She fell back to eighth, doing her best to hold on, but just past halfway in the 100-mile race, the Camaro’s right-rear tire exploded around 110mph, sending Abbate into a grassy field at Turn 8. Unable to get the car moving, she needed a tow back to the hot pits.
“Michele came on the radio saying she needed a right rear, so I ran to the trailer and had one in the pit box before she got back,” crew chief Philleo explained.
Though many laps behind, Abbate and her team made it to checkered flag in their first Trans Am race.