MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 16, 2011) – Stephen Leicht will join Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Richmond International Raceway September 10th. As an extension of Pepsi Max’s promotion with Golden Corral and TBR, Pepsi Max will adorn the hood of the No. 35 Pepsi Max Chevrolet piloted by Leicht.
Leicht made his NASCAR debut in 2005 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS). He made 71 starts in the series while driving for Yates Racing and Richard Childress Racing. The Asheville, N.C., native scored his only win in the 2007 NNS race at Kentucky Speedway while driving for Yates Racing. That same year, he finished seventh in the NNS point standings. In his 71 NNS starts, Leicht collected three top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. The 24-year-old also made a start in the NSCS at Pocono Raceway with Yates Racing. He started 36th and finished 33rd.
“I’ve always watched Stephen’s career,” explained TBR Owner Tommy Baldwin. “He did really well when we tested a Cup car together, and I was really impressed. The opportunity came up, and we needed to fill the seat. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to give Stephen a shot at racing in the Cup series.”
“I’m very excited to be working with Tommy Baldwin Racing,” said Leicht. “I’ve known Tommy since back when I raced with Robert Yates Racing in 2007, and I’m really looking forward to this opportunity to compete in the Cup series.”
Pepsi Max is partnering with Golden Corral to promote the brand’s entrance into Golden Corral restaurants. Golden Corral has served Pepsi’s robust portfolio of carbonated and non-carbonated beverages in each of its 485 locations since 2007.
“We are excited to expand our presence in the sport by partnering with Tommy Baldwin Racing for this unique Pepsi MAX promotion with Golden Corral,” said Rand Eyberg, Vice President National Restaurants, PepsiCo Foodservice.
Leicht will get behind the wheel of a TBR Chevrolet Wednesday to test at Gresham Motorsports Park in preparation for his TBR debut at Richmond International Raceway.
About Golden Corral Corporation:
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.com.
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, facebook.com/TBR.HBR, and Twitter, twitter.com/TBR_Racing.
