Michele Bumgarner

Michele Bumgarner
Born (1989-09-02) 2 September 1989 (age 35)
Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines
Philippines
OccupationAuto racing driver

Michele Marie Bumgarner (born September 2, 1989, in Mandaluyong) is a Filipina racing driver. She was born to an American father and a Filipina mother.[1] She made her debut into single seater racing with the National Karting Series in the Philippines in 1999 at the age of 10. She has participated in the Asia-Pacific Karting Championships Japan, Shell Super Karting Series, Asian Karting Open Championship (AKOC), and the Italian Masters Series.

In 2006 Bumgarner made her auto racing debut driving in the Asian Formula Three Championship, finishing third in the series' Promotion Class.[2]

She competed in the first five rounds of the 2008 Star Mazda Championship season for John Walko Racing. Her best finish was 15th place coming in her final start at Portland International Raceway.

On September 19, 2008, she became the first female champion of the Rock Island Grand Prix in Rock Island, Illinois, the world's largest street karting race. The 7th foreign-born winner in its 14-year history, Michele steered the Margay Team to a 1-2-3-4 finish with 11 minutes and 24.144 seconds. She said: “This will stick with me my whole career. Everyone goes on about how great this race is and it’s special that this is my first time here and my first win here. I hope to come back.”[3] On September 6, 2009, she successfully defended that title in a three kart battle.

In November 2008 it was announced that Bumgarner had signed a driver development contract to race in the Firestone Indy Lights series with Walker Racing.[4] She participated in a test with Guthrie Racing[5] However, Walker Racing entered the 2009 Indy Lights season fielding a car for Stefan Wilson rather than Bumgarner and as of 2011 she has not driven in an Indy Lights race and she has not participated in a professional auto race since 2008.

In September 2013, Michele announced that she will join the Mazda Road to Indy program with World Speed Motorsports, to which she made two starts in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires at Houston, claiming a top-10 finish and earning the Quarter Master Hard Charger Award for most positions gained in the race.

In 2014, Michele joined the Pro Mazda Championship full-time, racing for World Speed Motorsports Team.

  1. ^ Laudato, Sheryl G. Celebrate girl power and beautiful sporting queens, Manila Bulletin, November 27, 2005, Retrieved 2011-08-04
  2. ^ Michele Bumgarner - Career Detail, Driver Database, Retrieved 2011-08-04
  3. ^ Filipina first woman champ of Rock Island GP Archived 2008-09-21 at the Wayback Machine, Enquirer Sports, September 20, 2008, Retrieved 2011-08-04
  4. ^ Michelle Bumgarner inks 5-year deal to race in Indianapolis, GMA News, November 17, 2008, Retrieved 2011-08-04
  5. ^ Stenzel, Scott. Michele Bumgarner - Indy Lights Test - Indycar Driver (video), Retrieved 2011-08-04