Foundation Established Honoring Mike Stefanik
The Michael P. Stefanik Charitable Foundation has launched “to provide educational opportunities to young men and women who exemplify Michael Stefanik’s unwavering character and relentless passion.”
Donations will go towards scholarships for local people interested in auto racing and aviation.
The store has foundation t-shirts for $25.
For more information or to donate, visit StefanikFoundation.org.
Mike Stefanik died September 15 after a single-seat plane crash. The 61-year-old Coventry, RI resident won a record-tying 9 NASCAR regional championships. He was the winningest driver in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour with 74 wins and 7 championships. In 1997-98, he simultaneously won the Modified titles with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (then called Busch North). That success led to an opportunity in the NASCAR Truck Series, where he was the 1999 Rookie of the Year.
A six-time nominee for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Stefanik was inducted into several halls of fame: Riverside Park Speedway (1999), Eastern Motorsports Press Association (2016), and New England Auto Racers (2018).
Mike, originally from Wilbraham, MA, followed his older brother Bobby into the sport. Stefanik’s lengthy career included track championships at the former Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, MA, and Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway. He won over 100 races at more than 20 tracks. He won in TQ Midgets, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Modifieds and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
“Mike Stefanik was one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history, but even more so, he was a true representative of our sport,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said in a press release. “His tough, competitive nature and excellence on the race track won him the respect and admiration of fans and competitors alike. His career stretched more than 30 years, bridging the generations between Jerry Cook and Richie Evans to our current drivers. He recorded achievements in this sport that are likely untouchable, and his legacy as a champion will endure. We will keep his wife Julie and his family and friends in our prayers.”
by: Nicholas Teto, YankeeRacer.com
Tshirt image courtesy of StefanikFoundation.com
Bones Bourcier with Mike Stefanik at the NEAR Hall of Fame banquet in 2018 – Nicholas Teto photo
Mike Stefanik wins at Star Speedway in 1997 – Troy Bregy collection by Big Al’s Photos
Mike Stefanik at Thompson (CT) Speedway Motorsports Park – Troy Bregy collection by Big Al’s Photos