Stevens advances to second round in Phoenix

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 2 of 23
CHECKER SCHUCK'S KRAGEN NHRA NATIONALS
FIREBIRD RACEWAY
CHANDLER, ARIZ.
Race Dates: Feb. 25-27, 2005



CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 27, 2005) - Richie Stevens Jr. moved easily into the
second round of the Pro Stock class at the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA
Nationals today, defeating rookie Erica Enders with a 6.735/205.35 to
Enders' 6.789/203.40 in the opening stanza.

He was then paired in the second round with his teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr.,
driving the Jeg's Mail Order/Mopar Dodge Stratus, partner to Stevens' Team
Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge and tuned also by the legendary Bob Glidden.
Stevens had lane choice and selected the left lane, which had been the more
desirable. But the hot Arizona sun had taken its toll and Stevens' Dodge
suffered tire spin against Coughlin's clean run, resulting in a losing
6.802/204.26 pass to Coughlin's winning 6.781/203.65.

"That lane didn't hold up as well as we thought it would," said Stevens,
"and it just blew the tires off down there when I let the clutch out. It
never really connected to the surface. It was loose pretty much the whole
way down. We never got a good baseline start, so it was just junk right from
the hit.

"We gave it our best. We made it to the second round. It's better than being
a first-round loser.

"Running against Jeg was not really a problem for me," he remarked. "I've
run Jeg several times in the past; we're just good friends. Once you get
that first round out of the way, the pressure goes away, in my personal
opinion. We just went up there and had fun. He got me this time and I'll get
him next time."

Coughlin continued to the semifinal round, but lost to Allan Johnson, the
eventual event winner.

In NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series point standings, Stevens ends up tied
with Larry Morgan in eighth place with 90 points.

Next up is the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., March 18-20.