Blaney to drive No. 35 Pepsi Max Chevrolet; Leicht to drive No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 7, 2011) – In an effort to put the team’s best foot forward, Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) will swap drivers for the event at Richmond International Raceway this weekend. Veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dave Blaney will pilot the No. 35 Pepsi Max Chevrolet and attempt to qualify for the Wonderful Pistachios 400. Rookie Stephen Leicht will wheel the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet in the 400-mile event.
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Both cars will be competing for kids to eat free in Golden Corral’s “Racing for America’s Family” promotion, in which kids eat free on Monday, September 12th if either car finishes in the top-10.
In preparation for the race at Richmond International Raceway, the TBR No. 35 team tested with Leicht during two sessions at Gresham Motorsports Park. Blaney attended the first session with the team. Both drivers showed good speed. Leicht showed improvement during the second test session, and the team is confident he can have a good run next weekend.
“With Dave’s 14 years of experience in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and his proven ability to qualify for races, we felt like swapping cars was best for our partners and will give us the best opportunity to get both cars in the field,” explained TBR owner Tommy Baldwin. “I have full confidence in Stephen’s abilities, and he was very successful at the test. We just didn’t want his inexperience in Cup cars to affect both cars making the event.”
“Both drivers are team players and understand how important it is for the future of TBR for both cars to make the field this weekend,” continued Baldwin. “Dave is a standup guy and understands that giving Stephen the opportunity to show his talent in a TBR racecar will help our team’s future.”
Blaney will attempt to qualify the No. 35 Pepsi Max Chevrolet on Friday, September 9th at 5:35 p.m. Leicht will pilot the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet in the Wonderful Pistachios 400 on Saturday, September 10th.
About Golden Corral:
Founded in 1973, privately held Golden Corral Corp. is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C. Golden Corral currently has 485 restaurants in 41 states. The company’s vision is to be the leader in the family restaurant segment by making pleasurable dining affordable for every guest, at every restaurant, every day. Golden Corral restaurants nationwide have long been strong supporters of the U.S. Military and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Golden Corral helped raise more than $1,000,000 for the DAV in 2010 as part of its annual “Military Appreciation Monday” initiative.
For more information on Golden Corral, visit www.goldencorral.net or join the Golden Corral Community.
About Tommy Baldwin Racing:
Tommy Baldwin Racing was formed in 2009 by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin. Baldwin utilized a slumping economy to open a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team with a stringent budget. The team competed in two full seasons with multiple drivers behind the wheel of the No. 36 Chevrolet and improved in the standings each year.
Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the full NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in 2011 with NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney piloting the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet. Looking to improve on-track performance, TBR found success early in the 2011 season with partners Golden Corral, Big Red and Accell Construction. TBR’s driver development program, Heinke-Baldwin Racing, will also compete in various NASCAR series in 2011.
For more information on Tommy Baldwin Racing, visit tommybaldwinracing.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
- Tommy Baldwin Racing, Press Release
