The Prancing Ponies, Monterey Car Week’s first all-woman show, aims to inspire girls to dream big.

San Francisco native Chanterria McGilbra, founder and fearless leader of Prancing Ponies, self-identifies as “a bit of a speedster.” She purchased her first classic car two years ago, about the same time she discovered her passion for racing. At the time, she was positive that she’d love the curvaceous Ferrari Fighter.

Surprisingly, it didn’t feel right at all. She got creeped out by other drivers taking pictures and video of her on the highway.

“I didn’t like all the attention,” McGilbra reflects. Almost immediately, she resolved to return it.

But on her way back to the dealership, McGilbra noticed that her Ferrari was drawing steady gazes from a group of adolescent girls at a bus stop. “They all went silent,” she recalls. “[Then] one girl said, ‘Miss, I like your car.’”

“We locked eyes,” she says. “And I said to her, ‘I expect you to get one too.’”

In that instant, McGilbra knew she couldn’t sell her car. Not if she could use it to inspire other young women, especially young women of color, to do what she did: pursue a passion while taking charge in male-dominated worlds, such as that of the collectible car and racing industries.

With this in mind, she created the Prancing Ponies Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing young women with the skills they need to be self-confident leaders.

And from there, she says, establishing an all-woman car show was the ideal second step.

“Bringing together powerful women and powerful cars made total sense to me,” she says. “[It’s] creating a venue where young girls can come and be empowered by that, especially if they’re interested in the car industry.”

As this issue went to press (Wednesday, Aug. 16), the Prancing Pony members trotted into Carmel with a lineup of 40 classic cars, muscle cars, super cars and hyper cars (ultra-light, hybrid electric/hydrogen vehicles). They came organized by class, and one car received best in show.

McGilbra introduced another unique prize: best presentation. “We’re asking the women to come either dressed matching the color of their car or the car’s time period,” she says. “The best in each category will win.”

Excitement was palpable among the exhibitors, who – for the first time – had a space where they don’t have to feel overshadowed by the male presence. Sarah Herzog, who hails from a family of car lovers, exhibited a 2014 9/11 50th edition Porsche alongside her sister.

“It’s our turn to do something that’s directly related to the cars,” Herzog says.

Darcy Elman showed off her 2013 Ferrari California. “How would I not be interested?” she says. “It’s a great statement, to have women take power through a powerful car.”

McGilbra says that all Car Week proceeds will go toward funding the Prancing Ponies Leadership Abroad Academy. Each year, she selects a handful of high school graduates and sends them overseas – last year to Paris, this year to Italy – where they’ll strengthen leadership skills such as communication, budgeting and time management.

They’ll also get the chance to complete a six-week internship based on their own career interests.

“Our motto is ‘creating women leaders, one girl at a time,’” McGilbra says. “And we believe that you can’t lead others until you lead yourself first.”