Stevens Jr. forges ahead to Gators after Valdosta testing

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 3 of 23
ACDelco NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE (FLA.) RACEWAY
Race Date: March 17-19, 2006

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 15, 2006) - Richie Stevens Jr., driver of the Team
Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T Pro Stock car, is ready to attack the NHRA
Gatornationals this weekend at Gainesville, Fla., following a successful
three-day test session at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Ga.

"We went 6.683 seconds at 202.06 mph in the Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge in the
heat of the day on Monday, and it felt pretty good," said Stevens.

Tuesday testing followed with a string of quick, solid passes, including a
6.688/206.88, a 6.685/206.85 and a best of 6.681/207.60. "It felt like a
bracket car," said Stevens, who is looking for his first Pro Stock win since
joining Don Schumacher Racing in 2005. "If we can keep that up on race day
in Gainesville, we'll be looking good. That was with a new engine, and it
sounded great. Bob (Glidden, crew chief) said we'll probably leave that
bullet in there for the race."

The New Orleans native, who is ninth in Pro Stock points after two events,
is ready to move up in the standings this weekend. "We want to keep climbing
up the ladder," he said. "We had some bad luck in Pomona, made some progress
in Phoenix and went a round, so we just have to keep climbing up that
ladder.

"The test session helped out a lot. The conditions were pretty close to
what we usually face on race days. We got some good data for the hot tracks.
It should help us out on midday Saturday and on Sundays, which is where we
struggled a little bit last year.

"Testing is so hard on the crew guys," he continued, "and I'm a little worn
out, but it's worth it. Now I'm ready to get to Gainesville and go some
rounds on Sunday." 

Last year in Gainesville, Stevens qualified 14th and lost in the second
round to eventual event winner Jason Line.

SCHEDULE
Friday, March 17, professional qualifying sessions are at 11:30 a.m.
and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 18, pro qualifying continues at 11:30
a.m. and 2:30 p.m. On Sunday, March 19, pre-race ceremonies are at 10
a.m., and final eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION
Sunday, March 19, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of
qualifying highlights at 12:30 a.m. (ET). On Sunday, March 19, ESPN2
and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine
show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET). On Sunday, March 19, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will
televise two hours of final eliminations at 5 p.m. (ET).

SATELLITE:
Friday, March 17, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) SBS 6/Transponder 17K (downlink
freq: 12117, MHz horizontal) Saturday, March 18, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) SBS
6/Transponder 17K (downlink freq: 12117, MHz horizontal) Sunday, March
19, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) SBS 6/Transponder 17K (downlink freq: 12117, MHz
horizontal)

RICHIE STEVENS JR. QUICK FACTS:
* Ninth in 2006 Pro Stock standings after two events
* Eighth in 2005 Pro Stock points, reached final round twice, was No. 1
qualifier once
* Qualified No. 14 at Gatornationals last year with an elapsed time of
6.696-seconds at 205.35 mph, lost second round to Jason Line
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing after sending in a resume for 2005 season
* Cut short driving career in 2002 to run family business while dad
Richie Sr. underwent open-heart surgery
* With dad Richie Stevens Sr. owns Stevens Collision Center in New
Orleans
* Born and raised in New Orleans, is 27 years old (Sept. 27, 1978)
* His career-best ET and speed so far: 6.669 ET (Englishtown 2005) and
207.08 mph in Gainesville, Fla., 2005
* Has longtime relationship with associate sponsor Valspar
* Capped off rookie season in 1998 with a victory in his first
final-round appearance (Pomona 2)
* Is youngest Pro Stock driver to win a national event, at 20-one month, in
1998
* Has four career wins in nine final rounds, two No. 1 qualifiers to his
credit
* In 1999 he became the eighth member of the Speed Pro 200-mph Pro Stock
Club with a 200.08 mph run in Richmond, Va.
* Competed in Roy Hill's Pro Mod car in 2004, with a semifinal finish at the
U.S. Nationals his best result