Steve Pfeifer

Steve Pfeifer
Born (1938-10-04) October 4, 1938 (age 88)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
NASCAR Cup Series career
8 races run over 4 years
Best finish77th (1980)
First race1978 Los Angeles Times 500 (Ontario)
Last race1981 Warner W. Hodgdon 400 (Riverside)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
ARCA Menards Series career
Best finishN/A (1981)
ARCA Menards Series West career
53 races run over 9 years
Best finish10th (1980)
First race1976 Winston Monterey 100 (Laguna Seca)
Last race1985 Stroh's Beer 200 (Kent)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 3 0
Statistics up to date as of October 5, 2026.

Steve Pfeifer (born October 4, 1938) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He primarily competed in the NASCAR Winston West Series from 1976 to 1985. He is best known for his crash in the 1979 Gabriel 400, where he went over the pit wall while filling in for Roger Hamby.

Racing career

Pfeifer began competing in the USAC Stock Car Series in 1971, running four races with a best finish of twelfth at New Bremen Speedway. He made one start in 1972, finishing seventeenth at the Indianapolis Raceway Park Road Course. He also attempted two NASCAR Winston Cup Series races at Ontario Motor Speedway and Michigan International Speedway, failing to qualifying for both events. Pfeifer made his NASCAR Winston West Series debut in 1976, finishing last in 26th after a second-lap crash at Laguna Seca Raceway. He failed to qualify for the combination race at Ontario. Pfeifer made twelve Winston West starts in 1977, scoring his first top-ten at All American Speedway. He failed to qualify for the first combination race at Riverside International Raceway as well as the Ontario combination race. Pfeifer ran 18 of 22 Winston West races in 1978, scoring his only career top-five with a fifth-place finish at Craig Road Speedway. He failed to qualify for the combination races at Riverside but would make his Winston Cup debut in the Ontario combination race, finishing 32nd due to battery issues. He also returned to the USAC Stock Car Series, finishing sixteenth at Ontario. Pfeifer made two Winston West starts in 1979, finishing eighteenth at Sears Point International Raceway and twentieth at Phoenix International Raceway. He failed to qualify for the first Riverside combination race and would finish 32nd in the second due to a fire after eight laps; he also competed at Charlotte Motor Speedway, finishing 30th, and Atlanta International Raceway, finishing 34th due to a crash. In the 1979 Gabriel 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Pfeifer relieved Roger Hamby. He was involved in a crash that sent him over the pit wall while coming in for a pit stop, resulting in cuts over his right knee and on his chest and a right foot injury to photographer Ray Crook. Pfeifer also made his final USAC Stock Car start in 1979, finishing fifteenth at Ontario. He ran nine Winston West races in 1980, scoring his third and final career top-ten with a sixth-place finish at Sears Point. He finished 27th and 21st in the combination races at Riverside. Pfeifer made four Winston West starts in 1981 with a best finish of fourteenth at Riverside. He finished 24th in the first Riverside combination race and the aforementioned fourteenth place also came in a Riverside combination race. 1981 also saw Pfeifer make his only ARCA Racing Series attempt at Daytona International Speedway, failing to qualify. Pfeifer made three Winston West starts in 1982, scoring a best finish of seventeenth at Sears Point. He withdrew from the first Riverside combination race. Pfeifer ran three Winston West races again in 1983 with a best finish of fourteenth at Evergreen Speedway. He failed to qualify for the Winston Cup finale at Riverside, his final career Winston Cup attempt. He made his final Winston West start in 1985, finishing fifteenth at Seattle International Raceway due to engine issues. In 1988, Pfeifer ran seven of eight races in the SCCA Escort Endurance Championship with a best overall finish of eighth at Sears Point and a best class finish of second at Sears Point and Brainerd International Raceway. He ran six of eight races in 1989, scoring a best overall finish of fifteenth at Sears Point and a best class finish of third at Road Atlanta. Pfeifer ran the 1998 24 Hours of Daytona for Fantasy Junction-Coys Racing, and with co-drivers Bruce Trenery, Spencer Trenery, Graheme Bryant, and Kent Painter, finished 41st overall and eleventh in the Can-Am class. He ran the race again in 1999, this time for Pettit Racing, and with co-drivers Cameron Worth, Scott Sansone, and Ryan Hampton, where he finished 30th overall and seventh in the GT2 class.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCSC Pts Ref
1972 Pfeifer Racing 08 Chevy RSD DAY RCH ONT
DNQ
CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV MCH
DNQ
RSD TWS DAY BRI TRN ATL TAL MCH NSV DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR TWS NA 0
1976 David Hails 0 Chevy RSD DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT
DNQ
143rd 0
1977 Pfeifer Racing RSD
DNQ
DAY RCH CAR ATL NWS DAR BRI MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL 144th 0
McCluney Racing 60 ONT
DNQ
1978 0 RSD
DNQ
DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT NSV RSD
DNQ
MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT
32
100th 67
1979 RSD
DNQ
DAY CAR RCH ATL NWS BRI DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD
32
85th 134
Hamby Motorsports 17 MCH
RL†
DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT
30
NWS CAR ATL
34
ONT
1980 Don Guy Racing 57 RSD
27
DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS 77th 182
Kord-Pfeifer Racing 94 RSD
21
MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR ATL ONT
1981 Pfeifer Racing RSD
24
DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS 86th 91
Hamby Motorsports 17 RSD
14
MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD
1982 McCluney Racing 0 Pontiac DAY RCH BRI ATL CAR DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT POC RSD
Wth
MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS CLT MAR CAR ATL RSD 138th 0
1983 Unknown 8 Unknown DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV BRI CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD
DNQ
135th 0
† – Relieved Roger Hamby

