Championship Drag Racing

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals
Atlanta, GA
(April 26-29)

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Driver Profile

Richie Stevens Nitro Fish Pontiac GXP

Atlanta, Saturday: Richie Stevens Jr. qualified the Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T in No. 6 for the third straight race today at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. Driving an all-new Rick Jones-built car this weekend, Stevens posted his quickest lap, a 6.659-second effort at 206.51 mph, in the Friday evening session.

His other laps included a 6.696/205.76, a 6.681/206.39, and a 6.712/206.20 in the final qualifying round, in the less desirable left lane.

"That left lane balled up there real bad and we just blew the tires off it in the last hit," said Stevens. "But we're real happy with the new Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge. We tested real well early this week in St. Louis and came out here and went down the track all four runs and qualified in the top half. That's a good thing going in tomorrow, because obviously the left lane is not too great out there. So, we'll probably be in the right lane come first round and we got old Jim Yates. We took him out earlier this year and hopefully we'll take him out again.

"Rick Jones gave us a good car. It's been flawless since we got it. I don't want to jinx it, but I think it's going to be a good one. I think once we get to working on it for tomorrow it will be where it needs to be. Not that it's not there yet, but it's pretty damned close."

As mentioned, Stevens faces Jim Yates in the opening round of eliminations on Sunday.

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