Nextel Cup Series

PERSONAL Birthdate: Sept. 16, 1975 Hometown: Long Beach, Calif. Resides: Mooresville, N.C. Marital Status: Married (Alison) Children: None Hobbies: Boating and video games

HIGHLIGHTS Won first career NASCAR Busch Series race in 2004 at Nashville Finished fourth in 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings Polewinner for inaugural NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway in 2001 1998 USAC Silver Crown champion 1997-99 USAC National Midget champion

YEAR-BY-YEAR NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES RECAP 2004 Finished 88th in series points. Made one start at Indianapolis driving for Haas CNC Racing; finished 43rd after being caught up in an accident on Lap 3. Also made 27 starts in the NASCAR Busch Series and scored his careerfirst win June 12 at Nashville. Announced in October he would compete full-time for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2005. 2003 Finished 47th in series points. Made 10 starts for Haas CNC Racing in the second half of the season. Started sixth at Michigan and Kansas. Best finish was 25th at Dover. 2002 Finished 63rd in series points. Made two starts for Jim Smith in the No. 7 Dodge. Finished 31st at Phoenix and 35th at Homestead. Also competed full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, finishing fourth in points. 2001 Finished 37th in series points. Made series debut in the Daytona 500 and made 30 starts for Chip Ganassi Racing. Won first career pole in the inaugural event at Kansas. Scored first top-10 finish with a 10th-place finish at Homestead.

PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY In 2004, finished 12th in NASCAR Busch Series points after posting eight top fives and 17 top-10 finishes. Ranked third in points after 27 races when he was released from Haas CNC Racing. Competed in 16 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events in 2003 for Ultra Motorsports and scored his first victory May 30 at Dover. In 2002, won a series high eight poles for Ultra Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Posted 11 top fives and 15 top-10 finishes. Competed for Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Busch Series in 2000 for Joe Gibbs Racing. Won three poles and earned two top fives and four top-10 finishes. Captured three consecutive USAC Midget championships between 1997 and 1999. Won 1998 USAC Silver Crown championship in first season on the tour. Began racing quarter-midgets at age 13.

NOTEWORTHY As a young racer, Leffler was influenced by open-wheel great Parnelli Jones. He considers his success in the USAC “Thursday Night Thunder” Series in the late 1990s as a prime reason he attracted attention from NASCAR. From 1997-99, won three consecutive USAC Midget championships, making him only the third driver in history to do so. Jimmy Davies (1960-62) and Shorty Templeman (1956-58) are the other two.