While his name may not be as recognizable to NASCAR fans as Dale Earnhardt or Richard Petty, Mike Stefanik has won more NASCAR championships than either of those drivers. He hopes to add a Bristol win to his resume during the inaugural UNOH Perfect Storm 150 Whelen Modified Tour event at BMS on Aug. 19.
Stefanik's nine NASCAR championships, seven modified titles and two Busch East Series championships, place him in a tie with the late Richie Evans for the most NASCAR-sanctioned titles.
Interestingly, the two East Series triumphs came in 1997 and 1998, the same years he won two of his modified series crowns. In doing so, he became the first driver to win two NASCAR championships in consecutive years; Lee Petty was the first to win two in the same year.
To call the Massachusetts-born racer successful is an understatement. Stefanik's 69 career wins and seven series championships were enough to help rank him as the second best driver in the history of modified racing; Evans is ranked first.
Even with his storied career and expertise behind the wheel, Stefanik is cautious about the Whelen Modified Series' debut at BMS. Stefanik, who has competed at Bristol in both the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series, warns the track's daunting banks and lightning-fast surface may be overwhelming for some competitors.
"I don't think the horsepower is going to be a huge issue," he explained. "Having some grip in your car when it counts at the end is key. You have a tremendous amount of grip, but when these cars step out, all of a sudden it is gone.
"That is what I saw in practice. I spun out in practice, along with probably two-thirds of the field. I hadn't spun out in practice in 15 years. It got away from me and I was a little embarrassed. Misery loves company though. Out of the 25 guys there, probably 18 spun out. It is very unusual to have modifieds, good cars, spinning out in practice. It sends me a message and makes me definitely want to pay attention to what we've got."
The uncertain nature of the race leaves only one option for Stefanik and crew; get out front and stay there.
"These cars are quite slidey," he said. "We are sliding around quite a bit."
"We're going to do what every one else is going to do. We're going to get the car to drive as good as we can before we race. We are definitely going to see the haves and have nots. The guys handling well will be hammer down, carrying a tremendous amount of speed around there. We will have comers and goers; I hope we're one of the comers."
Stefanik developed the racing bug as he watched his older brother Bobby race at Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass. While that track has since closed, the addition of Bristol to the tour schedule was a welcome site for Stefanik and the other modified competitors.
"It was very exciting to hear the Whelen Modified Tour was heading to Bristol," Stefanik said. "It certainly put a lot of excitement in our series. It is really what we needed with the economy the way it is and the number of races that seem to be slipping from the tour."
With the number of wins and championships to Stefanik's name, one would think it might be hard for the legend to pick a memorable moment. That definitely is not the case.
"All the wins are great and the championships are memorable," he quickly acknowledged, "but the relationships I had with previous champions like Bugsy Stevens and Richie Evans, those are the memories I will cherish down the road."
Fans are in for a treat as the Whelen Modified Tour makes its next memorable moment during the inaugural UNOH Perfect Storm 150 on Aug. 19 at BMS. To complete the doubleheader, the Camping World Truck Series also takes to the track on Aug. 19 for the O'Reilly 200.
On Friday, Aug. 21, the Food City 250 Nationwide race will see the series regulars take on the invading Sprint Cup Series stars. The week concludes with the granddaddy of night races, the sold-out Sharpie 500.
Food City 250 tickets are available and start at $45. Tickets for the Wednesday night doubleheader - the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 and the O'Reilly 200 - are $30.
Tickets may be purchased by calling the BMS ticket office at (423) BRISTOL (274-7865), (423) 989-6900 or by visiting www.bristoltix.com.
