Getty Mike Stefanik celebrates a win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
NASCAR‘s list of Greatest Drivers continues to expand with the addition of a nine-time champion. The late Mike Stefanik is the third driver to join the list as it moves closer to 75 names.
NASCAR, which will announce five names a week leading up to Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway, revealed the addition of Stefanik on Tuesday, April 11. The former Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year joins Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne while representing the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
A resume with nine NASCAR championships makes this legendary driver one of the all-time greats.
Today, we add Mike Stefanik to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers List! #NASCAR75
Being named to the list of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers is only the latest posthumous honor bestowed upon Stefanik. In 2021, he was named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame alongside Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Red Farmer.
Stefanik built up a reputation as a respectful racer during his multi-series career, and he showed his skills as a mechanic while building his Modified cars. Stefanik is also only one of two drivers to win nine championships. Fellow Hall of Famer Richie Evans is the other.
Stefanik Delivered Wins & Championships in Multiple Series
GettyMike Stefanik won 7 championships in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
Stefanik, who passed away in September 2019, has a sizable legacy in motorsports. He made limited starts in the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series, but he dominated in the K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour while winning nine championships.
Seven of these championships were in the Modified Tour as Stefanik made 453 starts across 29 years. He won 74 races, which included a 10-win season in 1997 and a 13-win season in 1998. Stefanik won the championship in both of these years, which took him to four total. His first two Modified Tour championships were in 1989 and 1991.
Stefanik added three more championships in the series before making his final start in 2014. He went back-to-back in 2001 and 2002 while winning five total races and then he captured his seventh Modified Tour championship in 2006. This season, in particular, only featured one trip to Victory Lane. Though Stefanik still posted 15 top-10 finishes in 16 starts.
In addition to winning the Modified Tour championships in 1997 and 1998, Stefanik also celebrated wins and titles in another series. He competed in the K&N Pro Series East and secured six of his 12 career wins. He won back-to-back championships while holding off Jerry Marquis and Brad Leighton, respectively.
The Selection Panel Has Named Some Heavy-Hitters
In 1998, NASCAR celebrated its 50th anniversary by naming the 50 Greatest Drivers in history. This list has remained intact ever since, but the decision was made in 2023 to add 25 more names to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the sport.
The panel that selects these drivers has delivered with the first three names. Tony Stewart, a three-time Cup Series champion and 1997 IndyCar Series champion, was the first driver added to the list since 1998. He heard the news during the FOX Sports pre-race show at Bristol Motor Speedway.
18-time Cup Series winner Kasey Kahne was the second name added to the list. Mike Helton called him on his birthday and personally delivered the news. This phone call added another honor to the three-time Coca-Cola 600 winner’s resume.
With Stefanik joining the list, there are now 38 Hall of Fame members represented on the current list of 53 Greatest Drivers. This number should only grow as NASCAR continues to unveil the list of standout competitors.