Michele Abbate

Sports Car racing // American

If you no longer go for the gap, you are no longer a racing driver

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Michele's Sponsors

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nickname:

Birthday:

March 9, 1988 (37)

Birthplace:

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

racing type:

Sports Car racing

team(s):

racing status:

Pro

height (cm):

163

residence:

Las Vegas, Nevada

inspiration(s):

SGT Michael Abbate

guilty pLEASURES:

FOLLOWING:

GRRL! Number:

GRRL-0101

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profile updated: June 12, 2025

Michele Abbate is an American racing driver who has made significant strides in motorsports, competing in multiple disciplines from grassroots racing to NASCAR and the Trans-Am Series.

EARLY YEARS

Born on March 9, 1988, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Michele grew up in a competitive family environment. Her racing journey began by watching her older brother Michael compete, which sparked her interest in motorsports. After participating in basketball during high school, she began driving karts at a hobby level before obtaining her driver’s license at 15½, and entered her first Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) regional autocross event in December 2004[5].

EARLY SUCCESS

Abbate’s formal racing career took off in 2007 when she finished on the podium in her first national event at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. By 2011, she had become a factory driver for Scion and finished runner-up in the National Auto Sport Association Time Trial standings. Her breakthrough came in 2012 when she won the MotoIQ Pacific Tuner Car Championship, followed by founding GRR Racing with her fiancé Anthony Philleo in 2014, which received $13,000 in crowdfunding to compete in the 2015 SCCA Western Conference Majors Tour[1].

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

2007: Finished on the podium in her first national autocross event at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego[1].
2011: Became a factory driver for Scion and finished runner-up in the National Auto Sport Association Time Trial standings[1].
2012: Won the MotoIQ Pacific Tuner Car Championship[1].
2015: Won the SCCA Western Conference Majors Tour and became the first female driver to receive the Lindley Bothwell Memorial Cal Club Driver of the Year Award[1].
2018: Finished on the GT-1 podium in the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Sonoma Raceway, becoming the youngest woman to accomplish this feat[1][3].
2020: Finished second in the Trans-Am West Coast Championship with four top-five finishes in five races[1].
2021: Made her NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas with On Point Motorsports[1][3].
2024: Achieved a best finish of 5th at Watkins Glen in the Cube 3 Architecture TA2 ProAm Series presented by Pirelli[3].

REPUTATION

Michele has established herself as a versatile and determined competitor in the motorsports community. As the only female racer in the Trans-Am Series TA2 category, she has pioneered new ground for women in the sport while demonstrating exceptional adaptability across different racing formats. Despite facing a significant setback in 2023 with a major brake failure at Road America that resulted in multiple injuries including a fractured ankle, her resilience in recovery and return to racing has further cemented her reputation as a passionate and committed racer[1][2][4].

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Abbate aims to secure additional funding to compete in a full Trans-Am Series season in the coming years. Her long-term aspiration is to continue advancing her career in the Trans-Am Series, building upon her recent success with Nitro Motorsports[2].