RCR's Stephen Leicht says experience matters when it comes to racing at ORP
Richard Childress Racing’s Stephen Leicht has run only one NASCAR race at O’Reilly Raceway Park, but he hopes his experience in other races at the track will help in this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Kroger 200.
Leicht finished 24th two years ago for Robert Yates Racing in what was his lone start in what was then known as the Busch Series. But Leicht has driven in numerous American Speed Association events before then.
“It’s a tight, small race track,” Leicht said. “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 Late Models, so I’m comfortable there. I feel like that experience gives me a slight advantage compared to some of the other drivers.”
Leicht hopes that slight advantage manifests in which line to use around the .686-mile track. It’s a flat track, but the fast groove is usually the middle to high lanes in the corners.
“I’ve raced there so much that I know where the lines are at ORP,” Leicht said. “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.”
In his first time in a Busch car at ORP in 2007, Leicht was fifth in the initial practice.
“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,” Leicht said. “I think we had a top-five car in 2007 at ORP … 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.”
Leicht will be making his sixth start of the season in RCR’s No. 29 Chevrolet, and he’s coming off a sixth-place finish at Gateway International Raceway last weekend. He has three top-10 finishes in his five starts, including two in a row.
He and crew chief Doug Randolph appear to be building a solid rapport the longer they work together. Randolph hopes Leicht’s ORP experience can help this weekend.
“Anytime a driver knows and understands a race track, it definitely helps,” Randolph said. “Stephen has done a great job this season with the limited time he has 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.”
