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NASCAR Busch North Series Wall's Auto SNF Cranes 150: Stefanik Wins

18 August 1997

EPPING, NH - Mike Stefanik of Coventry, R.I., picked up his first NASCAR 
Busch North Series victory of the season in the Wall's Auto/SNF Cranes 150 at 
Star Speedway. Stefanik's job was made slightly easier when the race was 
called at Lap 145 of the scheduled 150 due to a rain shower that made the 
track too slick to continue.

Kelly Moore of Scarborough, Me. pulled the magic pole position in the 
traditional re-draw of the top qualifiers, and he headed out to lead the 
field for the first 25 Laps. Stefanik slipped by Moore to lead Lap 26, but 
Moore powered back by to lead the next 40 laps.

Moore spun out in lapped traffic, handing the lead over to Stefanik on Lap 
68, but Stefanik then had a hard-charging Brad Leighton of Center Harbor, 
N.H. to contend with.

Leighton, the 1996 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Champion, drove underneath 
Stefanik in lapped traffic to lead laps 82 to 106, but the crafty veteran 
Stefanik drove around the outside of Leighton on lap 107 for the final lead 
pass of the race, and the eventual victory.

Leighton then had to contend with 1996 NASCAR Busch North Series Championship 
Dave Dion of Hudson, N.H. for the remainder of the race, but Leighton 
prevailed to score the runner-up slot with Dion third.

Moore recovered from the earlier spin to finish fourth with Tom Bolles of 
Ellington, Conn. rounding out the top-five. 

Stefanik collected $10,225 of the posted $67,745 in awards for his win.

By NASCAR Public Relations