Mike Stefanik Takes Win Number 74
Mike Stefanik extended his Whelen Modified Tour career win record to 74 in the first leg of Bristol Motor Speedway’s Wednesday night doubleheader, but the 55-year-old ranks his first victory at the World’s Fastest Half Mile near the top of the list.
“This is way up the ladder. I’m being cool right now, but I’m freaking out inside,” said the Coventry, R.I. native. “This is a huge, huge victory in my arsenal of victories – right at the top if not the top. I’m really going to try and savor this.”
Open wheels and high banks combined for a frenzied 135 laps around the concrete oval, as Mike Stefanik battled Todd Szegedy and Cup regular Ryan Newman for much of the TitanRoof 150, shortened by 15 laps because of a time limit.
“We were wheel-to-wheel racing,” said the seven-time Whelen Modified Tour champion. “There was some bumping and rubbing with Todd but nothing we couldn’t handle. It’s not a game of inches here, it’s hundredths of an inch.”
Hinting that this might be his last complete season on the Tour, Mike Stefanik voiced conflicting emotions following his second win of the 2013 season.
“I’m so elated to win here at Bristol, but it’s also a relief just to win,” said Mike Stefanik in his post-race press conference. “This game is so emotional, so intense, so frustrating. It’s not like I can’t do it or I’m too old to do it, but there comes a time when you just have to say it’s time.”
Szegedy piloted his UNOH-sponsored Ford to his second runner-up finish of the season with Ron Yuhas Jr., Ryan Preece and Newman rounding out the top five.
Written By: Bristol Motor Speedway
NASCAR Whelen Modified Full Results ( WINNER – Mike Stefanik )
Fin | Str | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Points | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 18 | 22 | Mike Stefanik | Robert B. Our Co./Canto & Sons Paving Ford | 135 | 47N | Running |
2 | 5 | 2 | Todd Szegedy | UNOH/Dunleavy Repair Ford | 135 | 43N | Running |
3 | 16 | 64 | Ron Yuhas, Jr. | Fast Track Elect./Complete Const. Chevrolet | 135 | 41N | Running |
4 | 3 | 16 | Ryan Preece | East West Marine/Diversified Metals Ford | 135 | 41N | Running |
5 | 19 | 7 | Ryan Newman | Menards/Wix Filters Chevrolet | 135 | 39N | Running |
6 | 14 | 79 | Woody Pitkat | Mr. Rooter/Coors Light Pontiac | 135 | 38N | Running |
7 | 4 | 58 | Eric Goodale | Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet | 135 | 37N | Running |
8 | 10 | 51 | Justin Bonsignore | M3 Technology Chevrolet | 135 | 36N | Running |
9 | 9 | 1 | Burt Myers | CitruSafe/Adams Towing & Recovery Ford | 135 | 43S | Running |
10 | 21 | 71 | Jimmy Zacharias * | Vist-Pro Automotive Chevrolet | 135 | 42S | Running |
11 | 26 | 72 | Chuck Hossfeld | Jerry Gradl Motors Chevrolet | 135 | 35N | Running |
12 | 24 | 6 | Ron Silk | TS Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm Chevrolet | 135 | 34N | Running |
13 | 25 | 5 | Kyle Ebersole | Ebersole Excavating Ford | 135 | 41S | Running |
14 | 11 | 28 | George Brunnhoelzl III | Epox-Z/Oval Speed Chevrolet | 135 | 40S | Running |
15 | 23 | 25 | John Smith | G-Oil/Shady Grady Racing Chevrolet | 135 | 39S | Running |
16 | 7 | 2 | Tim Brown | Hayes Jewelers/T&C Motorsports Chevrolet | 135 | 38S | Running |
17 | 8 | 3 | Ted Christopher | Silver Dollar Const./Cape Cod Copper Chevrolet | 135 | 33N | Running |
18 | 33 | 18 | Ken Heagy | Buoy One Seafood/Mehner Racing Ford | 134 | 32N | Running |
19 | 13 | 97 | Bryan Dauzat | O.B. Builders Chevrolet | 134 | 37S | Running |
20 | 32 | 77 | Gary Putnam | Stock Car Steel Chevrolet | 133 | 36S | Running |
21 | 29 | 26 | Ed Flemke, Jr. | Ron Bouchard’s Auto Stores Chevrolet | 133 | 31N | Running |
22 | 31 | 99 | Jamie Tomaino | Supreme Manufacturing Chevrolet | 132 | 30N | Running |
23 | 6 | 52 | Doug Coby | Furnace & Duct/Seekonk Grand Prix Chevrolet | 130 | 29N | Running |
24 | 20 | 46 | Eric Berndt | North End Auto Parts/Cape Cod Agrgts. Chevrolet | 129 | 28N | Accident |
25 | 15 | 11 | Andy Seuss | Phoenix Pre-Owned Chevrolet | 125 | 35S | Accident |
26 | 35 | 33 | Wade Cole | Performance Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Chevrolet | 111 | 27N | Too Slow |
27 | 36 | 70 | Jeremy Gerstner * | GMR Complete Lawn Care/Fountain Mtspts. Chevrolet | 109 | 34S | Running |
28 | 22 | 15 | Rob Fuller | 15-40 Connection Chevrolet | 104 | 26N | Accident |
29 | 27 | 40 | Luke Fleming * | Koma Unwind/Autos by Nelson.com Ford | 102 | 33S | Accident |
30 | 1 | 4 | Donny Lia | Circle Track Magazine Dodge | 93 | 27N | Accident |
31 | 30 | 73 | Cole Powell * | Tricar Developments Chevrolet | 93 | 24N | Running |
32 | 17 | 44 | Bobby Santos | Tinio Corporation/Cape Cod Aggregates Chevrolet | 77 | 23N | Fire |
33 | 12 | 93 | Rowan Pennink | Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet | 76 | 22N | Accident |
34 | 28 | 14 | Jason Myers | Mark Moorefield Performance Ford | 32 | 32S | Accident |
35 | 34 | 21 | J.R. Bertuccio | Gershow Recycling Chevrolet | 30 | 31S | Accident |
36 | 2 | 88 | Bryon Chew | Buzz Chew Chevrolet/Elbow East Chevrolet | 9 | 21N | Accident |