Born into a family of car enthusiasts, 20-year-old Kirsty Last was always going to end up behind the wheel.

Little did she know her love of fast cars would take her to the international stage, after becoming the first woman in the world to win a prestigious scholarship in motor racing.

Kirsty, a member of Smithfield Road parish, is off to the United Arab Emirates this month as pit crew for the Australian team competing in the A1 Grand Prix of Nations, the world cup of motor sport.

The mechanical engineering student beat 11 other young women to win the $5500 scholarship awarded by the NSW Premier's Department Office for Women, Emirates Airlines and the Australian A1 Team.

She is a member of Wollongong University's Australasian Championship Formula SAE team and drives a Formula Vee.

She attended the Sydney leg of the race at Eastern Creek and is travelling to Dubai with the Australian team this week.

The other nations competing have agreed to follow the NSW Government's lead and award the scholarship to a young woman in each country.

As Kirsty puts it, it's all "a pretty big thing for someone who's never left the Eastern States'.

"It's pretty exciting to be the first girl in the world," she says.

"It's the chance of a lifetime."

Kirsty, converted during a youth camp in 1997, is seeking to live as a Christian in an industry where there are few believers.

Gary Coleman, motor-racing chaplaincy coordinator with Sports and Leisure Ministries, says the scholarship is a great opportunity.

"I'd encourage Kirsty to live and serve as a Christian while she's working there," he says.

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