Lime Rock, CT (October 11, 2003)
Contact: Penny Degre
(508) 234-8684
Lakeville, CT (October 11, 2003): Mike Stefanik capped off the 2003 Grand National Division, Busch North Series season off by running a consistent race and taking the checkers in the Burnham Boilers 200 at Lime Rock Park in the fifth position. More than 1500 employees and distributors were on hand to cheer Stefanik on from his 13th place starting position, and watch him clinch the runner-up slot in the title chase.
“We got out of here with a fifth. Albeit, with a beat up warrior for a car, but we came out of here with a decent finish. I saw a lot of guys go off course today, and I’m just glad it wasn’t us,” Stefanik said after the race. “I was glad that we put on a decent show for everyone at Burnham. This hospitality is a top-notch operation. Burnham puts a lot of time and effort into it so to come out of here with a finish they can be proud of means a lot to everyone on this team.”
Grand-Am style qualifying kicked off Friday afternoon with Stefanik in the sixth group of cars to enter the 1.53-mile road course for their three laps to determine starting position. Stefanik’s speed of 99.962 mph (55.101 seconds) earned him the 13th starting position in a field of 36 cars.
Bright, blue skies enveloped the picturesque mountains surrounding Lime Rock Park when the green flag dropped the following day in front of a near-record crowd. Stefanik’s momentum was high as shown through a three-position advancement in the first two circuits of the race. Caution slowed the pace at lap three setting Stefanik up tenth for the restart at lap 10.
The Coventry, RI-native surprised everyone when, approaching the green flag, he ducked onto pit road to allow the team to top off the fuel in the No. 55 Burnham Boilers Chevrolet.
“I guess it’s first in, first out, first back to the front. That’s the philosophy we were using,” Stefanik said about his decision to pit early. “Our original strategy was to pit at lap eight, and we came in lap ten so we were right on schedule.”
The lead changed hands several times as many of Stefanik’s competitors followed his cue and made pit stops as well. Meanwhile, Stefanik himself was moving to the front. When caution flew at lap 28, the Burnham Boilers Chevrolet was back up to 12th.
Green flag racing resumed at lap 31 with Stefanik getting a huge jump on his competition, and although caution re-emerged at lap 33, Stefanik had gained six positions in just two laps. The race restarted at lap 39 with Stefanik sixth.
Stefanik broke into the top-five a few short laps later and began his hunt towards the 47 car of Kelly Moore. It was imperative that Stefanik finish in front of Moore, who trailed Stefanik closely in the points. Caution would again slow his pace.
“I had a few things I was dealing with. It was nothing major, but the front end got banged up quite a bit. A lot of cars got into each other on restarts. That part was frustrating. There were a lot of cautions,” Stefanik said. “It was pretty rough going into turn one and the Big Bend. A lot of guys were just driving up on the inside. It was kind of rough. I hated to see those cautions.”
Stefanik maintained his top-five position until a caution at lap 58 when Tom Carey, Jr. raced him back to the line. The nose of Stefanik’s No. 55 Burnham Boilers Chevrolet beat Carey to the line, but timing and scoring ruled that Carey beat him back to the line.
“I don’t think he really had me at the line,” Stefanik said. “I might have lifted after I got to the line and maybe his transponder got to the line after my transponder got to the line. You’re not supposed to revert to transponders. You’re supposed to go by the nose of the car. I lifted a little sooner than I should have. It really wasn’t a major deal.”
Stefanik got shuffled back on the restart at lap 62 when a melee broke out heading into turn one. Tom Carey spun his 03 with eventual race-winner Dale Quarterley getting by Stefanik in the corner. Stefanik, running sixth, chased down the 22 car lap after lap. But it wasn’t until lap 74 that Stefanik got back into the top-five.
Caution slowed the pace for the last time at lap 75 with green flag action getting back underway at lap 77. Stefanik held on to take the checkers in the fifth spot and secure his runner-up position in the 2003 Busch North Series points.
“It’s been a great season. This team isn’t a new team, but everything about it is new,” Stefanik said. “To come out of the box strong and finish the season off second in the points is a credit to everybody here. We didn’t get the win we would have liked, but everyone gelled together and we’ve set a foundation to build on for next year. We’re pretty excited about the season overall.”