Burnett Rallies From 19th to Capture Emotional Auto Club Victory
9/29/20262 min read
FONTANA, CA. What began as a dominant night quickly turned into a fight for survival, but Steven Burnett refused to let a late-race setback end his chances at Auto Club Speedway.
Driving the No. 32 in the REVLINE Truck Series Do It For Devin 180, Burnett overcame a spin, a trip through the grass, and a fall to 19th before charging back through the field to claim another victory.
The 90-lap event carried special meaning for the REVLINE community, honoring the life of Devin Santiago Jr., the younger brother of league owner Gabriel Garcia. Before the green flag, drivers participated in a three-wide missing-man formation in his memory.
Burnett entered the fifth race of the season looking to close the gap on championship leader Jeff Israel Jr. He wasted little time establishing himself as a contender, putting the No. 32 on the pole and leading the field to green.
The opening stage saw Burnett control the race through multiple restarts. With Stage 1 ending on Lap 20, Burnett held off challenges from Russ Scoville and Michael Bone to collect the stage victory and valuable championship points.
As the race moved beyond the stage break, the competition intensified. Burnett battled James Nelson and several other contenders for control of the lead, with tire management and changing track conditions playing an increasingly important role.
The biggest challenge of Burnett's night came during a late restart with approximately 22 laps remaining. The No. 32 got out of shape and spun across the frontstretch, sliding into the grass and dropping all the way to 19th. After spending much of the evening at the front, Burnett suddenly faced the possibility of watching a potential victory slip away.
A timely caution gave Burnett another opportunity to regroup, address his fuel situation, and begin working his way back through traffic. Restarting seventh with the laps winding down, Burnett quickly returned to the top five. Within a handful of laps, he was battling for second before closing in on leader Dakota Collins. With fewer than 10 laps remaining, the No. 32 returned to the lead.
The closing laps provided one final test. Justin Hughes pressured Burnett for the lead while James Nelson worked his way toward the front. A brush with the outside wall threatened Burnett's momentum, but he managed to maintain his advantage. As the white flag waved, Hughes was within striking distance. Burnett defended his line through the corners, preventing the No. 3 from getting the run needed to make the pass. Behind the leader, Nelson made a final charge, battling Hughes side by side in the closing corners. Burnett held his ground and crossed the finish line first, completing an impressive recovery to win the Do It For Devin 180. Nelson edged Hughes by just 0.001 seconds for second place, while Burnett finished approximately two-tenths of a second ahead.
For Burnett, the victory represented more than another trip to Victory Lane. After starting on the pole, winning the opening stage, and recovering from 19th, the No. 32 team had overcome nearly everything Auto Club could throw its way.
The result also moved Burnett into the REVLINE Truck Series championship points lead as the season approached its final stretch.
On a night dedicated to remembering Devin Santiago Jr., Burnett delivered a memorable performance and a fitting conclusion to an emotional evening of racing.
