Photograph Courtesy Michael Young
What’s the motivation behind Michael Young signing up for the Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge presented by Grassroots Motorsports? To beat Dallas Reed.
“After [Dallas Reed’s] track car broke down at [SCCA Time Trials] Nationals last year, we co-drove my Corvette several times until my Z06 arrived,” says Michael. “Following that experience, we partnered up for multiple events about a month ago, even driving another friend’s Corvette and getting him hooked. Since then, we’ve been trying to determine who’s faster, which has become an ongoing challenge this year.”
Dallas loved the Vette experience so much that he’s bringing a Corvette E-Ray to this year’s UTCC. Michael will use his Big Sexy Edition Z06 with the Z07 Package.
Why did Michael name his car that?
Just take a look at it.
This has had a bunch of customizations to put a personal touch on the esthetics inside the car, outside the car and even in the engine bay. Plus, it’s one of nine that came in orange in 2024, and the only 3LZ Z07 in that color. Michael chose orange for his daughter Anastasia.
“My daughter has MS and orange is the MS awareness color,” says Michael. “Several years ago, I was heading to NCM for TT Nationals in a white car. I drove straight [back] to South Carolina because she went blind and was in the hospital. We didn’t know why. Long story short, we found out it was MS, and we’re hoping the steroids the doctor was using would work. After two days of sitting with her, she said I had to get back to the race and do my best. She said she would do what the doctors said, but she wouldn’t be okay if I didn’t go. I drove to the event. I told her my plan was to only drive orange cars [for] MS awareness, so when she could see again, she would know I was doing what I could. I bought an Orange Vette the next week. I have been racing orange cars since. She got her sight back a few weeks after that and saw the 2019 Orange Grand Sport.”
His orange Vette also has some performance-oriented parts, too. That includes a custom harness bar by Paragon performance, Sparco belts, underbody aero and Forgeline wheels.
“The Z07 runs amazing and looks even more amazing,” says Michael. “I feel like it is a true supercar inside and out.”
More amazing than Dallas’ car? More amazing than your car?
Well, don’t just sit down and take that–enter your car and see if you can beat the Corvettes of Michael Young and Dallas Reed.
This competition seeks to find who’s the fastest on four wheels, with only one real rule: pass safety tech. That’s it.
To enter your car, and compete for a wealth of prizes, click here.
[Sign up now: Many awards offered at the Ultimate Track Car Challenge]
For more information, visit ultimatetrackcarchallenge.com.
The Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge is presented by Grassroots Motorsports and Sunoco, the official fuel of the UTCC, in association with Wilwood Engineering, CRC Industries, HMS Motorsport, XS Power and AMT Motorsport, with trophies from Miller Electric, Vorshlag, Hoosier Racing Tire, Call to Grid, BimmerWorld and Falken Tire.
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