NASCAR, Coventry Mourn The Loss Of Mike Stefanik

COVENTRY, RI — The racing world is mourning the loss of a heavyweight. Over the weekend, NASCAR champion Mike Stefanik, a Coventry resident, died in a plane crash. Stefanik was 61 years old.

Stefanik was one of just two drivers in NASCAR's history to win nine national series or touring championships, the organization said.

The crash happened on Sunday, when Stefanik's single-person plane went down shortly after takeoff from Greene, WPRI reported.

The Town of Coventry offered its condolences to Stefanik's widow, Julie, and his two daughters. In his honor, the town lowered its flags to half-staff, where they will remain until the burial.

"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 statement. "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."

"Breaks my heart," wrote fellow racer Dale Earnheart, Jr. "I hope his family and friends can find some peace and comfort somehow."

During his nearly 30-year career, Stefanik won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship seven times, winning both the tour and Busch North in 1997 and 1998, NASCAR said. In 1991, at age 41, he won rookie of the year in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, among other career accomplishments.