Stephen Leicht
Leicht in 2018
BornStephen Russell Leicht
(1987-01-09) January 9, 1987 (age 37)
Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
Achievements2005 American Speed Association Late Model Champion
Awards2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
18 races run over 4 years
2017 position63rd
Best finish41st (2012)
First race2006 Pennsylvania 500 (Pocono)
Last race2017 Overton's 400 (Pocono)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
161 races run over 11 years
2021 position51st
Best finish7th (2007)
First race2005 Sam's Town 250 (Memphis)
Last race2021 Dead On Tools 250 (Martinsville)
First win2007 Meijer 300 (Kentucky)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 17 0
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
4 races run over 1 year
2012 position98th
Best finish98th (2012)
First race2012 VFW 200 (Michigan)
Last race2012 Lucas Oil 150 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of December 27, 2021.

Stephen Russell Leicht (born January 9, 1987) is an American professional stock car racing driver who last competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 31 Chevrolet for Rise Motorsports. He has previously competed in the NASCAR Cup Series (where he was the 2012 Rookie of the Year) NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Truck Series. Leicht also has over 150 feature event wins in quarter midgets and go-kart racing.

Racing career

Early career

When he was seven years old, he began racing quarter midgets and began advancing into go-karts. At the age of 11, Leicht was participating in the Go Kart Nationals, when he collided with the flag stand and was sent flying from his racecar. He suffered a burst spleen as a result of the accident, and was kept out of racing for six months.

At the age of 12, he began racing stock cars and got his GED to focus full-time on racing, and was named Motorsports Magazines Rising Star of the Year in 2000. At the age of 15, he ran his first full year in the American Racing Association and was named Rookie of the Year.

NASCAR and ARCA career

In 2005, he moved to Wisconsin to work with veteran American Speed Association crew chief Howie Lettow.[1] Leicht collected five wins en route to winning the national championship in the American Speed Association Late Model series for WalTom Racing.[1] He won both races that he attempted in the American StockCar League. He finished first or second in thirteen of sixteen events that entered between the two series. He started eighth in his Busch series debut at Memphis Motorsports Park, and finished thirteenth. He ran another race at Phoenix, starting seventeenth and finishing nineteenth.

In 2006, Leicht ran ARCA Re/Max Series events for Yates Racing and WalTom Racing. He earned his first career ARCA series win in his second career start at Nashville Superspeedway in April. [1]. He also made four Busch series starts in 2006, posting two Top 10 qualifying efforts. On July 23, he made his first Nextel Cup Series start in the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway for Yates Racing, qualifying 36th and finishing 33rd, one lap behind.

In 2007, Leicht ran the full NASCAR Busch Series schedule. He won his first race at Kentucky Speedway and finished 7th in the final drivers' points ranking. At the end of the season, Robert Yates Racing released Leicht from his contract because of sponsorship and finance issues. 2008 saw Leicht land a part-time stint in Richard Childress' No. 21 Nationwide car, sharing driving duties with Bobby Labonte. Leicht ran four races with a best finish of seventh at Phoenix International Raceway. However, after Talladega, a lack of sponsorship sidelined Leicht until Texas in the fall, where he finished 18th.

Leicht's Nationwide car in 2009 at Milwaukee

In 2009, Leicht drove the No. 29 Chevrolet Impala in 13 races. Leicht was originally slated to run 23 events, but his races were nearly halved by the addition of Clint Bowyer as co-driver. He ran nine total races and had six top-ten finishes. He was released from RCR at the end of the year and signed to attempt 29 races for D'Hondt Humphrey Motorsports in the No. 91 car in 2010, but was released after two races.

Leicht competed in his first NASCAR race since 2009 (and his first Sprint Cup start since 2006) in Tommy Baldwin Racing's No. 36 Chevrolet in 2011, while regular driver Dave Blaney piloted the team's second car, the No. 35 Chevrolet. The move gave Leicht a guaranteed start while Blaney had to qualify on time. Blaney finished 19th while Leicht finished 24th despite running in the Top 10 most of the race.

