Stephanie
Stevens
ARDC Midget #26
Stephanie is a twenty-three year-old racecar driver participating in her thirteenth year of dirt/asphalt oval racing. She started racing in the go-kart division when she was ten years old, and after flipping during her first feature, she went on to win five track point championships in three different age divisions. She then raced 250cc micro sprints for five years, earning five feature wins, many top-five finishes, and a high of third in points. She just completed her second year of competition with the USAC Ford Focus Midget series in both the North Carolina/Virginia and the Northeast regions. As a rookie last year, she won the Earl’s Fast Qualifying Championship and finished 4th in the overall points championship for the Northeast region. She also set “unofficial” fast lap time at Anderson Speedway, IN during the National Ford Focus event. Another highlight in 2005 was her invitation and participation in the Lyn St. James’ Foundation Women in the Winners’ Circle event. Stephanie is now looking forward to racing in the ARDC midget series.
Racing has always been a family endeavor. All throughout her racing career, Stephanie has raced with/against her younger brother Greg. Long before the sibling competition started however, her dad and uncle were involved in racing street stocks, small block modifieds, and go-karts. (2004 marked the 25th anniversary of “Stevens Racing.”) Now there is only one car in the shop, but in order to help defray the costs, her dad and uncle fabricate and sell racing related products. With this side business they sell parts, build wings, fabricate body panels and rub rails, and do vinyl lettering. When she is not busy working at her internship or exercising, much of Stephanie’s time is spent in the shop getting her car ready or helping her family with customers’ orders.
Besides racing, Stephanie has been heavily involved in school, church, and sports. In elementary school, she balanced racing with soccer, basketball, and softball while maintaining her high honor roll GPA. During high school, she combined racing with field hockey and was fortunate to be a four year varsity starter. She sang as a member of the chorus and of the Madrigals, which is an Elizabethan period a-cappella group. She was the Key Club Secretary, a National Honor Society member, and a NJ Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar. She graduated as the Salutatorian of her high school class in 2002.
Stephanie continued her education at Messiah College, where she recently graduated with her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Her choice of the engineering major was made in hopes that her education will help her better understand chassis set-up and handling, along with increase her general technical know-how. She is continuing to pursue racing as a career. As a graduate of the 2004 Lyn St. James Foundation Driver Development Program, she was taught how to mentally and physically prepare for driving a racecar as well as how to handle the media. In addition, the program has helped her to become more professional both on and off the track. With talent, dedication, and a constant desire to learn, Stephanie is committed to making her dream of becoming a professional driver a reality.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- 1st Female Winner of Earl’s Fast Qualifier Championship
- Unofficial Fast Time-USAC Ford Focus Midget at Anderson Speedway, IN -12.244s, 9/18/05
- 2004 Lyn St. James Foundation Driver Development Graduate
- 1st Female Microsprint Feature Winner
- Lake Moc-A-Tek Speedway, Lake Arielle, PA and
- Accord Speedway, Accord, NY, Rookie At Borgers
- Voted Most Popular Driver by Fans
- Awarded Most Improved Driver by Track
- Most Professional Race Team
- 5 Go-Kart Track Point Championships (1-Senior Light\4-Junior)
- Race Ridz Nascar Late Model Driving School
- Dave Blaney Sprint Car Experience
OTHER NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2005- Rookie season with USAC Ford Focus midgets -4th in Northeast points & 1st female winner Earl’s Fast Qualifier Championship-Also traveled to compete against CA/VA and Midwest divisions-Out of 18 entered races with a “combo” chassis- 6 heat wins, 7 tops 5’s, 14 top 10 feature finishes, and runner up finishes at Adirondack and Seekonk; 2005 Lyn St. James’ Women in the Winner’s Circle
2004 - Limited schedule due to closure of home track & inclement weather. Race Ridz Driving School at South
Boston Speedway, VA – (1st stock car experience-about 200 laps). Completed 30 laps Blaney Outlaw Sprint experience.
2003 - 3rd in Micro-Sprint Points, Lake Moc-A-Tek, Speedway, Lakeville, PA; 2 Feature Wins – Lake Moc-A-Tek
Speedway & Accord Speedway, Accord, NY; 12 top 5’s and 19 top 10 finishes out of 20 completed races
(3 DNF’s), Other tracks: Trail-way Speedway, Hanover, PA; Selinsgrove Speedway, Selinsgrove, PA; Bridgeport Speedway, Bridgeport, NJ
2002 - 4th in Micro-Sprint Points, Lake Moc-A-Tek Speedway, Lakeville, PA; 5 heat wins, 2 Feature Wins, 8 top
5’s and 18 top 10 finishes. Also: Greenwood Valley Action Track, Millville, PA; Trail-way Speedway,
Hanover, PA; Whip City Speedway, Westfield, MA
2001 9th in Micro Sprint Points, Lake Moc-A-Tek Speedway, Lakeville, PA; Most Improved Micro-Sprint
Driver honors awarded by track; Most Popular Micro-Sprint driver by fans. Began 2001 at Borger’s Speedway, Saylorsburg, PA–1/7th mile dirt oval. Finishes: 1 fourth, 3 fifths, 14 top tens. Also: Greenwood Valley Action Track, Bloomsburg, PA.
2000 Micro-Sprint Rookie at Borger's Speedway, Saylorsburg, PA. Highlights - Rookie Feature Winner; 4 top 15 finishes in field of 25. Also: Lake Moc-A-Tek.
Kart #20 – WKA KARTS – Ages 9-15
1999 Hamlin, PA - Dirt track - WKA Senior Stock Light Point Champion
1998 Hamlin, PA - WKA Junior Restricted (12-15 year olds) Point Champion
1997 Not regular season - limited asphalt experience Marsh Creek, PA
1996 Snydersville, PA – Dirt track WKA Junior Restricted Point Champion
1995 /94 Snydersville, PA - WKA Junior Sportsman (10-12 years) Points Champion