Leicht Scores Top-10 Finish at California
In his first NASCAR Nationwide Series race driving for Richard Childress Racing (RCR), Stephen Leicht scored his first top-10 career finish at the Auto Club Speedway of Southern California in yesterday’s Stater Bros. 300.
The rock solid effort advanced RCR’s No. 21 Chevrolet team five positions, to 10th, in the Nationwide Series owner’s championship point standings, 133 markers behind leader Joe Gibbs’ No. 20 entry.
Rain settled across the southern state of California beginning Friday afternoon and would barely let up all weekend, forcing NASCAR to cancel Friday’s practice session and postponing the main event for two days. The sun did peak through Saturday morning, allowing time for the Nationwide Series to practice, but by the time the afternoon hours rolled around the skies once again opened up which led NASCAR to delay the start of the Stater Bros. 300.
Engines fired at approximately 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time Monday afternoon and the Ashville, N.C., native snared a handsome nine positions during the first 22 laps of the 300-mile event before the day’s first caution flag flew.
Informing crew chief Shane Wilson that the No. 21 Racing Gearz Chevrolet was loose entering the corners and tight through the middle, Leicht brought his machine to pit road on lap 23 for four fresh Goodyear tires and fuel, including air pressure and chassis adjustments. The lightning-fast pit stop netted the team four positions and Leicht returned to the racing surface 11th in the running order.
Over the next 24 laps, Leicht informed Wilson that he was still loose entering the turns and lost a couple of positions before the day’s next caution slowed the field on lap 49. The 2007 Meijer 300 winner at Kentucky gave up his 13th position as he headed for pit road on lap 50. The over-the-wall crew bolted on another set of fresh tires, including more air and chassis adjustments, and added fuel and sent their driver back on track 14th.
The yellow flag would be displayed just nine laps later and it was a last minute call to keep Leicht on track and not pit. However, a handful of cars in front of Leicht opted to come down pit road for fuel, allowing the new RCR driver to restart 11th when the field returned to green on lap 71.
The team’s decision not to pit for fuel during the previous caution proved to be costly when green-flag pit stops began on lap 95. Running low on fuel and experiencing a tight-handling machine through the center of the turns, Leicht brought the Racing Gearz Chevrolet to pit road for another round of service, including more air pressure and chassis adjustments. He returned to the track 23rd on lap 100.
The final caution flag of the day waved six laps later and since Leicht was the last car on the lead lap, Wilson choose to use that opportunity to put four fresh tire’s on Leicht’s machine. Another sub-par pit stop by the over-the-wall team advanced Leicht’s on track position to 18th.
Leicht netted an impressive eight positions over the final 40 laps and crossed the finish line 10th.
Tony Stewart captured his second consecutive Nationwide Series victory followed by Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, David Reutimann and Carl Edwards.
Leicht’s RCR teammates Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer finished eighth and ninth, respectively.
The Shane Wilson-led team head towards the City of Lights next weekend for the running of the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where Bobby Labonte will be behind the wheel of the No. 21 Chevrolet. Live coverage of the event will be televised on ESPN2 Saturday, March 1 beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). The race will also be covered live on the Performance Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the third of 35 races on the NASCAR Nationwide Series tour will take place the same day and will be broadcast live on SPEED, PRN and Sirius Satellite Radio beginning at Noon EST.
“Today was a great day for everyone on the Racing Gearz Chevrolet team. We were tight for most of the day but Shane (Wilson) made some adjustments which helped me pass some cars there at the end. I’m just thankful that Richard (Childress) gave me this opportunity. It’s definitely a blast driving his cars,” said Leicht.
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