Mishael
Featured in Rebroadcast of SPEED Channel’s
Coverage of SCCA National Championship Runoffs
The Formula
Mazda SCCA National Championship race will be rebroadcast on SPEED
Channel on Wednesday, December 1, 2004 at 4:00 a.m. Eastern.
Mishael (and father, Paul) were featured in a short vignette midway
through the coverage.
Mishael Featured in AutoWeek and SPEED Channel’s
Coverage of SCCA National Championship Runoffs
Coral Springs, FL
(November 7, 2004) – Formula Mazda driver, Mishael Abbott of Coral
Springs, FL, competed in her first
Sports Car Club
of America National Championship Runoffs® at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car
Course, in Lexington, OH, the week of September 20-24. SPEED Channel is
showing the first airing of the Formula Mazda National Championship race
on November 27, 3:00 p.m. Eastern. SPEED Channel’s coverage of the race
will feature a vignette on Mishael shot at the Team 36 Racing/K-Fast
paddock.
Bill McGuire
of AutoWeek magazine interviewed and spent some time with Mishael before the
race and featured her in his annual coverage of the National Championship
Runoffs posted to the website on October 4, 2004. The article can be read
online at
www.autoweek.com or by using this direct link,
http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=100970.
Mishael
finished three days of qualifying for the SCCA National Championship
Runoffs®, starting eleventh on the grid of twenty-four Formula Mazda's all
vying to be this year's National Champion. At the drop of the green flag
the field shuffled out as the cars came in line for the opening corners on
the 2.28-mile, 13-turn road track. Teammate Rob Nicholas moved into first
and Mishael settled in the twelfth position. Mishael held the position
firmly until the end of lap seven when brake failure caused her to spin,
leaving her at the back of the pack.
Without
giving up and racing to the end, Mishael continued, essentially without
brakes, and even managed to pass a few competitors. On the last corner
of the final lap, Mishael was fighting for one more position, trying a
difficult pass through the carousel, before finishing seventeenth in her
first National Championship.

Click here for photos
“I really
enjoyed my first Runoffs, even with the disappointment of my brake failure,”
Mishael remarked after the race. “The competition and intensity here this
week was so exhilarating that I can’t wait for next year. Thanks to K-Fast
Racing’s Kevin Firlein for providing me with another top car this week.”
Next on
Mishael’s racing schedule is the annual “Turkey Trot”, an SCCA Regional race
at the Sebring International Raceway long track, November 27-28.
Mishael
Abbott To Appear on SHORT TRACK USA Live Radio, October 6
Coral Springs, FL (October
5, 2004) – Mishael
Abbott of Coral Springs, FL, will appear live on
SHORT TRACK USA on Wednesday, October 6, 2004. SHORT TRACK USA is
a weekly racing radio show on WDCF AM Dade City/Tampa, FL, hosted by
Tony Modica, every Wednesday evening from
7PM - 9PM Eastern.
Mishael will be a special show guest with
planned live discussion Wednesday, October 6 at 8:40 p.m. Eastern.
ShortTrackUSA.Net broadcasts from WDCF 1350 AM. Listen live on the
World Wide Web at
www.KGRN.info
via Live365.com. Log in early to ensure your connection and not miss
out on the interview with Mishael.
Mishael
Qualified Eleventh for SCCA National Championship
Runoffs
Lexington, OH (September
23, 2004) – Formula Mazda driver, Mishael
Abbott of Coral Springs, FL, finished three days of
qualifying for the SCCA National Championship
Runoffs® at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio
and will start eleventh on the grid of twenty-four Formula Mazda's all
vying to be this year's National Champion.

Mishael
Abbott Finishes Fourth in Tune-up for National Runoffs
Lexington, OH (September 11, 2004) – Formula Mazda driver, Mishael
Abbott of Coral Springs, FL, finished the Star Mazda EAST Championship
Season at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Using the
eighth and final round of the Star Mazda EAST Championship Season as a
tune-up for the SCCA National Championship Runoffs National Championship Runoffs® Mishael qualified fifth during
the single practice/qualifying session on Saturday morning on the
2.28-mile, 13-turn road track.
In a
combined-class race on Saturday afternoon, Abbott passed four cars on the
start before the first corner and moved into fourth among Formula Mazda
competitors. Maintaining her position she finished fourth in the Star Mazda
EAST Championship race for Formula Mazda’s. Her fastest lap during the
thirteen-lap race was 1:31.155 (90.0 mph).

“I got an
awesome start and passed four cars at the green flag before working on
turning in some consistent laps,” Abbott remarked after the race. “With the
EAST Championship out of reach today and only 20 minutes practice, we used
the day to set-up and prepare the car for the (SCCA National Championship)
Runoffs®. We accomplished a lot of
what we wanted and K-Fast Racing’s Kevin Firlein again provided me and Rob
(Nicholas) excellent cars. Congratulations to Rob on winning the EAST
Championship today.”
Next on Mishael Abbott’s racing schedule is the
Sports Car Club
of America National Championship Runoffs®
Presented by Kohler®
at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, in Lexington, OH, on September
20-24. The Runoffs® will air on Speed Channel
during November and December will feature a story on Mishael. Initial
airing of the Formula Mazda National Championship race is scheduled for
November 27, 3:00 p.m. Eastern.
Abbott
continues to pursue her formal education at Florida Atlantic University,
working toward an elementary teaching degree, and seeking sponsorship
support to compete in the Indy Racing League Menards Infiniti Pro Series™.
For
further information, photographs, media kit or partnership opportunities,
visit
www.mishaelabbott.com or contact Mishael at
mishael@mishaelabbott.com.
Abbott Races into First Place in SCCA Southeast
Division National Finale
Impressive Win at VIR Carries to
National Runoffs
Alton,
VA (August 8, 2004) – Formula Mazda driver, Mishael Abbott of Coral
Springs, FL, finished the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) 2004 National
season with a win, August 8, at the Oak Tree National, held at Virginia
International Raceway (VIR) in Alton, Virginia.
Although
engine power and braking deficiencies threatened to stall Abbott’s chances,
she managed to qualify fourth among Formula Mazda competitors and fifteenth
in the combined starting grid. After the crew worked through the night
resolving the aggravating engine and braking problems, the rest was up to
Mishael.
After two
waved-off starts, the field took the green flag for the 14-lap race around
VIR’s 3.27-mile road course. With two less race laps available to her,
Abbott demonstrated the poise and finesse that are quickly becoming her
trademarks and immediately made progress through the field. By lap six,
Abbott owned first place in her race group. During the final six laps she
succeeded in holding off numerous passing attempts to secure her first SCCA
National event win.

“When we
decided to bring K-Fast Racing’s, Kevin Firlein, on-board this summer as our
engineer, we knew that winning was in our grasp. His car set-up expertise
and knowledge of suspension dynamics have given me a race car that I’ve
never had the pleasure of driving before,” quoted Abbott. “With the results
at the ‘June Sprints’ where I earned the Hard Charger award, and my
fifth place finish at ‘The Glen’, we knew I had the equipment to win. Now
it’s off to the Runoffs to win a National Championship!”
Mishael Abbott’s dominating first win at an SCCA National Event
guarantees her invitation to the
SCCA National Championship Runoffs®
Presented by Kohler®.
The SCCA Runoffs® are held the last week of
September at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, in Lexington, OH, and airs
on Speed Channel during October and November. Look for Mishael to be on
the podium.
Next on
Mishael Abbott’s racing schedule is the Star Mazda EAST Championship Series
final race at
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on September 10-12. This event will be
tightly contended with competitors looking to tune-up and finish strong for
the Runoffs®.
Abbott
continues to pursue her formal education at Florida Atlantic University,
working toward an elementary teaching degree, and seeking sponsorship
support to compete in the Indy
Racing League Menards Infiniti Pro Series™.
For
further information, photographs, media kit or partnership opportunities,
visit
www.mishaelabbott.com or contact Mishael at
mishael@mishaelabbott.com.
Fifth Place Finish for Mishael
at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen, NY (July 11, 2004)
– Mishael Abbott of Coral Springs, FL finished fifth at Watkins Glen
International for the 57th Glen Nationals / Round 7 of the
Star Mazda EAST Championship around “The Glen’s” 3.4-mile road
course. Abbott qualified her Formula Mazda seventh for the EAST
Championship and twentieth on the grid of combined race groups featuring
Formula Atlantic, Formula Mazda, Formula Continental, Sports 2000, C
Sports Racer, and D Sports Racer.
Abbott started the race quickly moving
up in the field until the third lap when the car directly in front of her
lost control and went into a spin. Responding quickly and to avoid
“T-boning” her competitor, Abbott narrowly avoided an accident by putting
her own car into a spin which resulted in her loss of a number of
positions. Abbott gathered herself, regained control of her car and got
back into the chase. Not content to just finish after her spin she was
again passing with determination. A pass on the fourteenth and final lap
placed her fifth among Star Mazda EAST Championship competitors and improved
her to eighth overall with an average speed of 97.367 mph.

Click here for weekend photos
“Things are really starting to come
together with my car set-up all thanks to my mechanic, Kevin Firlein,”
stated Mishael Abbott after the event. “Once again I was moving up and
feeling very comfortable. If not for the early forced spin, I might have
been challenging the leaders for the win. I’m really looking forward to my
next race at VIR.”
Next on
Mishael Abbott’s racing schedule is the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)
Oak Tree National at
Virginia International Raceway on August 6-8.
Mishael
Advances to Claim Seventh in her First June Sprints
Elkhart Lake, WI (June 19, 2004)
– Mishael Abbott of Coral Springs, FL moved up from the thirteenth
starting position to finish seventh in her first
Kohler®/Chicago Region June Sprints. Back at
Road America for the first time since her father raced a Formula
Continental there nearly 20 years ago, Mishael quickly learned the
four-mile, 14-turn road track with very few practice laps.
While
getting familiar with the famed track, Abbott qualified thirteenth for the
starting grid of Formula Mazdas. By race time she was much more comfortable
and made six passes for position to finish seventh. For her determination
Mishael won the Chicago Indoor Racing Hard Charger Award for producing the
most improved finishing position relative to the starting grid position of
all twenty-four race classes.
“I was very excited to drive at Road
America for the first time and to compete in the June Sprints,” Mishael
Abbott stated after the event. “It is a very challenging track but I was
getting comfortable and was able to make a number of passes. Given a few
more race laps, I think I could have had a top five finish.”
Sixth Place Finish at Mid-Ohio in EAST
Championship Race
Lexington,
OH (June 6, 2004)
- Mishael Abbott returned to Mid-Ohio Sports Car
Course for round six of the Star Mazda EAST Championship
and for the SCCA Central Division Race of Champions.
During Friday’s practice session
Mishael experimented with new suspension settings and by the end of the
day was nearly a second below her personal best on the 2.28-mile,
13-turn road track.

With
an average speed of 91.09 mph, Mishael qualified seventh among the Star
Mazda EAST Championship competitors. For Sunday’s race, Mishael was
still trying to find the right suspension setups and getting
accustomed to the different handling characteristics. Mishael finished
in sixth place and maintained her sixth place standing in the EAST
Championship.
Mishael’s next race is at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI for the 49th
Kohler Chicago Region June Sprints on June 17-20, 2004.

Click here for weekend photos
Mishael
Completes her IRL Drivers License Paperwork
Indianapolis, IN (May 28, 2004) - Mishael
Abbott takes another step in her journey toward the Indy Racing League
and competing in the Indianapolis 500 by submitting the paperwork for
her IRL competition license.
While in Indianapolis for the 88th
running of the fabled event, Mishael completed her 2004 Driver License
and Membership Application and took her physical examination with the
Indy Racing League. The application is also valid for her ACCUS / FIA
competition license.
Mishael is continuing her sponsor search while
making preparations for competing in the season’s final three races of
the Indy Racing League Menards Infiniti Pro Series at Chicagoland,
California Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.
Pictured below is Mishael with Dr. Henry Bach,
Director of Medical for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Click here for photos
of Mishael at the Speedway
Top Five Finish at
Virginia International Raceway
after Qualifying Wreck
Alton, VI (May 8, 2004)
- Mishael Abbott scored another top five finish but her
misfortune continued with a big wreck on the final lap of qualifying on
Saturday morning. Mishael's expectations were high in her returned
to Virginia International Raceway; the site where just last year she
came home with a podium finish. A wreck
with just a couple corners left on the final qualifying lap resulted in
heavy damage to Mishael's Formula Mazda. Her earlier posted time
placed her fifth on the grid of
Star Mazda EAST Championship Series
drivers but a lot of work was needed on her damaged
car just to make the race. Following a few
frantic hours piecing together the race car, Mishael just made the
feature race. Mishael fought hard with the car and race
competitors finishing fifth for the second race in a row.
Abbott Scores Top Five Finish
at Road Atlanta
Braselton, Georgia (March 28, 2004)
- Mishael Abbott of Coral Springs, FL finished fifth at Road Atlanta on
Sunday and slipped to fourth place in the overall standings in the
Star Mazda EAST Championship Series
following a weekend plagued with mechanical woes.

Click here for weekend photos
An all-day test session was
scheduled at the winding, undulating sports car circuit at Road Atlanta in
Braselton, GA for Friday, March 29, 2004 leading to the fourth race of the
Star Mazda EAST Championship Series on Sunday. Unfortunately, upon
unloading the racecar from the trailer on Thursday night, a significant
puddle of oil was discovered under Abbott's Formula Mazda. Further
investigation found a defective oil retaining seal in the transaxle of her
car. Even after multiple changes, the faulty seal continued to interfere
with meaningful on-track time and limited Abbott's qualifying and race
set-up testing.
Mishael had only completed one
break-in session and three practice laps when the errant seal began leaking
again during Saturday's qualifying session. Her best lap resulted in a sixth place Formula Mazda grid position. Mired well back in the combined
race field of Formula Atlantics, Continentals, and assorted Sports Racers,
she was left with the challenge of passing numerous non-class competitors to
simply reach other Star Mazda EAST Championship competitors in the field.
Good fortune finally shown when the root cause of the sealing failure was
discovered late Saturday night. After a near all-nighter repair, her #36
Star Mazda was ready for Sunday's race.
Race day turned the tide of bad
luck. With a congested, yet clean start, Abbott was able to pick off fellow
competitors with relative ease, moving up in the Formula Mazda field as well
as overall race placement. Her lap times improved throughout the race so
that she was completing laps as fast as the ultimate Formula Mazda race
winner. Final results brought a fifth place finish in the Star Mazda EAST
Championship and ninth overall in the combined field. The fifth place points
allows Abbott to only slip to fourth in the overall EAST Championship points
standings, with the series at the halfway point.
"It certainly tries one's
patience when we seem to have these peculiar mechanical problems,"
Mishael Abbott stated after the event. "A fellow (Star Mazda)
competitor commented that in 12 years of racing he had never replaced the
seal that we continued to have problems with this past weekend. I can't
thank my Velocity Motorsports Teammates and pit crew enough for their
incredible and tireless support. Without their hard work I wouldn't be able
to have the success that we are experiencing. I'm looking forward to our
next race at Virginia International Raceway where I had a podium finish last
year. With our mechanical gremlins hopefully behind us now, we can
set our goal at winning this upcoming event."
Next on Mishael Abbott's racing
schedule is the Star Mazda EAST Championship Series race at
Virginia
International Raceway on May 7-9.
Abbott continues to pursue her
formal education at Florida Atlantic University toward an elementary
teaching degree and seeking sponsorship support to compete in the Indy
Racing League Menards Infiniti Pro Series.
Mishael Takes Lead in EAST
Championship Series
Kershaw, South Carolina (February 22, 2004) -
Mishael Abbott of Coral Springs, FL did not have the best of luck in
her first visit to Carolina Motorsports Park but still came away on
top of the Star Mazda EAST Championship Series standings. Abbott had
planned many practice laps over several days to familiarize herself
with the course and prepare the car for Sunday's 2004 Spring Sprints
National sanctioned by the Central Carolinas Region of the Sports Car
Club of America. However, transmission problems forced several
rebuilds and ultimately replacement of the transmission. Despite
this, Abbott qualified eighth among the Star Mazda EAST Championship
competitors and during the race, moved up to a sixth place finishing
position. After two rounds Mishael is leading the standings in the
Star Mazda EAST Championship Series.

