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Michele Abbate earned podium finish

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Michele Abbate races in AustraliaSCCA touring car racer Michele Abbate earned podium finish at Buttonwillow Raceway this past weekend for Rounds 5 and 6 of the Western Conference Division SCCA US Majors Tour.  The track configuration was a new one, as the series ran the 25 Clockwise configuration, offering high speed sweepers, no bus stop, and the star Mazda turn.  Michele had never run this configuration, but looked forward to giving it a shot.  With two weeks to plan for the event after returning from their trip down under to the Bathurst 6 Hour in Australia at Mount Panorama, things in the states hadn’t slowed down.

In fact, upon the return of the GRR Racing team, new partnerships arose with perfect timing.  While working closely with the Pedders Racing team, Abbate fell in love with the set up of their right hand drive Toyota 86.

 I am so very thankful and grateful to now be partnered directly with Pedders Racing and their US distrubuter, 3PConnect!”, Abbate shares. 

The GRR Racing Toyota 86 is now equipped with Pedders Suspension including the external reservoir set up.  The team had a very busy week leading up to the race.  Including an unexpected motor swap, followed by an unexpected transmission pull, after their full suspension changes — they had their hands full!

 Special thanks to Grant at Pedders Racing Australia for help with our baseline set up”, Crew Cheif Anthony Philleo notes. 

Shaking the car down in the first qualifier, Abbate and Philleo decided to try out the car without the rear wing.  Michele quickly discovered she preferred having the extra rear grip, especially through riverside.  The team qualified P2 in GT-1 but was facing engine issues.  

It’s unfortunate that we had to swap back to our old [hurt] motor; but we didn’t have any other option,” Anthony explains. 

Michele drove as smart as she could and she was able to bring the car to the checkered flag with a P2 finish, being the first Toyota 86 to ever podium in GT1 in the SCCA.   Although the circumstances were not ideal, the team worked hard and they felt rewarded for their efforts.

A great accomplishment we have been chasing all year”, Abbate shares.  

 For Sunday, GRR Racing prepped the car as best as they possibly could to prevent further issue with the motor. Although, late to grid and started at the rear of the pack; Abbate played it cool for the entire race.  

My goal was to see that checkered flag, so I did everything I could to keep the car happy”. 

Ultimately GRR Racing capture another P2 podium finish bumping them into the 2nd place position for the Western Conference division, trailing the leader by just 16 points.

“Our purpose of running GT1 this year with our 86 is to qualify for National Run Offs for the GT1 program that is being built”, Anthony confirms. 

The team has done just that and is excited to be making progress up the ladder of motorsports.  The next SCCA US Majors Tour event is set for the beautiful Pacific Northwest at Portland International Raceway on May 20-21st. Fans can tune into all of the action on the live stream at www.M1cheleAbbate.com/live

Michele Abbate races in Australia

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Michele Abbate races in Australia
After two seasons of global communication, Michele Abbate races in Australia for the 2017 Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour.    The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) champion will join fellow Toyota 86 racers and four-time Australian production car champions, Pedders Racing, to take on the mountain challenge.

With three attempts on the Mount Panorama Circuit completed, Pedders Racing is ready to make an impact at the growing the Bathurst 6 Hour.   The event’s 72 place grid is on the verge of being full for the first time in over 75 years of racing at the iconic circuit. The renowned endurance race has committed to bringing the true roots of Australian motor sport production racing, back to the fore of prominence.

For Abbate, it’s a dream come true to have the opportunity to race at one of the world’s greatest circuits. A dream so big, the young racer has cancelled her honeymoon to make the journey to Australia for the race.

Beginning in go-karts and autocross, Abbate made her racing debut with the Sports Car Club of America at the age of sixteen, notably achieving a podium finish behind two national champions in her debut outing. Expanding into road course racing and time attack, Abbate’s impressive performances and university education sealed the deal to become a factory driver for Scion Racing.

In her rookie year, Abbate became class Champion of the MotoIQ Pacific Tuner Car Championships in the National Auto Sport Association’s Southern California region, backing it up with a top four place in the overall standings in just her second season of the series.

Realizing opportunity as the renowned Scion FR-S (also known as the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ) hit the highs across the global automotive market, Abbate took the reins of team ownership with the new chassis and support from Scion Racing.  Her debut at the world famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in her first professional race with the United States Touring Car Championship series, Abbate took home another Rookie of the Year honor, while earning Scion its first manufacturer points in the history of the series.

