By Jeanne Sager
May 7, 2002 – LIVINGSTON MANOR:

Name: Stephanie Babich

Age: 18

Hometown: Livingston Manor

School and grade: Livingston Manor Central School, 12th grade.

Family: Stephanie’s parents are Diane and Thomas Babich. She has two sisters, Valentina and Christine.

Favorite sports: Basketball, soccer and softball.

Ultimate athletic goal or dream career: To go to college and become an elementary school teacher.

College plans: “I plan to go to Sullivan County Community College for two years and then hopefully transfer to (SUNY) Oneonta,” Stephanie said.

Favorite school subject: Gym.

Stephanie Babich is holding her own.
The only girl in the four cylinder stock racing class at Kauneonga Speedway, Babich knows she can beat the boys.
“It’s quite intimidating,” she said. “But it looked like a lot of fun.”
Babich isn’t one to be intimidated by a sport. She’s been playing basketball since fifth grade and softball and soccer since seventh grade.
Because Babich loves children and sports, she’s begun helping her mom, Diane, as an assistant American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) coach.
“I like little kids,” she explained. “And I’m working with seven or eight-year-olds.”
In addition, Babich has been a Girl Scout since first grade, and earned her silver award last year. She’s been secretary for her class for the past four years, and has been involved in ski club.
“I like to be active,” Babich explained. “I like always having something to do, and (by) playing sports I get to be with my friends.”
Said her mom, “She’s very busy, in addition to all she does at school she works one day a week at the local grocery store, Peck’s.”
“I’m very proud of her,” Diane Babich added.
After accompanying her father, Thomas, to races at the local speedway, Babich decided she could go out there and race too.
The sport doesn’t require any training – just a driver’s license, which she has had since turning 16.
So she and Thomas built her own car, a four-cylinder Chevy Cavalier, and she headed out on the track.
“At first I was a little nervous,” she said, especially to be racing against a group of boys.
But the other racers have adjusted well to the new girl on the track, and Babich’s getting into the groove and having fun.
Babich just began racing last month so she hasn’t won yet, but she wants to keep racing through the summer after graduation.
To keep her mind focused on racing, Babich watches NASCAR races on television, rooting for a fellow Chevy driver – Dale Earnhardt Jr.