Stevens advances to second round, moves to seventh in points

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 22, 2005) - Richie Stevens Jr. moved into seventh place in
the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Pro Stock division standings
today, breaking the tie in eighth with his teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr., after
advancing to the quarterfinal round.

Stevens, in the Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T from Don Schumacher
Racing, dismissed V. Gaines in the first round in a close match against his
fellow Dodge competitor (6.766/204.08 vs. 6.796/203.00), but failed to earn
lane choice against Kurt Johnson for the second round.

The New Orleans native had the edge over K.J. at the starting line,
launching .030 of a second quicker than his opponent. It looked good for
Stevens at half-track, but Johnson drove around him at the finish, winning
the round with a 6.750/204.42 pass to Stevens' losing 6.792/203.61. Margin
of victory: .0127 of a second.

"I left on him, but it just wasn't enough," said Stevens. "A .35 to his .62.
It looked like enough halfway down the track, but then he started pulling
away on the top end and went around me. It was close. But it wasn't close in
my favor.

"We had a good day. We qualified well (No. 7) and went to the second round.
We stayed alive in points and even moved up a spot."

DSR teammate Coughlin lost first round to Greg Anderson and fell to 10th in
the rankings.

"We were trying to keep it alive for the Dodge fans in the second round," he
added, "because we were the only one left, but it didn't go our way."

Lane choice may have contributed to Stevens' loss. "I think probably the
left lane was a tad bit better. We slowed up a little bit in the right. We
didn't make a picture perfect run, but we didn't make a bad run. I think the
left lane was definitely worth something, but Greg Anderson went a .75 in
the right lane against Warren Johnson. it's kind of a guesstimate, I guess.

"I think we're working in the right direction. The Team Mopar/Valspar
HEMI-powered Dodge has been great, we definitely have the power. But this
track was a little tricky this weekend. It kind of threw everybody for a
loop. So we'll do some more testing. I don't think we'll do any testing
before Topeka, but we'll go to Topeka and get that one down."

Stevens' record in Topeka includes a No. 1 qualifier in 1999. "Hopefully
we'll do well out there. I have a pretty good record there. We'll hope for
the best, and after Topeka we'll get some testing in."

Heartland Park Topeka will host the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals this May
27-29 weekend.