Leicht drove for Joe Falk at Richmond in April 2012, qualifying 40th and finishing 35th, running at the end but finishing nine laps down. After skipping Talladega, he filed to compete for Rookie of the Year in the Sprint Cup Series,[2] with plans to run the majority of the remainder of the season in the No. 33, except for the June race in Michigan, when Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon drove the No. 33.[3]

Leicht's best finish of 2012 was 26th at Watkins Glen, ending on the lead lap. He attempted 21 races and competed in 15, and won the series Rookie of the Year award for 2012.[4] After a four-year absence in NASCAR, on January 10, 2017, Leicht received a ride to drive the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro for Obaika Racing starting at Daytona. However, Leicht moved to Obaika's primary No. 97 car for Daytona, causing the No. 77 to withdraw. Leicht attempted the first six races in the 97 as a start and park operation. Leicht only qualified for four races, failing to qualify at Daytona and Texas. Leicht was left without a ride when the 97 scaled back its schedule after the sixth race. Leicht raced at Charlotte in the No. 93 for RSS Racing, start and parking the car. In July, Leicht made his return to the Cup Series at Pocono, driving the No. 83 for BK Racing.[5]

On January 22, 2018, it was announced that Leicht is tabbed as a full-time driver for a newly formed team JP Motorsports. Leicht finished 15th after avoiding multiple crashes at Daytona. He was replaced by Jennifer Jo Cobb at Talladega since she brought sponsorship. On May 22, 2018, it was announced that Leicht and JP Motorsports parted ways and was replaced by Brandon Hightower. On July 28, Leicht returned to No. 93 for RSS Racing at Iowa Speedway start and parked it. The following week, Leicht drove the No. 74 for Mike Harmon Racing at Watkins Glen International, where he didn't qualify for the race.

Leicht's 2019 Xfinity car at Road America

In February 2019, it was announced that Leicht will drive the No. 01 full-time for JD Motorsports.[6] After one season with JD, Leicht moved over to Carl Long's MBM Motorsports No. 61 car for 2020 having his best finish of 21st at the Pennzoil 150.[7]

For 2021 he would attempt five races in the No. 61 MBM Motorsports Toyota and three races in the No.13. The first race for Leicht was the Super Start Batteries 188, he also was scheduled to drive in the Pit Boss 250 but failed to qualify. He was also scheduled to drive in the B&L Transport 170, but he was replaced by David Starr after Starr DNQed in the No. 13 also for MBM Motorsports.

After being without a ride in 2022, Leicht returned to racing in 2023 in ARCA, returning to the series for the first time since 2006, driving the No. 31 car for Rise Motorsports.[8]

Personal life

After finding himself out of a ride after winning Cup Series Rookie of the year in 2012, Leicht worked for a time at a car dealership in Cornelius, North Carolina for a short period of time.[9] During downswings in his racing career, Leicht suffered from clinical depression and eventually went to counseling to treat it.[9]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Monster Energy Cup Series

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 MENCC Pts Ref
2006 Robert Yates Racing 90 Ford DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC
33 		IND
DNQ 		GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV KAN TAL CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 78th 0 [10]
2011 Tommy Baldwin Racing 36 Chevy DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL MAR TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT KAN POC MCH SON DAY KEN NHA IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH
24 		46th 20 [11]
35 CHI
DNQ 		NHA DOV KAN CLT TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM
2012 Circle Sport 33 Chevy DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL MAR TEX KAN RCH
35 		TAL DAR
DNQ 		CLT
39 		DOV
35 		POC
33 		MCH SON
41 		KEN
41 		DAY
42 		NHA
32 		IND
31 		POC
DNQ 		GLN
26 		MCH
DNQ 		BRI
40 		ATL
DNQ 		RCH
36 		CHI NHA
34 		DOV TAL CLT KAN MAR
34 		TEX
DNQ 		PHO
35 		HOM
DNQ 		41st 117 [12]
2017 BK Racing 83 Toyota DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL KAN CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY KEN NHA IND POC
32 		GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH CHI NHA DOV CLT TAL KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM 63rd 01 [13]