Following two wins, ten podiums and a fourth of July 2015 championship victory in the SCCA USA Majors Tour Western Conference, Abbate of GRR Racing, went on to earn the Lindley Bothwell Driver of the Year Award, becoming the first female in the award’s 66-year history to take the honor. Abbate has since driven in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, as well as introduced a new Chevrolet SS 363 V8 GT-1 to the SCCA Majors Tour, while adding drift and motorcycles to her racing resume.  The events Michele Abbate races in Australia will now mark her international debut at none other than Mount Panorama, Bathurst.

Having gained sponsorship commitment, qualifying for the USA SCCA National Run-Offs led to a growing passion to take motor sport to the next level, so when the door was opened for a Bathurst co-drive with Australia’s Pedders Racing in a Toyota 86 chassis familiar to the Las Vegas native, it was a match made in motor sport heaven, and the American racer can’t wait to land ‘down under’.

“I couldn’t be more excited and thankful to take advantage of this amazing opportunity,” Abbate said.   “It has always been my dream to visit Australia and watch some of the best racing in the world, and, thanks to seasons of sharing information, a mutual commitment to the FRS (Toyota 86) chassis, and now with this open door from Pedders Racing, I don’t have to watch, I can actually get out there and race Bathurst!  We’ve been toying with the idea of joining forces for a while now, but our racing seasons and business commitments hadn’t fallen in line, so when the date was mentioned, my Crew Chief (fiancé) and I changed our plans because, let’s be honest, is there any where or any way better to do a honeymoon?!”

The Pedders Racing team has been competing at the national level for seven seasons, with victories, records and world-firsts achieved since debuting their Toyota 86 at the Mount Panorama (Bathurst) circuit in 2013. The volunteer managed team, supported by Pedders Suspension, who recently returned to the US automotive marketplace, introduced the world’s first 86 in a national production racing series with a fully FIA homologated chassis to allow for every opportunity.

Michele Abbate races in Australia
Photo Credit:  JOEL STRICKLAND

Securing four further world-firsts in their debut season, Pedders Racing’s #86 entry became a record holder with the first ever national circuit racing pole position, race win, round/event win, and topped off an outstanding 2013 season with the first ever national circuit racing Class Championship for the famed 86 chassis.

In a unique education-first partnership, and with Australia’s most promising motor sport professionals, the students of Motorsports Training Australia, at the helm of preparations, strategy and crew operation, Abbate’s signing to the seasoned production racing Pedders outfit could just prove to be the ticket to tame the mountain.

With high hopes shared across the Pacific, the #86 champion Toyota has undergone a complete mechanical and electrical review during the Australian Production Cars Series off season to give the greatest of opportunities when Easter rolls around.

Having first raced Bathurst alongside Australian movie and TV star Shane Jacobson (Kenny, 2006 film release), Pedders Racing driver and Team Principal, Grant Phillips, echoed the excitement of his latest star co-driver.

“We’ve had lots of exciting things happen to the team since we joined the national scene seven years ago, but to be able to secure the opportunity for an international driver to be with us at Bathurst is pretty up there,” says Jacobson.  “Michele (Abbate) has developed a strong pedigree of racing across every opportunity that she creates, and we’re very keen to get her to Australia and get her settled into the seat of our 86.  There’s no doubt that Michele’s knowledge of track racing, her understanding of the 86 chassis, and her entertaining approach will gel really well with our team, and it won’t just be a ‘bucket list’ experience for her as a driver, but also an outstanding experience for our MTA (Motorsports Training Australia) crew who take every moment as a unique opportunity to learn.”

The Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour will venture to the famed tarmac of Mount Panorama April 14 – 16, with free live coverage of the endurance race feature to be available online to a global audience via the event’s website at bathurst6hour.com.au.

Willow Springs challenging for Michele Abbate

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Willow Springs Challenging for Michele AbbateRounds 3 & 4 of the SCCA US National Tour made Willow Springs challenging for Michele Abbate.    After a successful opening weekend a few weeks ago, Michele and her GRR Racing team were ready to take on Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, CA.  This would mark the first time the team would be racing their Scion FRS at the venue, with no practices on the schedule to prepare for qualifying and racing.

Saturday’s Qualifying and Race

Saturday morning would begin well for Michele, as she was able to qualify with a 1:32.9 lap time, earning her the P3 position out of 9 cars.     Confident after a strong qualifying effort, the team felt prepared for the race, with crew chief Anthony Philleo stating, “We just need to stay consistent and hit our marks and we will be running up front”.   

Michele Abbate SundayAs the green flag dropped for the race, Abbate pushed forward in an excellent start, passing two cars in other classes on the lead lap.  As she approached to battle for 2nd place, the handling of GRR Racing FRS started to fall off exponentially.

