LEICHT RETURNS TO NEWPORT FOR 250
for immediate release October 8, 2001 LEICHT RETURNS TO NEWPORT FOR THUNDER IN THE MOUNTAINS 250 NEWPORT, TN (Oct. 8, 2001) - Stephen Leicht returns to Newport Speedway on Saturday night, October 13, for the Thunder in the Mountains 250. Leicht figures his luck has to be better, and he should wind up in winner's circle of the American Racing Association (ARA) Kool Seal Challenge series race. Last Saturday, the 14-year-old sensation from Asheville, NC, led the first 106 laps of the ARA Southern Thunder race at Newport before getting spun out of the lead. He fell back to ninth, but charged his way back to a third-place finish. But the two points he lost prevented him from overtaking problem-plagued Paul Kelley of Snellville, GA, for the Southern Thunder points lead. Despite finishing 19th, Kelley retained a one-point lead over Leicht. "I know it's a different race, but I think Newport owes me a win," Leicht says. "I was just taking it easy, trying to be careful, and I got hit. I hope that doesn't cost me the Southern Thunder championship." Leicht is the only driver who races in both the ARA Kool Seal Challenge Series and Southern Thunder touring late model series. He hasn't fared as well in Kool Seal Late Model Stock Car competition, ranking seventh with 279 points and one victory in his #99 Action Racing Collectibles Ford. The ARA Kool Seal Challenge Series championship battle is a two-man affair between Scott Kilby of Statesville, NC, and Keith Bumgarner of Conover, NC. Kilby leads 521-507, with Greg Marlow of Troutman, NC, third with 422 points. Kilby has boosted his lead by 19 points by winning the last two ARA Kool Seal Challenge Series events in his #20 A&H Windows Chevrolet. He has three wins and 12 top 5 finishes. Bumgarner has five victories and 12 top 5 finishes in his #95 Country Chair Ford. Gates are scheduled to open at noon. Practice is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Time trials for the Battery Supply of Virginia Pole Award are set for 5:30 p.m. The Thunder in the Mountains 250, $5,000 to-win feature race is slated to start at 7:30 p.m. Also on the schedule is a 30-lap Street Stock race and a 30-lap Enduro race. #30# Vivid Images Press Press Information: EarlFannin mailto:efannin@prodigy.net Digital Photography Information: David Allio mailto:dallio@bigfoot.com http://davidallio.tripod.com Award-Winning Motorsports Photography 25th Anniversary 1974-1999