Richie Stevens survives Katrina, will race in Indy

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
U.S. NATIONALS
INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK
ROUND 18 OF 23
RACE DATES: SEPT. 2-5, 2005


INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 2, 2005) - New Orleans native Richie Stevens Jr., driver
of the Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T Pro Stock for Don Schumacher
Racing, personally survived the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and will
drive in this weekend's U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Unfortunately, he can't say the same for his home and his family business,
Stevens Collision Center, but he's grateful that his dad Richie Sr., his mom
JoAnn and his sister Brittney also survived the storm. His family remained
in New Orleans to survey the damage to their home and business and do what
is necessary to recover from the destruction.

Stevens escaped the direct wrath of the storm by leaving New Orleans with
four friends in three cars on Sunday as the storm approached, but then
endured Katrina as she changed direction and followed his path.

"The storm ended up coming right where we were. The eye of the storm ended
up passing right over Hattiesburg, Miss." he said. "Luckily we were in a
well-built hotel. The hotel that was right next to us got torn down to
nothing. We lost power, we lost water Sunday night, and stayed there until
Wednesday. We didn't have a choice, we couldn't really leave.

"The problem was I had used up all the fuel getting there. When it came time
to leave, I couldn't leave because I didn't have any gas in our car. We had
three cars between the five of us. One of the cars had about a half a tank
of gas. Five of us piled into one car.

"I knew I had to be in Indy, I knew I had to race this weekend. And, I knew
I wouldn't be able to catch a flight from anywhere. We started driving
yesterday morning and drove until sundown. We stayed the night in Jackson,
Tenn.

"My house is gone. The area that I live in is right where the storm
initially hit. They said my house has anywhere from 10 to 15 feet of water
in it. I'm assuming that it is pretty much destroyed.

"No word yet on the family business. My dad has not gotten any direct word
about it. Areas close to there don't look good, but we don't know.

"It's probably not going to really hit me until I go back home and see
what's gone. I just got my house a year ago. I've probably lost all my
personal stuff, clothes, pictures, yearbooks, everything like that. If word
is right about the 10 to 15 feet of water, then what I have with me is
probably all I have."

For a detailed version of Stevens' ordeal, go to his blog on nhra.com.