The car became progressively worse, but I continued to push with hopes of making to the checkered flag”, Abbate confessed.

She eased up and dropped back to 4th place to stay conservative.   But with just two laps to go, the front left tire expired as she entered turn 8, and forced Abbate to retire early.

Afterwards, the GRR Racing team assessed the damage, replacing the flat tire and looking over the car to find the source of the flat and ill-handling during the race.   The culprit?  A broken rear endlink – causing the car to lose its desired setup and making it very difficult for Michele to control around the track.   The team worked through the night to repair the damage, and reset the car for Sunday’s activities.

Sunday’s Qualifying and Race

On Sunday, Michele returned to the track with her freshly setup GRR Racing FRS for qualifying.  Her lap times earned her the P3 spot again for the Sunday afternoon race.   Much like her Saturday start, when field took off to the wave of the green, Abbate rocketed forward passing 3 other classed cars on the inside before entering turn one.    Another promising start, and the team was optimistic that this would be the turnaround for the weekend.  Unfortunately, about a third of the way into the race, the handling start to fall off once again on the GRR Racing FRS.  Understeering terribly through the right handers, Abbate struggled to maintain consistent, fast lap times.  Taking precautions she nursed the car to a 4th place finish once the checkered was thrown.

Willow Springs challenging for Michele Abbate

Team GRR RacingThough the weekend was challenging for Michele Abbate and the GRR Racing team, they are taking the lessons learned and are applying them to  prepare the car for Rounds 5 and 6 at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA on April 8th-10th.    The team has 6 weeks to analyze and make changes before, and will be ready for the next round in the SCCA Nationals Tour.

 

 

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Rachel Kullman: Shifting gears in SCCA Racing

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Driver Feature: Rachel KullmanMost high school graduates are just venturing out to explore the possibilities of what the future can hold for them, but eighteen year-old Rachel Kullman has just shifted gears to a high-speed life on the fast- track of SCCA racing.

Rachel Kullman – the early years

Rachel Kullman, Karting as a childGrowing up, Rachel Kullman was no stranger to a track surface.   Her father, Paul Kullman, owner of No Mo’ Money Race Engineering, began a career in sports car racing over 15 years ago.   Rachel, her mom and sister would all accompany him to his racing events, cheering him on from the sidelines.    When Rachel turned 11, her father treated her to a trip to DeSoto Speedway, a go-karting track in Bradenton, FL – an hour south of their Seminole, Florida home.   Rachel was immediately hooked, and the family brought home her first kart that very same day.

Rachel was an active young lady, participating in soccer, karate, and dance throughout her elementary and middle school years.   She balanced 7 years of karate, 4 years of soccer, 3 years of karting, and a year of dance with a busy academic workload.    In high school, Rachel was dual-enrolled in both her regular curriculum and college coursework, getting a jump start on her college education.   She now is enrolled at St. Petersburg Community College and plans to transfer to the University of Florida to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian.   She also works at Vernon Photography during her time away from classes.

But despite her busy schedule, one thing has never left Rachel – a deep love for racing that fuels her passion to follow in her father’s footsteps.   She competed in karts from 2009-2011, and says of the experience; “From there on, I was hooked on this addicting sport and have loved it ever since.”

Moving up: Rachel Kullman in SCCA

Rachel Kullman hard at work in the shopWhile racing in karts sparked her love for the sport, it was the time she spent in the team’s No Mo Money Racing shop that she began to learn more about the world of SCCA racing.   Spending time at her father’s side, she was gaining valuable experience and knowledge about what it takes to compete in sports car racing.   This hands-on experience would help her when it was time to get behind the wheel herself.

When we are at the track, my job is to grab whatever tool,equipment, etc. that he may need and run any errands that he may need to do like get fuel or go to the store to get more water or parts for the car. If we are doing an enduro race my duty is to be the fire bottle girl on pit stops. I also hand him any tools he needs on pit lane and help out with anything that I can. When we are not at the track, I try to come whenever I can to the shop and help him work on the cars.”

Rachel Kullman at DaytonaAt 16 years-old, when many are just getting their driver’s license to drive for the first time, Rachel was attending her first SCCA driver schools: at Daytona International Speedway and Sebring International Speedway.    These schools assign a teacher through SCCA to monitor students’ driving line and observe safety of new drivers. They test knowledge and reaction to flags (yellow, red, mechanical or “meatball”, black) and judge students’ understanding and response.   Graduates of the school earn certificates, giving them the green light to compete in regional races.   Once students complete two regional race weekends successfully, they are granted an official SCCA license.      Rachel attended the schools in May and June 2014.    She learned to improve her lines and cornering,and entered her first SCCA Majors race at Homestead Miami Speedway in January 2015 in her very own 1990 Mazda Miata prepped for the track.   She moved on that month to the second race at Sebring, and the third event in February at NOLA Speedway in New Orleans.

