Michael Paul Stefanik (May 20, 1958 – September 15, 2019) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He competed mainly in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, but also made appearances in the Busch Grand National series and the Craftsman Truck Series. A seven-time champion in the Modified series, Stefanik was named the second greatest NASCAR Modified driver of all-time in 2003. His nine total championships (two in the Busch North Series) tie him with Richie Evans for the most in NASCAR history. Stefanik is a member of the 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame class.

Racing career Whelen Modified Series Stefanik ran his first full Whelen Modified Tour season in 1987. He recorded his first championship in 1989, winning in seven of his 26 starts. He continued to be a major player in the 1990s, winning the 1991 series championship, finishing out of the top ten just once that season. After not running a complete schedule for a few years, Stefanik finished fifth in 1995 and won the 1997 and 1998 titles while simultaneously racing full-time and winning the championship those same years in the Busch North Series. Taking the 2000 season off to run full-time in the Camping World Truck Series, Stefanik won the championship his first two years back, not winning too many races but consistently placing in the top-ten. Again pursuing other interests (this time K&N series), Stefanik did not contend in 2003, 2004, or 2005 but won the 2006 season opener, completed every lap that season and only was out of first place for one week, winning the championship. Steadily trending downward from there, Stefanik's first full winless season came in 2010. He won his last race at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2013, and started his last race in 2014.

In 2013, Stefanik competed in the inaugural UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona International Speedway. On the final lap, he was leading until contact with Steve Park sent him spinning; he finished 13th in the race. Afterwards, when Speed reporter Ray Dunlap arrived to interview him, Stefanik angrily stated he is "that freaking pissed. This is just bullshit." The interview was subsequently aired on The Jay Leno Show.

K&N Pro Series East Stefanik won in only his third start, which came in 1991. He ran his first full season in 1993 while racing Modifieds and won the 1997 and 1998 championships, pocketing over $100,000 for each season. In doing so, he became the first driver to win two NASCAR championships in consecutive years; Lee Petty is the only other person to have won two championships in one year. Stefanik raced full seasons in 2003, 2004 and 2005 while stepping away from Modifieds, but did not have the same amount of success.

Craftsman Truck Series Stefanik moved up to the Craftsman Truck Series, racing for Phelon Motorsports and finishing in the top ten nine times during 1999, achieving Rookie of the Year honors.

Halls of Fame

Stefanik was elected to the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He was inducted Nov. 11, 2018 by writer Mark "Bones" Bourcier. In 2013, Michael accepted his late brother Bob's induction. Bob and Michael are the fifth pair of brothers enshrined in the NEAR Hall.

Stefanik was first nominated to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015, and was elected to the Hall in 2022.

Death

According to Connecticut State Police, on the afternoon of September 15, 2019, Stefanik took off in a friend's Aero-Works Aerolite 103 from Riconn Airport (Greene, Rhode Island), and was headed back when it experienced mechanical problems causing it to lose power and crash in a wooded area in Sterling, Connecticut. He was airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital, where he died from his injuries."Hall of Fame Awaits for NASCAR Champion Mike Stefanik" The Providence Journal Retrieved September 23, 2019"NASCAR champion killed in single-seat plane crash in Sterling" wtnh.com Retrieved September 16, 2019"Former NASCAR Champion Mike Stefanik killed in Plane crash in Connecticut" wwlp.com Retrieved September 16, 2019

Motorsports career results NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

Busch Series NASCAR Busch Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Pts Ref 1992 74 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH CLT DOV ROU MYB GLN VOL NHA8 TAL IRP ROU MCH 67th 260 14 NHA15 BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT MAR CAR HCY 1993 Ling Racing Enterprises 6 Pontiac DAY CAR RCH DAR BRI HCY ROU MAR NZH15 CLT DOV MYB GLN29 MLW TAL IRP MCH NHA39 BRI DAR RCH DOV ROU CLT MAR CAR HCY ATL NC 0 1994 Rexrode Galiano Motorsports 1 Ford DAY44 CAR RCH33 ATLDNQ MAR DAR HCY BRI ROU 73rd 192 11 Chevy NHA41 14 NZH16 CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW SBO TAL HCY IRP MCH BRI DAR 1 RCH22 DOV CLT MAR CAR 1995 Mountain Racing 09 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NHA41 NZH41 CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM NC 0 1996 H & H Motorsports 51 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NZH14 CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NHA TAL IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM NC 0 1997 DAY CAR RCH ATL LVS DAR HCY TEX BRI NSV TAL NHA NZH33 CLT DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAL CAR HOM NC 0 1998 Andretti-Laird Racing 96 Pontiac DAY CAR35 LVS32 NSVDNQ DARDNQ BRI TEX HCY TAL NHA 92nd 125 H & H Motorsports 51 Chevy NZH39 CLT DOV RCH PPR GLN MLW MYB CAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT GTY CAR ATL HOM 1999 Prime Performance Motorsports 05 Chevy DAYDNQ CAR22 LVS ATL DAR TEX NSV BRI TAL CAL NHA RCH NZH CLT DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB PPR GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO HOM 109th 102 2000 GTS Motorsports 90 Chevy DAY CARDNQ LVS ATL DAR23 BRI20 TEX NSV TAL CAL RCHDNQ NHA CLT39 DOVDNQ SBO MYB GLN31 MLW NZH13 PPR GTY IRP MCH BRI20 DARDNQ RCHDNQ DOV41 CLTDNQ CARDNQ MEMDNQ PHO HOM18 56th 689 Competed only in companion events with Busch North Series as BNS driver and ineligible for Busch Series points

Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Pts Ref 1998 Phelon Motorsports 66 Ford WDW HOM PHO POR EVG I70 GLN TEX BRI MLW NZH CAL PPR IRP NHA FLM NSV HPT LVL RCH MEM GTY MAR SON MMR PHO LVS8 49th 142 1999 HOM2 PHO13 EVG24 MMR14 MAR12 MEM11 PPR11 I707 BRI22 TEX28 PIR13 GLN11 MLW13 NSV8 NZH8 MCH7 NHA13 IRP16 GTY6 HPT10 RCH16 LVS32 LVL9 TEX31 CAL9 13th 3074

Busch North Series NASCAR Busch North Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Pts Ref 1991 Pearson Racing Enterprises 20 Pontiac DAY RCH CAR NHA OXF NZH MND26 OXF TMP19 HOL JEN EPP STA1* OXF NHA FLE OXF TMP24 NHA10 RPS3 TMP DOV EPP NHA 29th 808 1992 Auto Palace 14 Chevy DAY CAR RCH NHA16 NZH MND OXF DOV LEE JEN OXF NHA15 NHA9 EPP 31st 601 74 NHA8 OXF HOL EPP 88 Pontiac RPS25 OXF 1993 Don Ling Sr. 6 Pontiac LEE10 NHA22 MND13 NZH15 HOL15 GLN17 JEN27 STA28 GLN29 NHA17 WIS9 NHA3 NHA39 RPS9 TMP12* WMM12 LEE8 EPP16 LRP8 9th 1991 1994 Mike Greci 51 Chevy NHA2 24th 1315 Auto Palace 11 NHA41 MND 14 NZH16 SPE HOL GLN31 JEN EPP GLN NHA35 WIS STA3 TMP17 MND9 WMM RPS7 LEE NHA5 LRP7 1995 Allen Avery 09 Olds DAY NHA1 LEEDNQ JEN7 HOL23 BEE9 TMP5 GLN NHA8 TIO5 MND2 GLN8 EPP13 RPS1* LEE4 STA18 BEE9 NHA5 TMP1 LRP20 2nd 2621 Kennedy Racing 00 Olds LEE6 Allen Avery 09 Chevy NHA41 NZH41 1996 Mike Greci 51 Chevy DAY LEE6 JEN5 NZH14 HOL12 NHA22 TIO19 BEE3 TMP2 NZH15 NHA23 STA28 GLN4 EPP19 RPS3 LEE15 NHA39 NHA5 BEE17 TMP2* LRP5 6th 2523 1997 DAY LEE5 JEN12 NHA5 NZH33 HOL2* NHA3 STA5 BEE2 TMP5 NZH3* TIO2 NHA12 STA8 THU16 GLN37 EPP1 RPS2* BEE2 TMP1* NHA4 LRP9 1st 3033 1998 LEE2* RPS5 NHA18 NZH39 HOL4 GLN STA4 NHA7 DOV29 STA1* NHA4 GLN10 EPP8 JEN1 NHA8 THU7 TMP1 BEE10 LRP1* 1st 2554 2001 Team Goewey 20 Chevy LEE NHA SEE HOL BEE EPP STA WFD BEE TMP NHA14 STA SEE GLN NZH THU BEE DOV STA LRP 67th 121 2003 Grizco Racing 55 Chevy LEE5 STA11 ERI3* BEE4 STA11 HOL17 TMP13 NHA11 WFD2 SEE2 GLN7 ADI12 BEE14 THU10 NHA5 STA8 LRP5 2nd 2446 2004 LEE5 TMP2 LRP27* SEE11 STA13 HOL12 ERI8 WFD2 NHA6 ADI10 GLN5 NHA16 DOV4 5th 1824 2005 STA9 HOL1** ERI2 NHA1* WFD5 ADI4 STA6 DUB5 OXF8 NHA6 DOV9 LRP5 TMP2 2nd 2078

Whelen Modified Tour