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Abbate's started in hobby kart racing. After getting her first car at the age of 16 in 2004, Abbate competed in local autocross events sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America. Her first national event came iat Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego in 2007, where she finished on the podium. In 2008, she moved to time attack competitions and occasionally competed in INEX legends car racing where she developed her road racing experience. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in communications and marketing. Also, in 2011, Abbate became a factory driver for Scion and finished runner-up in the 2011 National Auto Sport Association Time Trial standings, followed by winning the MotoIQ Pacific Tuner Car Championship the next year. Abbate started competing in the United States Touring Car Championship in 2014 for GRR Racing, a team formed by Abbate and her fiancé Anthony Philleo after she lost her original sponsor. She entered the 2015 SCCA Western Conference Majors Tour after receiving $13,000 in crowdfunding, where she won the championship and became the first female driver to be given the Lindley Bothwell Memorial Cal Club Driver of the Year

Award. In 2017, Abbate raced in the Bathurst 6 Hour. The following year, she finished on the GT-1 podium in the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Sonoma Raceway, the youngest woman to accomplish the feat. GRR Racing switched to the Trans-Am Series' TA2 class for the 2019 season. In 2020, she finished second in the Trans-Am West Coast Championship with four top-five finishes in five races. In May 2021, Abbate joined On Point Motorsports for her NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas; she had finished second at the track in the Trans-Am West Coast Championship in 2020. She qualified in 25th place and showed well and finished on the lead lap when the checkers fell. While running in more NASCAR races is definitely a goal, the driver of the

#30 Lucas Oil Grr Racing TA2 Chevy Camaro also says that the Trans-Am Series is a great place to compete, and is a format that tests the mettle of any driver. “The competition is very steep, so you can’t be intimidated. It’s raw. Like NASCAR, our cars have no ABS, no driver assists, and to drive a TA2 car, you have to be very aggressive and very competent.” In 2020, Abbate and Grr Racing secured Lucas Oil as the title sponsor for her cars. She is married to Anthony Philleo, and as well as being her husband, he serves as her crew chief as well. Off the track, both Abbate and her husband have regular day jobs. Abbate, who has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications & Marketing from UNLV, works what she calls her “nine to five” as a marketing professional in Las Vegas’ thriving gaming industry. Her husband, Anthony, is a service

technician for a nationwide door company. Both live and work full-time in Las Vegas. The driver says that both of them have careers with some flexibility that allows them to participate in the Trans-Am Series. Races occur every two to three weeks, primarily as long weekend excursions. In July 2023, while testing at Road America for a Trans Am event; Michele suffered brake failure during the 6th lap of the first test session of the weekend. He car made violent impact and then the car caught fire. Michele was transported in an ambulance from the track to the medic

center, then to the hospital with her husband. After severalX-rays, CT scans, and evaluations Abbate was released from the hospital diagnosed with a fractured ankle, several contusions, and sprains. Upon further review and four MRI scans, it was discovered that she had crushed her talus bone against her tibia and had surgery three days later. She was not able to return to complete the 2023 season. Plans for 2024 are unknown at this point. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2011. Some info from Wikipedia

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MICHELE YVETTE ABBATE - 03/09/1988 -