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NXSC Pts Ref
2005 Robert Yates Racing 90 Ford DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL NSH BRI TEX PHO TAL DAR RCH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM
13 		TEX PHO
15 		HOM 86th 242 [14]
2006 DAY CAL MXC LVS
18 		ATL BRI TEX
20 		NSH PHO TAL
31 		RCH DAR
25 		CLT DOV NSH KEN
10 		MLW
13 		DAY
26 		CHI NHA
33 		MAR GTY
38 		IRP GLN
36 		MCH
33 		BRI
35 		CAL
33 		RCH DOV
23 		KAN
12 		CLT
14 		MEM
19 		TEX
19 		PHO
27 		HOM
27 		32nd 1790 [15]
2007 DAY
33 		CAL
20 		MXC
27 		LVS
18 		ATL
29 		BRI
20 		NSH
8 		TEX
20 		PHO
28 		TAL
28 		RCH
24 		DAR
26 		CLT
10 		DOV
34 		NSH
33 		KEN
1 		MLW
14 		NHA
25 		DAY
27 		CHI
10 		GTY
23 		IRP
24 		CGV
5 		GLN
17 		MCH
26 		BRI
20 		CAL
29 		RCH
21 		DOV
41 		KAN
19 		CLT
18 		MEM
12 		TEX
10 		PHO
19 		HOM
5 		7th 3603 [16]
2008 Richard Childress Racing 21 Chevy DAY CAL
10 		LVS ATL BRI NSH
12 		TEX PHO
7 		MXC TAL
34 		RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN TEX
18 		PHO HOM 60th 577 [17]
2 MLW
QL† 		NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM
QL†
2009 29 DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH
11 		PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH
6 		KEN
31 		MLW
8 		NHA DAY CHI GTY
6 		IRP
13 		IOW
10 		GLN MCH BRI CGV
8 		ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT MEM
9 		TEX PHO HOM 43rd 1185 [18]
2010 D'Hondt Humphrey Motorsports 91 Chevy DAY CAL
DNQ 		LVS
DNQ 		BRI NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM NA - [19]
2012 The Motorsports Group 47 Chevy DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL DAR IOW CLT DOV MCH ROA KEN DAY
42 		NHA
42 		CHI
41 		IND
43 		IOW GLN
42 		CGV BRI
DNQ 		ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 128th 01 [20]
2017 Obaika Racing 97 Chevy DAY
DNQ 		ATL
38 		LVS
39 		PHO
37 		CAL
39 		TEX
DNQ 		BRI
Wth 		RCH TAL 82nd 22 [21]
RSS Racing 93 Chevy CLT
40 		DOV POC MCH IOW DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO
39 HOM
35
2018 JP Motorsports 55 Toyota DAY
15 		ATL
32 		LVS
30 		PHO
31 		CAL
31 		TEX
37 		BRI
28 		RCH
37 		TAL DOV
33 		CLT POC MCH IOW CHI DAY KEN NHA 43rd 81 [22]
RSS Racing 93 Chevy IOW
39
Mike Harmon Racing 74 Dodge GLN
DNQ 		MOH
37 		ROA
33 		DAR IND LVS RCH CLT
Chevy BRI
31
B. J. McLeod Motorsports 99 Chevy DOV
40 		KAN
32 		TEX
37 		PHO
38 		HOM
DNQ
2019 JD Motorsports 01 Chevy DAY
38 		ATL
25 		LVS
27 		PHO
31 		CAL
22 		TEX
22 		BRI
32 		RCH
18 		TAL
24 		DOV
26 		CLT
15 		POC
23 		MCH
20 		CHI
21 		DAY
5 		KEN
24 		GLN
20 		MOH
32 		BRI
19 		ROA
34 		IND
23 		LVS
21 		CLT
19 		DOV
23 		KAN
27 		TEX
19 		PHO
21 		HOM
24 		18th 449 [23]
4 IOW
25 		NHA
23 		IOW
16 		RCH
29
15 DAR
26
2020 MBM Motorsports 66 Toyota DAY LVS
34 		CAL
35 		PHO
33 		DAR
39 		CLT BRI
34 		ATL
36 		HOM
36 		HOM
38 		TAL POC
27 		KEN
35 		KEN
34 		TEX
35 		KAN
37 		DAR
35 		BRI
36 		LVS TAL KAN
35 		TEX MAR PHO 35th 138 [24]
61 IND
21 		ROA
22 		DAY
21 		DOV
22 		DOV
31 		DAY
13 RCH
34 		RCH
22 		CLT
24
2021 61 DAY DAY
29 		HOM LVS PHO ATL MAR TAL DAR DOV COA
DNQ 		CLT MOH TEX NSH POC GLN
28 		RCH
38 		BRI LVS TAL CLT TEX KAN MAR
21 		51st 45 [25]
13 ROA
26 		ATL NHA IND
DNQ 		MCH DAY DAR PHO
DNQ
† – Qualified for Clint Bowyer

