Steve Park celebrates his win at Daytona International Speedway‘s UNOH Battle at the Beach on Feb 19, 2013
Photo – Flickr.com
Park Bumps Then-Race Leader Mike Stefanik in Turn 2 to take Checkered Flag
Steve Park raced to the finish line to capture the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Race, the first of two races Tuesday night at the UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway
Park, a Daytona Beach resident, overtook Eric Goodale coming out of Turn 2 after making contact with Mike Stefanik’s back bumper on the white flag lap. Eric Goodale finished second in the RBS Showroom Chevrolet, while Ted Christopher took third place driving the Cape Cod Copper/Silver Dollar Construction Chevrolet. Stefanik claimed 13th place in his Robert B. Our Co./Canto & Sons Paving Chevrolet.
“You can win races all over this country but you are not going to have a Daytona trophy like we have here,” said Park, who had previously raced in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. “I’ve had the opportunity to race here 14 or 15 times and I never had a Daytona trophy but now I do. It’s a big deal for me.
“We started almost dead last and won the race,” said Park, who drove a Ford sponsored by UNOH. “We went from the outhouse to penthouse. I don’t think we had the fastest car. I thought if we could put ourselves in the position and have the wheels on the car, we would have something to race with at the end.”
Tuesday night’s opener included 18 cautions in the 150-lap, 60-mile race.
