Stephen Leicht

Stephen Russell Leicht (born January 9, 1987) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East, 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.

Stephen Leicht
Leicht in 2018
BornStephen Russell Leicht
(1987-01-09) January 9, 1987
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.

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. . 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. 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. 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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