitation with extra steps.
• But here’s the plot twist we love to see: GRACIE returned to racing in 2023 with GT World Challenge Australia, running her own team sponsored by OnlyFans – the platform that made her a millionaire after motorsport failed her. Now in her third year back, she’s doing it on her terms, grateful for every moment because this time she’s in control. It’s the ultimate comeback story: take the money, take the power, take the wheel back.

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