Meet the Contender: Michai Stephens

Nine elite racers in North America vie for the $100,000 Battery Tender MX-5 Cup scholarship awarded to the one deemed most outstanding during the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout (MRT24) at Carolina Motorsports Park.

Michai Stephens is a first generation racing driver, 23 years old, and majored in Industrial Design at Arizona State University. This resume fits many fairly well. For those with a similar background and aspire to be a professional driver, the challenges are, largely, how to get the start in the sport and how to keep in the game long enough to make something of it. Have we got a story for you.

Stephens is a testament to one setting racing goals, a plan to achieve them, then working the plan (which is where we see many fall short, unfortunately), and finally persevering through the tough times (almost all fall off here, as this portion doesn't get easier). Considered by many the poster child for accomplishing all of this in light of the obstacles (i.e. little knowledge, funds, and contacts entering the industry), Stephens will have once again have to prove his fortitude and determination to make his dream come true.