Mike Stefanik Holds On For 11th Place Finish

Stafford Springs, CT (June 21, 2003): Mike Stefanik pulled off an 11^th place finish in Friday night’s CARQUEST 150 at Stafford Motor Speedway despite an ill-handling race car. The driver of the No. 55 Burnham Boilers Chevrolet lost the second place position to Ryan Moore in the 2003 championship battle.

“We’re still trying to figure this car out,” Stefanik said after the race. “It seems as if we just can’t find that balance. We’re either loose, loose, loose or tight, tight, tight. We’ll get it though. This is only the fifth race that we’ve all worked together, and everyone is gelling really well. It was just an off week and I’m confident that next week we’ll do better.”

Stefanik qualified the Burnham Boilers Chevrolet ninth fastest when he posted a lap of 88.522 mph (20.334 seconds) in qualifying.

“I’d like to say that I’m satisfied with that,” Stefanik said. “But we knew even than that we had some work to do. We made some adjustments for the race and were secure in those changes.”

Stefanik maintained a top-10 position through the early running of the race, which was slowed by a caution at lap 26. Green flag action resumed at lap 31 with Stefanik setting his sights on the 09 of Bryon Chew. On lap 40, Stefanik piloted the Burnham Boilers Chevrolet underneath Chew on the backstretch before taking over the eighth position. His efforts were decelerated, however, at lap 43 when the second caution waved.

When the race continued, Stefanik advanced yet another position to move into seventh, but a side-by-side battle in front of him halted any attempts for further progression. When the third caution flag waved at lap 64, Stefanik and the crew decided to pit for a right side tire change and quick adjustment.

Stefanik lined up 19^th in the 30-car field for the restart at lap 71. The fresh tires helped him move through the field, but with half the race completed, Stefanik knew a challenge lie before him.

Despite three more caution periods in the second half of the race, Stefanik was able to pick off eight more spots to take the checkers in the 11^th position.