On the podium, Rachel KullmanIn May 2015, she returned to the Daytona driver’s school to test a new transmission in her STU prepped Miata.   All of the experience she had been gaining and her testing earned her a second place finish in a 90-minute enduro race at Daytona International Speedway that month, her first-ever enduro attempt.  She would move on to compete at the 2015 SCCA Runoffs at Daytona International Speedway in September 2015, finishing 14th overall.  Rachel would finish out the 2015 season with a third place finish in the SCCA regional race, second place in the SCCA Regional Championship October race, and landing in the No. 3 position overall for the championship points trophy in the SCCA Regional Series.

Shifting gears – Rachel Kullman overcomes

On track with Rachel KullmanIn just her short year and a half in sports car racing, Rachel Kullman has exceeded all expectations, growing as a promising young driver in the STU ranks.   She has been surprised at the attention and support she has received from her peers.

Being a girl doing a “guy sport”, people are actually very interested in what I do. I race with SCCA, and the people there are just absolutely amazing. They are always cheering for me and helping us with anything we may need, were just one big giant family.”

One memorable experience for Rachel came while at the Daytona school testing her new transmission.

I had only been racing for a year at this point and at the very end of the school there is a “mini race”. Being that this was a school there was a small number of experienced drivers like myself there. I believe there was four of us, and at the start of the race, us four pulled the rest of the pack by at least three seconds or so. There was one faster car, then there was me and this other Miata. Since we both have the same car the battle between us was pretty great. I was leading for most of it then I messed up in a corner and he passed me, but on the very last lap in the first horseshoe at Daytona International Speedway, I late braked him and passed him on the inside in front of all the instructors, workers and fans. When I came off the track I had a parade of people coming up to my car and clapping for me and telling me how awesome of a move that was. I had instructors come up to me that had seen me just a year before at my first driver school and tell me how impressed they were with how much my driving had improved. It definitely is a day I will never forget.”

Even with great support and encouragement, the learning curve of racing isn’t without its difficulties.    Rachel said an early mistake on track hurt her confidence and created a roadblock she works hard to overcome.

One of the biggest roadblocks that I have had to overcome and still am over coming is to trust my car will do what it is supposed to do. When I first began racing, I was learning how to take the corners and when to enter and exit them. Due to entering the corner wrong I spun out on exit and someone who didn’t see me hit me. Ever since then I’ve had doubts in the car, thinking that it won’t stick even though it will.”

Leading her best friend and mentor on the trackRachel works to overcome this fear by studying her corners using iRacing, an online simulator software, where she is able to familiarize herself with the tracks and practice before she straps into the car to go out and race them.    She also leans on her best friend, another more experienced racer, who helps her to analyze the corners, correcting them when they are wrong and offering solid advice that Rachel relates well to.    With his assistance, Rachel has seen much improvement on the track, a fantastic boost to her confidence.

Miata’s are known for how they handle in corners, they don’t have very much speed but they handle corners so well that I have passed BMW’s and Mustangs going through corners. I am slowly but surely over coming this fear, and one day soon I will drive the car to its full potential and have 100% faith that it will hold out.”

RachelKullman-driverWith such a strong support system behind her, Rachel hasn’t ever felt any different being one of the few women racing.    In fact, the only time her gender has ever been addressed was from one astonished man at the SCCA races.

While I was away helping the crew pack somethings into the trailer, a guy who knew me thru SCCA walked up to some of our crew mates and asked them, “does she really drive that good or is it just her car”. Our crew members replied that it really is my driving and not the car, and just walked away from the situation. When I found out about it, at first I took it as an insult because I knew he was just saying that because I’m a girl, but then I re-thought about what the guy said and realized that it actually was a compliment! Him asking that question, basically stated that he thought I was a good driver, and that’s all that matters to me.”

Rachel Kullman’s Plans for the Future

New car for Rachel KullmanRachel and her team are currently preparing a new racecar for the 2016 season, a 1999 Mazda Miata that will allow Kullman to be more competitive in the STU class.    While she continues her studies and works towards her goal of becoming a veterinarian, she remains very dedicated to her racing program.    Rachel plans to race in the Southeastern conference of the SCCA Majors this season, with aim at the SCCA Runoffs at Indianapolis Speedway.  She is confident her team has what it takes, but needs sponsor support to make it happen.   When not racing herself, she often works the corners at races, staying involved with the sport by waving the flags and making calls on the radio, something she takes great joy in doing.