Winston West Series

NASCAR Winston West Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 NWWSC Pts Ref
1972 Pfeifer Racing 08 Chevy RSD ONT
DNQ
SJS S99 SMN TCR YAK EVG RSD MED POR IFS MER SPS LSP WSP SKA RAS CRS OSS SGS CSP BKS EVG USP YAK POR ASP WCR SMN NA 0
1973 AMP MAD S99 AUR KFS CBS USP POR SPS WER SGS CAJ OSS CSP BKS LAG
DNQ
EVG WSP YAK POR AMP NA 0
1976 David Hails 0 Chevy RSD RSD EVG WSP USP POR SHA SGS EVG YAK POR LAG
26
ONT
DNQ
NA 25.75
1977 Pfeifer Racing RSD LAG
29
ONT
22
SJS
20
MMR ASP
18
RSD SGS YAK EVG WSP
15
USP POR
19
AAS
10
CRS
16
ASP
23
SHA
12
PHO
14
14th 661.5
Unknown 36 POR
23
McCluney Racing 60 ONT
DNQ
1978 0 RSD
DNQ
AAS ONT
32
PHO
DNQ
12th 693
Olds S99
15
SHA
14
PET
13
MMR
12
RSD IFS
11
YAK
14
WSP
21
LSP
17
EVG
16
POR
18
CRS
5
ASP
14
SON
11
SHA
21
CBS
13
YAK
19
OSS
12
1979 Chevy RSD
DNQ
MMR RSD EVG YAK POR AAS SHA CRS SON
18
EVG SPO POR ASP ONT 28th 134
Hamby Motorsports 17 PHO
20
1980 Don Guy Racing 57 RSD
27
10th 325
Pfeifer Racing ONT
29
Kord Racing 94 S99
19
Kord-Pfiefer Racing RSD
21
LAG
11
SON
6
PHO
21
Kord Racing 74 Pontiac EVG
21
POR
Davis Racing 22 Dodge MMR
15
ONT
1981 Pfeifer Racing 94 Chevy RSD
24
S99 AAS MMR 33rd 76
Hamby Motorsports 17 RSD
14
Kord-Pfiefer Racing 94 Olds LAG
18
POR WSP EVG SHA RSD SON RSD
Unknown 66 Pontiac PHO
21
1982 Pfeifer Racing 0 MMR S99 AAS RSD
Wth
POR WSP SHA EVG SON
17
CDR RSD
21
RSD PHO
19
23rd 156
1983 Mike Gustafson 3 S99 SON
16
RSD YAK 22nd 157
0 EVG
14
SHA RSD
23
CPL RSD PHO
1985 KC Racing 91 Olds SON SHA RSD MMR SIR
15
POR STA YAK EVG WSR MMR RSD 46th 36

ARCA

ARCA Racing Series

ARCA Racing Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ARSC Pts Ref
1981 Hamby Motorsports 17 Chevy DAY
DNQ
DSP FRS FRS BFS TAL FRS COR NA 0

References

  1. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1971 USAC Stock Car Series Results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1972 USAC Stock Car Series Results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1976 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1977 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1978 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1978 USAC Stock Car Series Results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1979 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Baker Garners Gabriel 400". The Hour. June 18, 1979. p. 24. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1979 USAC Stock Car Series Results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1980 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1981 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  18. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  19. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1981 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  20. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1982 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  21. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  22. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1983 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  23. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  24. 1 2 "Steve Pfeifer – 1985 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1988 SCCA Escort Endurance Championship Results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1989 SCCA Escort Endurance Championship Results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  27. ↑ "1998 24 Hours of Daytona results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1998 U.S. Road Racing Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  29. ↑ "1999 24 Hours of Daytona Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1999 U.S. Road Racing Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1972 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Steve Pfeifer – 1973 NASCAR Winston West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 7, 2026.