Shift Up Now Athlete Michele Abbate earned a 14th-place finish in the Trans Am National Tour Series race on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at the Charlotte Roval in Concord, North Carolina.
Abbate, piloting the No. 30 Ghost Energy TA2 Ford Mustang for BC Race Cars, was new to the circuit and drove her first laps there during Thursday’s test. Two practice sessions that day allowed the Las Vegas native to learn the track and make improvements. After the first official practice, she was 19th fastest of the 30-car field.
After qualifying, Abbate would start 19th for Saturday’s feature race, the second event on the Trans Am National Tours Championship schedule. Starting on the inside row, Abbate knew there was little margin for error or risk, and set her sights on keeping the car intact while advancing when possible.
Abbate found herself in several action-packed battles during the 45-lap race and avoided attrition. She was advancing through the field when an excellent save from a massive drift helped her to avoid the two-car pileup just in front of her at the start/finish line. After that, she held on to the P14 spot until the checkered flag fell.
“I am so proud of our finish today and it’s definitely a great feeling to bring the No. 30 Ghost Energy Mustang home without any damage in the top 15,” said Abbate. “We have a very quick turnaround next week as we head to Road Atlanta and I’m so thankful for all the hard work from the BC Race Cars team.
“I am looking forward to keeping up the progress as we head to Road Atlanta this week.”
Fans can watch the highlight show on CBS Sports Network on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. ET, immediately following the Trans Am live stream from Road Atlanta.