Long Island car community is seeing a rise in female enthusiasts

Very much like baseball fans, classic car enthusiasts cannot wait for spring to arrive. Their vehicles are typically stored in garages all winter waiting to come out. While this has been a male-dominated hobby for many years, female car owners and enthusiasts are on the rise.

"Being in the car world as a woman is not always an easy situation. Sometimes they don’t take you seriously all the time and it can be a little overwhelming," says Virginia Scudder, 50, of Aquebogue. "But once you are part of the community, they are willing to accept everybody."

Scudder owns a 1955 Pontiac Chieftain and is the founder of the Rescue Vixens, a car booster club that dresses up in retro clothing while fundraising for the North Fork Country Kids Animal Rescue. The Vixens annually run their own two-day car show, "Deuces Wild" at The Maples in Manorville, July 26-27. Cars, trucks and bikes are all welcome with a special focus on female participation.

"We have tried to break the glass ceiling on Long Island because there are a lot of women who own cars here," Scudder says. "We not only fundraise, but we are an empowerment group to give women a voice at car shows."

Here are Long Islanders who put some female power behind the wheel.

Christine Bozzi: 1977 Chevrolet Corvette L48

Christine Bozzi, of Mineola, is a devout Corvette fan. She is on her fourth one — a 1977 Corvette L48, black body with black interior.

"To me, the joy of having the car is listening to that motor run and rev," says Bozzi, 64. "I don’t even put the radio on. I want to hear the shifting of the gears."

She nicknamed the car Hollywood, branding it with a vanity plate.

"It rides like a dream. Whenever I drive that car, I’m in my happy place," Bozzi says. "Once you sit in it and drive, you never want to get out."

Cathy Somma: 1963 Chevrolet Nova

Cathy Somma, of Centereach, is very specific about which type of classic cars she likes. Seven years ago, she and her husband Armand purchased a 1963 Chevrolet Nova.

"My husband and I have always been Nova people," says Somma, 65. "We love the body style. It has a very boxy look, giving it a lot of room inside."

In the summertime, the Sommas go to a car show every weekend. In fact, their Chevy Nova has won multiple awards at the Long Island Car Show at Flowerfield Fairgrounds in St. James.

"Despite being over 60 years old, the car runs smooth, but it has a nice growl to the engine," Somma says. "There’s no power steering so it can be a little difficult to steer but it’s a lot of fun."

Cherie Rexroad: 2000 BMW Z3

A Dodge Charger was the first car Cherie Rexroad, of Cutchogue, ever fell in love with, as it was her grandfather’s vehicle.

"The Charger was such a great car to ride in," says Rexroad, 64. "When my grandfather died, my dad brought the car to New Hampshire, where I got to drive it."

Today with her partner, Lee, she rides in a 2000 BMW Z3 two-seater gray convertible with a black top and gray interior.

"It’s got a lot of miles on it, but it’s in prime condition," she says. "We mainly drive it in the summer."

More than anything she enjoys the camaraderie at car shows.

"Car people are very welcoming," Rexroad says. "They are happy to talk about their cars, answer questions and share memories."

June Bartlett: 1987 Chevrolet Corvette C4

June Bartlett, of Riverhead, has been a Corvette owner for over 30 years. She began in 1990 with a 1982 Corvette Collector’s Edition C3. By 2006, she moved on to a 1981 Corvette t-top C3. Today she drives a 1987 Corvette C4 with a removable targa top.

“I just love the Corvette body style and have since my early 20s. Plus, I like the power of the car,” says Bartlett, 65. “I wanted to try a C4. It has a different body and interior. They are faster than the C3s.”

Bartlett is a proud member of four car clubs: Long Island Corvette Owners Association (LICOA), Corvette Society, National Afro-American Corvette Club (NAACC) and Queens Classic Car Club, for which she serves as vice president.

“Driving a Corvette is not like a Cadillac ride. You don’t buy those cars for comfort,” says Bartlett. “They ride rough like trucks and sit low to the ground. As you get older it seems even lower. But, you learn how to gracefully get in and out as best you can.”

Christine M. Speroni: 1968 Ford F100

When it comes to classic cars, Christine M. Speroni, of Stony Brook, prefers a long bed truck. A year ago, she purchased a 1968 Ford F100.

"I wanted something I felt comfortable driving," says Speroni, 52. "I came across this at an auction. The previous owner did a lot of modifications. It’s fuel injection and a Holley Sniper tuning system as well as bucket seats with shoulder straps and LED exterior lights."

Despite it being a classic car, she’s not too ginger with the truck.

"The fun part of the truck is we can do things with it like participate in a local parade," says Speroni. "In the back, we put blowups and lights plus Pennywise the clown with pumpkins for Halloween. People get excited when they see that kind of stuff."

Jackie Kreamer: 2023 Chevrolet Camaro

Whenever Jackie Kreamer, of East Patchogue, comes to a car show, people call her Camaro Girl because she is the proud owner of a black 2023 Chevrolet Camaro.

"Life is short. It’s time to enjoy it so I bought a Camaro," says Kreamer, 44. "When you step on the gas, it seems like the car floats."

She customized the entire vehicle top to bottom and ended up winning "Best Whimsical Vehicle" at the Rescue Vixens' 2nd Annual Deuces Wild Car Truck and Bike Show last year.

"I put in some side skirts, a front splitter, metallic in both the spoiler and the wheels," Kreamer says. "I also added a moonroof, ambient lighting inside, Recaro seats and Camaro plates on the side that light up."

Krystina Reilly: 1990 Nissan 300ZX

Growing up Krystina Reilly, of Selden, always had a passion for cars. Her interest led to getting an associate degree in automotive technology at Suffolk Community College and a career as a mechanic.

"Back in the day it wasn’t common for women to do this job, it was almost taboo," says Reilly, 22. "As time goes on, you see more ladies stepping into this passion."

Reilly’s pet project was purchasing a 1990 Nissan 300ZX, which is a right-side driver imported from Japan.

"It’s not too hard to get used to, but you get a lot of looks on the road," says Reilly, who dubbed the bright orange car Creamzicle. "Sometimes people yell at me, saying, ‘You are on the wrong side!’ I say, ‘No, I’m on the right side.’ "

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.