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This week I had the opportunity to spend some time with Kalamazoo Pure Stock Rookie Driver Steve Lefleure.

Steve lives in Mishawaka, In but he chooses to race at Kalamazoo.

“What a facility.  They treat us wonderful there.  Its the fastest, skinniest track I’ve ever raced on.” said Lefleure, talking about Kalamazoo Speedway.

The “Pure Stock” class of cars has been dominated in recent history by GM Metric Body cars and the 350 Chevy Engine.

It is very rare that you find anyone in the Pure Stock class running anything but a GM, but Steve is that one-off guy attempting to break the bow-tie stranglehold on the class.

The White No. 88 of Lefleure is a 1975 Plymouth Scamp.  Powered by a 360 Dodge Crate Motor.  Making about 380 hp, Steve hopes to show folks that you don’t have to be a “GM Guy” to run up front.

Steve traces his racing linage back to his family.

“My whole family races.  My Dad raced, my Mom raced, we got our start at South Bend Speedway.”

The Lefleure race team spends its Friday’s at M-40 Speedway, Saturday’s at Kalamazoo Speedway and they’d love to see a Sunday track because they want to run three times a weekend.

“We have a great set of sponsors, its just wonderful.  Champion Windows, the Case Family, Lilly Jean’s Drive-In, Russell Automotive in Union, Purgatory Towing, J&R Sew and Vac out of LaPorte, Joe’s Lawn care..  we are just excited about this year. 

One of things I like to ask all driver’s is about their first race.  Its generally one of a driver’s best memories and its fascinating to driver’s talk about it.

For Steve, his first night out was at South Bend Speedway.  Steve said “I tried to knock down the front stretch wall on the first lap.”.

LeFleure said he has high expectations for the 2009 season, “We built this car for the 2008 season.  Took it to M-40 and we won the feature on the first night out.  Next week, we blew up the motor.  I took the motor out of my street car, and blew it out while leading the race on the 3rd night.  That shut us down for the season, but we spend the rest of 2008 getting ready for this year.”

“I have been stock piling parts for three years, upper control arms, lower control arms, fenders, everything.  We are focused on 2009 and we are out to win.”

Steve says his primary focus is rookie of the year at Kalamazoo Speedway.

If your at the track this weekend , you won’t be able to miss the No. 88 car, because it looks like nothing else out there and I for one am glad to see it !