Stevens relies on four consistent runs to qualify No. 12 in Reading

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
ROUND 19 OF 23
TOYO TIRES NHRA NATIONALS
MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY
READING, PA.
Race Dates: Sept. 16-18, 2005


STEVENS RELIES ON FOUR CONSISTENT RUNS TO QUALIFY NO. 12 IN READING

READING, Pa. (Sept. 17, 2005) - Building off of their U.S. Nationals
momentum, where they posted their second Pro Stock runner-up finish of the
year, Richie Stevens Jr. and Team Mopar/Valspar cruised to No. 12 in
qualifying with four consistent passes for this weekend's Toyo Tires NHRA
Nationals.

Stevens recorded his quickest elapsed time of 6.769-seconds at
203.46 mph in the third qualifying session today, which followed Friday's
runs of 6.788/203.16 and 6.775/202.97. In the final qualifying run the Team
Mopar/Valspar HEMI-powered Dodge Stratus suffered an engine loss, resulting
in a 6.789/197.05.

Overall, Stevens was happy with the runs. "This track was a little
tricky on Friday. Each run we kept picking up a hundredth (of a second), but
stayed pretty much in the same position. We're in the field. We did good at
the U.S. Nationals from 11th, so maybe we'll get it this weekend.

"In the last run the Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge was on the best pass of the
weekend. Right when I put it into high gear, the motor let go and it fell
right on its face. We still ran a 6.789, which is two-hundredths (of a
second) off of our best run. We only went 197 mph, so we we're off about
five or six mph. It's not bad, we made it all year without hurting stuff, so
it was due," said the New Orleans native, whose home was destroyed as a
result of Hurricane Katrina.

"We were going to change motors before the last run, but (crew chief) Bob
(Glidden) wanted to try some things. All of these motors we have are within
five horsepower of each other, so it's not going to make a difference. We're
fine and we'll be good to go tomorrow," he added.

Stevens faces Jim Yates in the first round of Sunday's Pro Stock final
eliminations.