Catchfence

No. 29 Holiday Inn / Holiday Inn Express Impala SS

Event: Kroger 200 – July 25, 2009

Venue: O’Reilly Raceway Park – Indianapolis, Ind.

Stephen Leicht’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Performance History at O’Reilly Raceway Park

NOTES:

· This Week’s Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet Impala SS at O’Reilly Raceway Park … Stephen Leicht will pilot Chassis No. 057 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable. Last season, Clint Bowyer drove this former No. 2 Chevy at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (October), Bristol Motor Speedway (August) and Gateway International Raceway (July), finishing fourth, second and eighth, respectively. Since then, this chassis has been rebuilt to fit 2009 Chevrolet Impala SS specifications and will be put through its first paces of the season this weekend.

· Statistically Speaking …

o RCR Equipment for Leicht … Leicht, an Asheville, N.C., native, joined RCR in 2008 and has driven in 10 NNS events for the Welcome, N.C.,-based race team. He has recorded five top-10 and eight top-20 finishes dating back to February 25, 2008. Leicht has earned a 12.4 average starting position, a 14.3 average finishing position and has completed 1881 of 1994 (94.3 percent) laps contested.

o RCR at O’Reilly … In 20 NNS starts at ORP, RCR has earned two wins; both with Kevin Harvick in 2001 and 2006. Additionally, RCR-prepared cars have earned six top-five and nine top-10 finishes, led 190 laps and have completed 3717 of 4008 (92.7 percent) laps contested.

o Holiday Inn Racing at ORP… Scott Wimmer piloted the green, white and blue Chevrolet in 2007 and 2008 at the .686-mile oval, finishing seventh and fourth, respectively. In 2006, Jeff Burton finished fifth in the No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevy at ORP.

· Elite Status … Leicht is one of six non-double-duty drivers to run at least one full NNS season since 2006 and have won a race in NASCAR’s junior division. The list also includes Marcos Ambrose, Mike Bliss, Brad Keselowski, Jason Leffler and Paul Menard.

· New Rebranded Look … The No. 29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet is sporting a new look for the remainder of the 2009 season. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express are rebranding and redesigning 3,200 hotels worldwide and, in the process, have incorporated the rebranded logos into a new paint design for the No. 29 RCR Nationwide Series entry. For more information on Holiday Inn’s rebranding efforts, please visit www.relaunch.holidayinn.com.

· Rear-View Mirror … Leicht rallied late to finish sixth in last Saturday evening’s Nationwide Series race at Gateway. It was the No. 29 team’s 12th top-10 finish of the season and moved them up two spots, to seventh, in the NNS owners’ point standings. Although the Richard Childress-owned team is 554 behind the point-leading No. 18 entry of Joe Gibbs Racing, only 105 markers separate them from Kevin Harvick Inc.’s No. 33 entry in fifth.

· Dixie Land Sweepstakes … Dixie Stampede, an associate sponsor on RCR’s No. 29 Nationwide Series Chevrolet, has teamed up with Holiday Inn to give away a fun-filled weekend for one lucky fan and their guest centered around Bristol Motor Speedway’s August events. The winner and their guest will receive a free two-night stay at the Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Holiday Inn on August 19 and 20, two tickets to Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction and two tickets to Dollywood. They will also receive RV accommodations (provided by Tennessee RV Sales & Service) at Bristol Motor Speedway for August 21 and 22, two pit passes and race tickets to the Nationwide Series Food City 250 on Friday, August 21 and two race tickets to the Sprint Cup Series Sharpie 500 on Saturday, August 22. For more details or to enter to win, please visit www.dixiestampede.com or submit your entry by mail to Dixie Stampede, Attn: Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 58, Pigeon Forge, Tenn., 37868. All entries must by received by July 31, 2009 in order to qualify.

· Hoosier Native … Jeff Stankiewicz hails from Clarksville, Ind., approximately 110 miles south of Indianapolis. Stankiewicz is the car chief for the No. 29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet.

· Race Broadcast Information … The Kroger 200 will be televised live on ESPN Saturday, July 25 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will also broadcast worldwide on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 20th event of the 2009 NNS season will air on ESPN2 at 4:30 p.m. EDT. MRN and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio will also air live updates of time trials.

· Mark Your Calendars … In honor of its 40th anniversary, RCR will host a Fan Day at the Welcome, N.C. complex on Thursday, October 22 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Activities include driver and pit crew autograph sessions, self-guided tours of RCR’s Sprint Cup and Nationwide shops as well as ECR’s engine shop, radio remotes, musical entertainment, pit crew competition, viewing of the DALE movie, question-and-answer session with team owner Richard Childress and much more. General admission to RCR’s Fan Day is just $5, which will benefit the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma.

· Online With the Times … To keep up with the latest news and information about Richard Childress Racing and to view exclusive online content, visit the team’s official website at www.RCRRacing.com. For qualifying and race results, check us out at www.twitter.com/RCRRacing.

Stephen Leicht

Is ORP a race track that fits your driving style?

“It’s a tight, small race track. It reminds me of those tracks that I used to race on Saturday nights growing up. I’ve raced at ORP a bunch in ASA (America Speed Association) late models, so I’m comfortable there. I feel like that experience gives me a slight advantage compared to some of the other drivers.”

You said it is tight. So, is it kind of like Bristol Motor Speedway?

“No. Not really. Bristol is concrete and ORP is paved. ORP is also flat and it’s one of those places where you’re sliding around a lot during the race. Getting your car to handle there might be a little more important than it is at Bristol.”

What’s your strategy for picking a line at ORP?

“That’s where I think my edge up on everybody comes into play. I’ve raced there so much that I know where the lines are at ORP. As the race progresses, it seems like we widen the groove up even more. You have guys running all the way on the bottom to right against the wall but, when you first get there, you have to run a car length or two away from the wall. Strategies change as we race longer and we lay more rubber down, so towards the end, you can choose which line best works for your car.”

Did you adapt quickly in the Nationwide Series car at ORP?

“I actually did. The transition from late models to these heavier Nationwide cars was big, but knowing that I had laps around the place made the transition easier. I think we had a top-five car in 2007 at ORP in the Nationwide Series during the first practice. We were quicker than most of the other guys in race trim, but I hit the wall during the final practice session and really hurt our chances at a solid finish. I feel like I have better equipment and a stronger team as I head to ORP this weekend. Hopefully, we can have a strong run and continue the consistent finishes we’ve been piling up lately.”

DOUG RANDOLPH (Crew Chief) QUOTE:

Stephen has raced here before. Does that build your confidence towards having a strong rung this weekend?

“Anytime a driver knows and understands a racetrack, it definitely helps. Stephen (Leicht) has done a great job this season with the limited time he’s seen behind the wheel. Our communication with one another is getting better each week and we’re really learning how to get the car set up to his liking. We’ll try and build on our respectable finish from Gateway and improve on that this weekend.”

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release