NHRA
Richie Stevens still riding Phoenix hot streak
PHOENIX (Feb. 21) -- Returning to Firebird International Raceway for this weekend's 16th annual Checker-Schuck's-Kragen Nationals marks a special point in time for Valspar Refinish Pro Stock driver Richie "The Kid" Stevens. It was exactly one year ...
Edited: Apr 15, 2002, 11:45 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
PHOENIX (Feb. 21) -- Returning to Firebird International Raceway for this weekend's 16th annual Checker-Schuck's-Kragen Nationals marks a special point in time for Valspar Refinish Pro Stock driver Richie "The Kid" Stevens. It was exactly one year ago at this event when Stevens and his father Richie Stevens Sr. became co-owners of their race team, buying the operation outright from former owner Shawn Collins.
In the year since taking over the team, Stevens' career has skyrocketed. For starters, he has qualified for every national event, a stunning feat only five-time Winston champion Warren Johnson has equaled. Stevens also successfully earned a position in two special events, the Winston "No Bull" Showdown and the Holley Pro Stock Dominator Duel.
Additionally, the 21-year-old from New Orleans has raced to four final rounds and won another national event since last visiting the Arizona desert. He captured his first career pole in Topeka, Kan. and joined the Speed-Pro 200-mph Club in Richmond, Va., where he also set and briefly held the national elapsed time record. Stevens was also a finalist for the Auto Club of Southern California "Road to the Future" Award and finished the year a career-high fifth in points.
"We definitely had a great year and it all started in Phoenix," said Stevens, who also signed a two-year major sponsorship agreement with Valspar last season. "We got on a real hot streak and went to three finals in a row. I'd love to start another run like that with a win here.
"The Valspar Racing team is off to a great start already but we have to stay on our toes at Firebird International Raceway. I've haven't done very well in the two events we've run here. I've just had a tough time getting a hold of this track. It can be tricky for these Pro Stock cars and if the desert winds are blowing dust around the track, it's even worse. But all the teams are fighting the same conditions so it's up to us to be competitive."
Stevens enters this race in eighth place in the Winston championship points standings, having reached the second round of the season-opening Winternationals before bowing out to new engine supplier Warren Johnson.
"Warren wasn't overly happy when we left California," Stevens said. "I know he's been wearing our motors out on the dyno getting us all ready for Phoenix. On our end, (crew chief) Tommy Utt has continued to work on matching our Valspar Pontiac Firebird to W.J.'s horsepower. Between what he's done and what Warren's done, I expect us to break this Phoenix curse."
The elimination rounds of the Checker-Schuck's-Kragen Nationals will be televised on Speedvision from 7-8:30 p.m. (ET), Sunday, Feb. 27 with a rebroadcast later that evening on Fox Sports Net from midnight-1:30 a.m. (ET).
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article SBRS: Skip Barber Karting Scholarship Winners Announced
Next article CHAMPCAR/CART: Michael Jourdain Tests for First Time at Sebring
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Warren Johnson
Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees
IMSA Others
IMSA Others
Ricky Carmichael, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin among Hall of Fame Inductees
Andrew Hines wins bike battle at Sonoma
NHRA
NHRA
Sonoma
Andrew Hines wins bike battle at Sonoma
DeJoria, Enders-Stevens in prime position to make NHRA history in Atlanta
NHRA
NHRA
DeJoria, Enders-Stevens in prime position to make NHRA history in Atlanta
Latest news
Who slept worst last night: Fernando Alonso
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
50 min
Who slept worst last night: Fernando Alonso
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 h
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
Oscar Piastri splits from Mark Webber management
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Oscar Piastri splits from Mark Webber management
WEC drivers question lack of full-course yellow after heavy Monza crash
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
3 h
WEC drivers question lack of full-course yellow after heavy Monza crash
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe