Stefanik Captures Fall Final At Stafford For Record Eighth Time

By admin October 12, 2008 NASCAR WMT, Stafford

First Win Of Season For Tour’s Winningest Driver

Stafford Springs, CT —  Mike Stefanik capped off a dominating weekend at Stafford Motor Speedway by reaching Victory Lane in the CARQUEST Fall Final for the eighth time in his illustrious career.

Stefanik (No. 16 Diversified Metals/Ace Moldings Pontiac) won the Coors Light Pole Award on Saturday and used the front row starting position to his advantage as he led 129 of the 150 laps in Sunday’s race.

The win Stefanik’s eighth in the Fall Final, Stafford’s traditional season-ending race. It was also his 20th all-time win at track and the 69th in his career overall. All three totals are NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour records.

Matt Hirschman (No. 59 Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet) came home second to Stefanik on Sunday. With the runner-up finish, Hirschman now trails series leader Ted Christopher by just 35 points with one race remaining on the schedule. Christopher (No. 36 Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet) finished sixth.

Chuck Hossfeld (No. 4 Mystic Missile Dodge) was third, while Todd Szegedy (No. 2 Xtra Mart/Wisk-Snuggle Ford) and Eric Beers (No. 46 Reynold’s Auto Wrecking/Sunoco Chevrolet) rounded out the top five finishers.

The rest of the top 10 consisted of Christopher, Rowan Pennink, Anthony Sesely, Glenn Tyler and Kevin Goodale. It was the best finish of the season for Sesely and Tyler.

Prior to the race NASCAR legend Bobby Allison was honored for his 1964 and 1965 NASCAR Modified division titles as part of the celebration of 60 Years of Modified Champions.

The 2008 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship will come down to the season finale at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 19. For Xtra Mart World Series ticket information, please visit Thompson’s official Web Site.

Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR

NWMT Stafford 10/12/08 Unofficial Results

Race: NWMT Oct. 12, 2008 Stafford

Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points Total Award Status
1 1 16 Mike Stefanik Diversified Metals/Ace Moldings Pontiac 150 180 $7,600 Running
2 13 59 Matt Hirschman Ed Bennett Properties Chevrolet 150 170 3,300 Running
3 6 4 Chuck Hossfeld Mystic Missile Dodge 150 165 2,900 Running
4 12 2 Todd Szegedy Xtra Mart/Wisk-Snuggle Ford 150 160 2,700 Running
5 4 46 Eric Beers Reynold’s Auto Wrecking/Sunoco Chevrolet 150 155 2,900 Running
6 2 36 Ted Christopher Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet 150 150 2,200 Running
7 22 93 Rowan Pennink Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet 150 146 2,850 Running
8 19 11 Anthony Sesely A-1 Auto Center Chevrolet 150 142 1,500 Running
9 20 8 Glenn Tyler Sypher Const./Financial Fed. Credit Chevrolet 150 138 1,750 Running
10 21 50 Kevin Goodale Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet 150 134 1,250 Running
11 14 10 Ed Flemke, Jr. Ron Bouchard Auto/Premier Kitchens Chevrolet 150 130 1,550 Running
12 5 1 Rob Summers Frasco Fuel/Hook & Ladder Chevrolet 150 127 1,118 Running
13 15 19 Jimmy Blewett TS Haulers Chevrolet 150 124 1,600 Running
14 26 77 Rick Fuller Toyota Certified Used Vehicles 150 121 1,075 Running
15 16 79 Ronnie Silk Hill Enterprises/Coors Light/Sunoco Pontiac 150 118 1,550 Running
16 9 0 Danny Sammons aarn.com/Cliff Nelson Chevrolet 150 115 1,410 Running
17 23 06 Billy Pauch, Jr. Greenfield Dodge Dodge 150 112 1,385 Running
18 11 09 Bobby Grigas, III Triple-G Scaffold Services Chevrolet 150 109 1,360 Running
19 29 58 Eric Goodale Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet 150 106 1,335 Running
20 3 17 Glen Reen * Reen Orthodontics/Pep Boys Chevrolet 150 103 1,610 Running
21 8 28 Doug Coby Ramar-Hall/Genesis Shocks Chevrolet 149 100 1,280 Running
22 30 12 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood/TS Haulers Ford 149 97 1,250 Running
23 28 90 Renee Dupuis UIG/SFI/Featherlite Chevrolet 148 94 825 Running
24 31 05 Joe Hartmann WMS Const./Charlie’s Collision Chevrolet 148 91 1,225 Running
25 27 33 Wade Cole Performance Engines/Kendall Oil Chevrolet 147 88 1,225 Running
26 7 99 Jamie Tomaino J Co./Clean-Up Supply Chevrolet 147 85 1,225 Running
27 32 32 Tom Abele, Jr. * Synergyn/Crystal Auto Body Chevrolet 147 82 1,225 Running
28 10 3 Ryan Preece Davidson Co./Reynold’s Auto Wrecking 116 79 1,325 Timing Chain
29 17 14 Reggie Ruggiero Atlantic Sprinkler Ford 87 76 825 Suspension
30 24 00 Frank Ruocco Earth Technology/Sherm’s Towing Chevrolet 80 73 825 Drive Shaft
31 18 64 Eric Berndt North End Auto Parts/Cos Central Auto 71 70 825 Engine
32 25 21 Richard Savary Superior Oil/Pine Hill Service Chevrolet 62 67 1,425 Caliper
33 33 9 Jake Marosz Middlesex Auto Center Chevrolet 51 64 1,225 Handling

Fastest Qualifier: Mike Stefanik, Time: 18.158  Seconds, Speed: 99.130  MPH
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 0 mins, 53 secs Average Speed: 73.912 mph Margin of Victory: 0.165 Seconds
COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Mike Stefanik, 16 Diversified Metals/Ace Moldings Pontiac
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Eric Beers, 46 Reynold’s Auto Wrecking/Sunoco Chevrolet
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Rowan Pennink, 93 Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD: Glen Reen *, 17 Reen Orthodontics/Pep Boys Chevrolet
WHELEN WINNER OF THE RACE AWARD: Mike Stefanik, 16 Diversified Metals/Ace Moldings Pontiac
Caution Flags: Laps 60-66; 80-84; 88-92; 136-140; 141-145.  5 for 27 laps.
Lap Leaders: Mike Stefanik 1-62, Rob Summers 63-82, Mike Stefanik 83-91, Ryan Preece 92, Mike Stefanik 93-150.
Total Laps Led: Mike Stefanik 129, Rob Summers 20, Ryan Preece 1.  4 changes involving 3 drivers.
Top 10 Driver Points: Ted Christopher 2261, Matt Hirschman 2226, Todd Szegedy 2118, Chuck Hossfeld 2081, Mike Stefanik 2011, Ronnie Silk 1993, Eric Beers 1981, Rowan Pennink 1889, Jimmy Blewett 1851, Ryan Preece 1827
Next Race: Xtra Mart World Series – Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway – Sunday, Oct. 19
* Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender