Team Mopar Pro Stock Qualifying Report - Las Vegas

TEAM MOPAR PRO STOCK QUALIFYING REPORT - LAS VEGAS
2007 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 1 of 2
COUNTDOWN TO 1
ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, Nev.
Oct. 26-28, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 
Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438; jstropus@earthlink.net
Darren Jacobs, J.R. Thompson, 248-553-4566; djacobs@jrthompson.com

RICHIE STEVENS JR., DON SCHUMACHER RACING'S TEAM MOPAR/VALSPAR DODGE STRATUS
R/T:

STEVENS' STEADY IMPROVEMENT LEADS TO SIXTH IN VEGAS QUALIFYING
Defending event champion Richie Stevens Jr. piloted the Team Mopar/Valspar
Dodge Stratus R/T to the No. 6 position in qualifying today at the ACDelco
Las Vegas NHRA Nationals.

The Louisiana native steadily improved throughout each of the four
qualifying sessions, posting runs of 6.788 seconds at 203.00 mph and
6.769/202.97 on Friday, and a run of 6.755/203.95 in the first Saturday
session. Stevens bettered all three marks with a run of 6.747/203.31 on his
final effort, moving him up into the sixth spot, where he'll face "The
Professor" Warren Johnson in the first round.

 "We picked up every round, which is kind of unheard of at most of the
national events," said Stevens, currently ninth in the points standings.
"Usually you make your best run in the morning session or the Friday night
deal. We picked up better and better each round, and finally we made it into
the top half of the field. The field is separated by such a little bit out
there this weekend."

 Stevens helped out his teammate Allen Johnson at the previous event in
Richmond, defeating Kurt Johnson and ensuring A.J. a berth in the two-race
Countdown to One title shootout. If Stevens can get past Warren Johnson, he
may have another opportunity to knock off one of A.J.'s Countdown
competitors, as well as defend his 2006 Vegas win in the fall event.

 "Warren's tough. He's got good horsepower, but I've had his number this
year," said Stevens. "I've run against him a few times this year and I got
the better of him. Hopefully it will continue, and if I can get around him,
not that I'm looking ahead, but Greg Anderson [second in the Countdown
standings] is in our bracket and I could possibly face him in the second
round. Hopefully I can help Allen out and take out another of the guys he is
competing with in the Countdown.

 "He [A.J.] has got Jeggy [Coughlin] in the first round and that's going to
be a big match. They're both fighting in the Countdown. I'm out here to help
AJ, but I'm out here to win the race too. We're on opposite sides of the
bracket, which is probably the best thing; that way we can't meet each other
until the final round. If we get there, we will have both done our jobs
tomorrow, and that's what we are looking to do."

ALLEN JOHNSON, MOPAR/J&J RACING DODGE STRATUS R/T:

A.J. EIGHTH IN VEGAS QUALIFYING, SETS UP MONSTER MATCH-UP WITH COUGHLIN
Allen Johnson secured the No. 8 spot in qualifying with a pass of 6.750
seconds at 204.14 mph today at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, and in
the process set up a huge first-round battle tomorrow with his fellow NHRA
Countdown to One competitor, Jeg Coughlin, the No. 9 qualifier.

Johnson recorded passes of 6.800/203.43 and 6.766/203.37 on Friday before
reeling off his best qualifying effort of the weekend in the first Saturday
session. A run of 6.759/203.61 in the final qualifying session couldn't move
A.J. up the ladder, setting up the crucial first round match-up.

 "We know exactly what we have to do now; no ifs, ands or buts about it,"
said Johnson, currently fourth in the Countdown to One standings, with
Coughlin third. "If we win, we've probably got Dave Connolly [first in the
Countdown] in the second round.

"We control our own destiny. We've got a good shot and we feel confident. I
just have to have a good night and try not to get killed in a dirt track car
over here [Johnson was set to race later tonight in a USAC event at The Dirt
Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway]."

About the significance of his first-round race with Coughlin, Johnson said,
"I don't think it matters. I really don't pay attention to who I race. I
just try to go out there and do my job."

***