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 NCWTC Pts Ref
2012 Hillman Racing 25 Chevy DAY MAR CAR KAN CLT DOV TEX KEN IOW CHI POC MCH
30 		BRI PHO
31 		HOM 98th 01 [26]
27 ATL
34 		IOW KEN LVS TAL MAR TEX
32

ARCA Menards Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 AMSC Pts Ref
2006 Robert Yates Racing 66 Ford DAY
25 		85th 345 [27]
55 NSH
1* 		SLM WIN KEN TOL POC MCH KAN KEN BLN POC GTW NSH MCH ISF MIL TOL DSF CHI SLM TAL IOW
2023 Rise Motorsports 31 Chevy DAY PHO TAL KAN CLT
25 		BLN ELK MOH IOW POC MCH IRP GLN ISF MLW DSF KAN BRI SLM TOL 112th 19 [28]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
2 Leicht began the 2017 season racing for Cup Series points but switched to Xfinity Series points before the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway

References

  1. ^ a b Jim, Tretow. "Howie Lettow Remembered". Speed 51. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  2. ^ Pearce, Al (May 26, 2012). "Sprint Cup Series adds Stephen Leicht to rookie of the year candidates". AutoWeek. Retrieved 2012-08-28.
  3. ^ Spencer, Lee (May 6, 2012). "Glover back on scene with No. 33 team". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2012-05-17.
  4. ^ Pearce, Al (November 18, 2012). "Keslowski wins the Sprint Cup and more NASCAR notes from Homestead". AutoWeek. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  5. ^ "Entry List - Numerical: Pocono Raceway - 44th Annual Overton's 400" (PDF). Jayski's Silly Season Site. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  6. ^ "Leicht Set For Full Xfinity Slate With JD Motorsports". JD Motorsports. February 5, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  7. ^ Kristl, Mike (January 22, 2020). "Stephen Leicht Joining MBM Motorsports". Frontstretch. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  8. ^ Kristl, Mark (January 8, 2023). "ARCA Team Rise Motorsports Forms with Rita Goulet, Stephen Leicht". Frontstretch. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Albino, Dustin (September 11, 2019). "Eyes on Xfinity: Stephen Leicht Overcoming Depression, Looking for Redemption". Frontstretch. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  10. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  11. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  12. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  13. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  14. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  15. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2006 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  16. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  17. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  18. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  19. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  20. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  21. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  22. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  23. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  24. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  25. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  26. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  27. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2006 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  28. ^ "Stephen Leicht – 2023 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 24, 2023.

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Achievements Preceded byAndy Lally NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year 2012 Succeeded byRicky Stenhouse Jr.
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