Mike Stefanik Finishes Qualifying Race In Eighth Position
Irwindale, CA: Mike Stefanik, driver of the No. 55 Burnham Boilers Chevrolet, finished the 50-lap qualifying race for the Toyota All Star Showdown in the eighth position and earned a 16th place starting position in the 150-lap feature race Saturday night. Stefanik prevailed in an all-out battle with Jose Luis Ramirez that lasted almost 25 laps.
Stefanik’s eighth place finish was a hard-earned one which began at lap 11 when the Coventry, RI-native wheeled around the half-mile oval three wide with Mike Johnson and Matt Kobyluck. Stefanik got by the duo at lap 18 and immediately set his sights on Ramirez.
Stefanik, using the ever-demanding bottom-groove, went underneath the 17 and began a paint-trading duel that kept fans on the edge of their seat. The excitement reached an all-time high at lap 28 when Stefanik and Ramirez approached the 16 of Austin Cameron and the 06 of Ryan Seaman, who were involved in a battle all their own. All four cars drove into turns one and two with no signs of letting up. The 16 car was able to capitalize and took over the position with Stefanik and Ramirez still driving every lap as if it was the last.
Not until lap 38 did the duel end when Stefanik comfortably settled into the ninth spot. But the excitement wasn’t over there. Stefanik again pulled to the inside, this time of Ryan Seaman, and began a door-to-door challenge. The two drivers went side-by-side until the checkers waved when Stefanik earned the spot by just a nose.
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