Stevens qualifies No. 7 in Ohio

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 8 of 23
PONTIAC PERFORMANCE NHRA NATIONALS
NATIONAL TRAIL RACEWAY
HEBRON, OHIO
Race Dates: May 20-22, 2005



HEBRON, Ohio (May 21, 2005) - After four solid Pro Stock qualifying runs for
the NHRA Nationals at National Trail Raceway, Richie Stevens Jr. is No. 7 in
the field of 16, based on the 6.748-second pass at 204.51 mph he posted in
the third qualifying round today in relatively cool conditions.

The final session, in the heat of a 70-degree-plus day, produced a
6.750-second pass at 204.29 mph, the second quickest of that round for the
Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T Pro Stock.

"Not a bad run at all. We were second for the session," said the New Orleans
native who has qualified for each of the eight races so far in his first
season with Don Schumacher Racing, including a No. 1 in Phoenix. "I was
hoping we could pick up a little. It was out there. I think we were still a
little bit light in the clutch area, but that was not a bad run.

"Second for the session definitely shows that we're ready for tomorrow. We
have V. Gaines in the first round. We'll give it a shot. We have lane choice
and I don't think that's all that important this weekend because both lanes
seem to be pretty equal.

"We're here on another Sunday and we have both cars in, Jeggie and myself,
and we're ready to roll."

Stevens' teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. qualified No. 9 and faces Greg Anderson
in first round of final eliminations on Sunday.