Click here for weekend photos
The race started with a black flag on the opening lap that brought
all competitors into the pits. When the field was sent back out onto the
track, a number of cars were experiencing overheating problems. Directly
in front of Abbott a couple drivers were holding back while nursing
their machines. This caused Abbott to find herself and her Velocity
Motorsports Formula Mazda a few corners behind the leader when the green
flag fell again. Abbott worked her way up to the leaders, posting her
fastest race lap of 1:37.51 (82.5 mph) around the 14-turn road course
and finishing sixth.
"We came here with the idea we could get 250 practice laps but
because of transmission problems we could only get the car out for 7
practice laps from Thursday to Saturday. That is a very frustrating
because you always want to go into a race as prepared as possible but it
is also part of racing and you just persevere and do the best you can. I
am actually pleased with my race performance and very excited about my
first place standing in the EAST Championship," reported Mishael
after the weekend.
Next on Mishael Abbott's racing schedule is the Star Mazda EAST
Championship Series race at Road Atlanta on March 26-28.
Abbott continues to pursue her formal education at Florida Atlantic
University toward an elementary teaching degree and seeking sponsorship
support to compete in the Star Mazda Pro Series presented by Goodyear
and the Indy Racing League Menards Infiniti Pro Series for 2004.
For further information and partnership opportunities visit
www.mishaelabbott.com or e-mail mishael@mishaelabbott.com.
Mishael Finishes Fifth at Moroso
Motorsports Park
Sebring, FL (January 18, 2004) -
Mishael
Abbott of Coral Springs, FL made a visit to Moroso Motorsports Park for the
Frank Meleney & Dick Springer Memorial Winter National &
Vintage Races sanctioned by the Florida Region of the Sports Car Club
of America. Competing on the 2.25-mile track near Palm Beach
Springs, FL, Mishael finished fifth in her Formula Mazda race group
among thirty-four total competitors. Her fasted race lap
averaged 81.474 mph on the 10-turn road track.

Click here for weekend photos
Mishael Finishes 2nd in EAST
Championship Opener
Sebring, FL (January 12, 2004) -
Mishael
Abbott of Coral Springs, FL began the 2004
Star Mazda EAST Championship Series as she completed the 2003 Series,
with a 2nd place podium finish at Sebring International Raceway.
The
S.I.R. Winter National race sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of
America was the setting for the first round of 2004 EAST Championship
Professional Series. This
series consists of eight races ranging from Sebring in Florida to
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Mansfield, OH.
Click
here for weekend photos
The
opening qualifying session was held Saturday morning in less than
ideal conditions with overcast skies, 20 mph winds, and track
temperatures holding around 50 degrees. Abbott’s first qualifying
attempt placed her third in the 14-car Formula Mazda field with a lap
time of 2:14.834 at an average speed of 101.47 mph. Weather conditions
were consistent through the final qualifying session later
in the day, however Abbott’s transmission linkage failed, making
gear selection difficult. Her
lap time improved slightly to 2:14.513 but with three other
competitors also improving their times, Abbott was relegated to sixth
on the grid.
Race
day dawned equally as cold as qualifying but with clear skies and
light wind. Morning practice confirmed that repairs to the
transmission were successful and forecasted a positive result in the
upcoming competition. The race started under a full-course caution due
to the failure of the field to properly form up.
Once the green was thrown Mishael improved her starting place
over the first three laps to fourth.
Another full-course caution on lap 7 bunched the field,
negating the previous gains in track position. At the restart slower
traffic obstructed the track for a lap causing Mishael to slip back
into fifth. By lap 10 she
had cleared the slower congestion and regained fourth.
On lap 11 with close dicing occurring around the entire track
she accomplished two aggressive passes.
That placed Mishael in firm control of second place,
which she held until the checked flag flew.
“WOW!
What a way to start the 2004 campaign,” was Mishael’s initial
reaction at the post-race impound and technical inspection. "To
finish second to Doug Peterson who is one of, if not the fastest Star
Mazda Series driver that we compete against, is certainly a major
accomplishment. My Velocity
Motorsports teammates and special driver coaching from Moses
Smith Racing, gave me, by far, the best car and competitive edge
that I’ve ever experienced. This
was a field of cars and drivers equal to any of the Star Mazda events
that we’ve competed in all of last season.
I feel we can carry this momentum forward and make the 2004
Championship an achievable goal. ”
Abbott
continues to pursue her formal education at Florida Atlantic
University toward an elementary teaching degree and seeking
sponsorship support to compete in the Star Mazda Pro Series presented
by Goodyear and the Indy Racing League Infiniti Pro Series for 2004.
Top of Page
|