,
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| Subiefest 2008 was the first time Michele was giving the opportunity to drive for Crawford Performance. This was at Willow Springs International Raceway. |
How old were you when you started racing?
I did go karts at a hobby level when I was younger, but wheel to wheel racing didn’t start 'til I was 21.
Do/did you get flack from the guys you race against? Or have the guys always accepted you as a female in your series?
I would say that it is a mixture of both. But I guess you could say most opinions and attitudes are based on finishing position. Haha.
Is there other racers in your series (you don't have to name, names) that you love beating?
Absolutely. Especially when you beat everyone 😉
Who does the work on your car?
The Scion tC is maintained by Crawford Performance and my personal car is set up by Eladio Rodriguez of H1 Performance.
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| Recently Michele gave circle track a shot for the first time in a Thunder Roadster. |
Random Questions
What was your first car?
Hahaha, a 1994 Ford Explorer… a.k.a. “The Exploder”. It was red, had no A/C, and wasn't even the V8!
What is your dream car? Scion FR-S.
What is your Daily? 2003 Mazdaspeed Protégé.
What would be your last meal? A little bit of everything at a buffet.
What type of music gets you pumped up to race? Ska.
What is the most gnarly thing you've ever done, in or out of a car?
Open heart surgery when I was 3.
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| Another shot of Abbate and her father in the Thunder Roadster at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. |
What do you do for your 9-5?
Management in retail, though seeking new employment… ANYONE!? :]
What type of hobbies do you have outside of racing?
Motorsports and racing occupy most of my free time, including going to the lake with my Seadoo and even riding motorcycles. Other sports I enjoy are snowboarding, wakeboarding, paintballing, basketball, and volleyball.
I know you love dogs, what type of pets do you have currently?
I have my 2 year old Black Labrador, Hana. She is the love of my life!
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A Shamu trainer at Sea World. I know, pretty sweet right?
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| Michele's also shown an interest in riding two wheels. This shot was at the track when she got to do a few slow laps for fun with Track Tactics at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. |
Do you follow other racing series? If so, which ones?
I watch all kinds of racing in small doses, including: V8 Super cars, DTM, WRC, Izod, Grand Am/Continental, AMA, NASCAR, FD, etc. Don’t usually ever have the time to watch the whole race though.
