Mike Stefanik
Encyclopedia
Mike Stefanik is a NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 driver. He currently races in the Whelen Modified Tour
Whelen Modified Tour
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR in the Modified division. The Modified division is NASCAR's oldest division, and its one of two open-wheeled divisions...

, piloting the #16 Diversified Metals Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...

. Stefanik was named the second greatest NASCAR Modified driver of all-time in 2003. http://www.nascar.com/2003/news/headlines/official/top_ten/09/12/top10_modified/index.html His seven series championships are tied with Jerry Cook
Jerry Cook
Jerry Cook is a NASCAR championship race car driver. He began racing at the age of 13 and won the track championship at Utica-Rome Speedway in 1969.-Driving career:...

 for second all-time, trailing only Richie Evans
Richie Evans
Richard Ernest Evans , was an American racing driver who won nine NASCAR National Modified Championships, including eight in a row from 1978 to 1985. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame lists this achievement as "one of the supreme accomplishments in motorsports"...

. In 2006, Stefanik tied the late Evans with nine overall championships in NASCAR-sanctioned competitions including the unique situation where in 1997 and 1998 where he won both the Modified and Busch North Series(now known as the Camping World East series) championships in the same year. He is also the career wins leader of the series with 69.

From 1989 to 1998, Stefanik won four championships in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and was also an accomplished Busch North
NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series
The K&N Pro Series East is a regional stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. Races are held at oval tracks ranging from 1/3 to 1 mile in length and on two road courses, 1.53 and 2.45 miles in length...

 driver, winning the 1997 and 1998 titles. In doing so, he became the first driver to win two NASCAR championships in consecutive years; Lee Petty
Lee Petty
Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:...

 is the only other person to have won two championships in one year. Following these seasons, Stefanik moved up to the Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...

, racing for Dale Phelon and finishing in the top-ten nine times during 1999
1999 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 1999 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season began March 20 and ended October 30. Jack Sprague of Hendrick Motorsports was crowned champion.See also: 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 1999 NASCAR Busch Series- 1999 Team Chart :...

, achieving Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....

 honors. After that, though, Phelon's team left the series, and Stefanik moved back to the Modified and Busch North tours in 2001. He won three more Modified titles in 2001, 2002 and 2006.

External links

He actually has two daughters, and only one is deaf.
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