To other young ladies entering the sport, she offers this advice:

Somethings that I have learned are to never give up on yourself. I personally had a hard time at first learning stick shift, but I practiced every day and now it’s like second nature to me. There is going to be lots of bumps in the road when it comes to racing and achieving your dreams, but don’t ever give up and don’t let anyone tell you that you won’t be able to do it.”

One thing is certain: she’s just taken off in what promises to be an exciting journey in sports car racing.   We can’t wait to see where Rachel Kullman will take her SCCA career to next.  

Best of luck this season, Rachel Kullman!

 

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Memorable weekend for Michele Abbate

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A memorable weekend for SCCA racer Michele Abbate, who claimed two podium finishes in STU, recognized as the Runner-Up for the 2015 STU Points Championship, and awarded the prestigious 2015 Lindley Bothwell Cal Club Driver of the Year Award during the annual awards banquet with her peers.

SCCA US Majors Western Conference Season Opener

Michele Abbate takes first STU win of 2016Michele Abbate would begin her 2016 SCCA US Majors Tour season at Auto Club Speedway for the the Cal Club hosted western conference event.    The opener would mark the debut of her new Edelbrock E-Force Supercharged GRR Racing FRS.    After qualifying second on Saturday morning in the STU field with the lap time of a 1:52.394, Abbate would be running a full grid with the SCCA GT cars and American Sedans when the green flag dropped for the race.  The 25-minute race provided great excitement as Michele maintained her consistency in lap times and crossed the finish line with her first victory of 2016 in the STU class.

Watch the SCCA winner’s interview with Abbate: http://www.scca.com/videos/2025748

SoPac/Cal Club Annual Awards Banquet

Michele Abbate racked up awards at the annual Cal Club award ceremony After taking her first win of 2016, Michele and her GRR Racing team attended the annual awards banquet for the SoPac/Cal Club.   The evening banquet featured drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and great company.  During the awards ceremony, Abbate was recognized for her 2nd Place Overall STU Championship Trophy for the 2015 season.

The So Pac/Cal Club racing division offers a great place for us to race in additional to our other events of the year,” said Michele.  “I would recommend the series to all club racer’s out there, it is always a great time!”.

Michele Abbate wins 2015 Lindley Bothwell Cal Club Driver of the Year AwardThe final, and most prestigious award of the night came at the end of the banquet ceremony, where the 2015 Lindley Bothwell Cal Club Driver of the Year Award is announced.  The honor is presented to the driver who shows outstanding sportsmanship, exemplary improvement, supports the Club, and shows potential as a Professional Driver with the highest of standings.  Selected by a committee of Cal Club members from criteria of present achievement plus future promise, the selection decision is always a tough one to narrow down to one honoree.   After a fantastic introduction of Michele’s history with racing, Michele Abbate was announced as the 2015 recipient of the Lindley Bothwell Cal Club Driver of the Year Award!    This honor marks the first time a female has earned the distinction in the 66-year Cal Club history.

It was such an absolutely pleasant surprise”, said Abbate, “What a prestigious award to be presented with!  I am so grateful for the opportunities I have earned and this is truly an honor to accept”. 

Rain-soaked podium on Sunday

Sunday rain-soaked Auto Club race puts Michele Abbate 2nd place on the podium
Photo: Ever Larsson

After an evening filled with celebration, Sunday’s weather rained on the parade for Michele Abbate and her GRR Racing team.     Rain downpoured on the Auto Club Speedway all morning, and did not let up when the field took the green.   Visibility issues plagued Abbate from the start of the race, something they tried to prepare for in anticipation before the start.    Crew members Anthony and Jason mounted a spare Mishimoto fan to the dash in attempt to prevent Michele’s windshield from fogging up.   They even placed a stick in the car with a rag fastened to the end of it to allow Abbate to manually clear the condensation as a last resort.

 I’ve never seen so much rain pouring down at Auto Club Speedway.  We knew it might come, so we were fully equipped with our Hoosier H2O tires, mounted and ready to go”, Crew Chief Anthony Philleo stated.

Unfortunately, their attempts were unsuccessful at managing the visibility issues, and Michele contended with fog as best she could during the race.   Despite the challenges, she held a strong lead ahead of the third place position, and when she heard something amiss on the exhaust system of her GRR Racing FRS, she dialed back her pace to ensure a clean finish.   Michele maintained her position to the finish, earning another spot on the podium with a second place finish in the STU field.

The team will focus on their next race February 20-21 at Willow Springs Raceway for the 3rd and 4th Rounds of the SCCA US Majors Tour Western Conference Division.