Stefanik Masters ‘Magic Mile’ With Dominating Win

Loudon, NH (July 16, 2005): Mike Stefanik earned his 2nd win of the Busch North Series, Grand National division season in the New England 125 at New Hampshire International Speedway after leading 91 of 125 laps. Stefanik catapulted the Burnham Hydronics race team into the point lead with the dominating victory. It was Stefanik’s 2nd career NHIS victory, and win number eight at the 1.057-mile track for GRIZCO Racing.

“That particular car is something I haven’t had in a long time – it was so good,” Stefanik said after the race. “This is what it’s all about. What else can I say? It’s just a wonderful thing. To win here at NHIS is big.”

Qualifying was washed after a storm moved through the area that saw pounding rain, hail, and strong winds. NASCAR yielded to the rule book to set the field, with Stefanik earning a second place position on the front row.

Stefanik raced Matt Kobyluck through turns one and two before settling in the lead heading into three.

“Matt (Kobyluck) had a good start,” Stefanik said. “Andy (Santerre) drove right beside me on the start and I hustled it through one and two and the car just stuck. It stuck like that all day. I was able to drive right around on the outside and I never looked back.”

The Coventry, RI-driver easily pulled away by a second-and-a-half over the rest of the field, before caution slowed his pace at lap 18. The No. 55 Burnham Hydronics Chevrolet led a procession down pit road, and took on fuel before returning to the race in the 13th spot. It took only eight circuits for Stefanik to make up ten positions, and put himself back into contention.

“I was pushing and I wanted to clear out as many cars as I could,” Stefanik admitted. “I wanted to get back up front, and I didn’t want to get caught up in anybody else’s misfortune. I didn’t waste a lot of time. I did put the nose to the grindstone.”

Dave Dion, who hadn’t pitted, led for a short period before Brian Hoar, who pitted at lap five took over the lead. Stefanik was patient, but decided as the race approached the lap 50 mark that it was time to reclaim the point.

“I hadn’t realized that Brian Hoar had pitted on lap five, and after I ran behind him for a while, I decided I needed to try and pass him, and I needed to do it then,” Stefanik said. “I wasn’t sure if somebody was going to come up on a restart. You never know what’s going to happen in these things. I took the low road – it uses the tires up more – but the car stuck fantastically and I motored on by. From then on, it was just get the race over. That was the only thing that was on my mind – just get it over with.”

Stefanik was able to take the lead on lap 53 and pull away by a sizable lead once again. He led the next 72 laps unchallenged before taking the checkers.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been involved in a Busch win up here. I wanted to take it to victory lane. The car was so fast it would have been a shame not to win it. Kind of like Matt Kenseth last week; He had a dominant car and didn’t win. That’s just got to feel horrible, and I didn’t want that to happen to me,” Stefanik said.