Stefanik Continues Hot Streak With Runner-Up Finish At Lake Erie

North East, PA (July 10, 2005): Mike Stefanik backed up last week’s win at Holland International Speedway with a runner-up finish in the Local Dodge Dealers 150 at Lake Erie Speedway Saturday night. Stefanik’s early-season muscle has left him with a second place position in the 2005 NASCAR Busch North Series, Grand National Division point standings.

“We’ve been pretty good at some places and a little off at others, but we’ve been right up front,” Stefanik, driver of the No. 55 Burnham Hydronics Chevrolet said.

Stefanik battled an engine problem in the closing laps of the race, which was attended by more than 200 Burnham Hydronics guests, but held on to take the checkers2 seconds behind race-winner Ryan Moore.

“We had nothing for Ryan all night. Maybe on a restart we could run the same speed for half a lap or so. Ryan was just right on tonight, and we were having a problem through the middle of the corner from the time we unloaded until the time we took the checkered flag,” Stefanik commented.

Stefanik was awarded a third place starting position after a qualifying lap of 15.464 seconds (87.299 mph) tied Eddie MacDonald for the third fastest speed. Stefanik, a previous Busch Pole Award and race winner this year, was awarded the higher spot for his accomplishments.

Moore jumped out front at the start, but Stefanik immediately dove underneath the 40 of Matt Kobyluck to take over second. Fellow GRIZCO Racing teammate, Andy Santerre, followed Stefanik’s line for third.

Stefanik’s short track prowess was evident as he maneuvered around the 3/8th’s mile oval with ease. The top-three remained status quo until lap 82 when Santerre attempted to squeeze underneath Stefanik. Santerre got his nose up alongside the number of Stefanik’s machine before having to back out of it.

“We had more forward bite then Andy did,” Stefanik said. “I was holding the bottom groove and he really needed to use the outside to try and get around me. There wasn’t enough room for both of us to be there and not go below the yellow line so he had to back out of it.”

Several caution periods slowed the pace of the event with Stefanik continuing to be a powerhouse through all of the restarts. With less then 10 laps to go, however, Stefanik knew something was wrong with the No. 55 Burnham Hydronics Chevrolet and prayed the race would stay green.

“The motor all of a sudden just laid right down,” Stefanik explained. “I think we might have lost a cylinder – I’m not sure. I don’t think a plug wire came off. I think we maybe broke a lifter or something. I changed ignition boxes and it didn’t make any difference. I was just happy we didn’t have a green-white-checker near the end because there was no way we would have been able to keep up to speed. A lot of things could have happened, negative things, that didn’t. When you have a bad situation like that and overcome it – that is what championships are made of. That is something we’ll look back on at the end of the year and see that it was the finish that might have moved us up that one spot in the points