COOK, POWER STROKE® DIESEL FORD
CONTINUE TO MARCH UP NCTS POINTS LADDER


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jennifer Chapple
Motorsports Management Group
(704) 454-5353 - Extension 18
(704) 454 5355 - FAX
jchapple@motorsportsmanagementgroup.com

    BROOKLYN, MI (July 27, 2002) - Terry Cook led early and maneuvered his No. 29 Power Stroke Diesel Ford to a solid sixth-place finish in the Michigan 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway Saturday. Cook's 11th Top-10 finish in 13 NCTS events this season allowed the Indianapolis, IN resident to jump to fourth in the 2002 NCTS championship chase, just 72 points behind leader Mike Bliss.

       "We've picked up another spot in the standings and are only 19 points out of third," said Cook in the garage area after the event. "You know, we thought we had the truck to beat here at Michigan when we started the race. In hindsight, we should have taken four tires on the Power Stroke Diesel Ford instead of two rights on our final pit stop, but that was our decision and we stuck by it. The truck just became tighter and tighter as the race went on. That's okay, we'll take another Top-10."

       Cook started fifth in the 36-truck event after showers washed out qualifying Friday forcing NASCAR officials to set the field by points for just the sixth time in series history. The Power Stroke Diesel chauffeur wasted little time charging to the front of the pack taking the lead by Lap 7. A mainstay in the Top-5 all day, Cook held his ground with the leaders until the first round of pit stops on Lap 40. There, Cook's K-Automotive crew gave him four fresh tires, a chassis adjustment and a full load of fuel. Back on the track, another caution shortly afterward on Lap 59 had crew chief Bob Keselowski calling Cook to pit road for the final two-tire stop. 

       "The Power Stroke Diesel Ford was great for about the first 10 laps in a run and then it would get tighter and tighter as the race wore on and the tires began to fall off," said Cook. "The truck was good, but we still have an aero issue. We've thrown everything at the truck and we just don't have any downforce on the nose at superspeedways."
       Cook's effort earned his Lake Orion (MI) based K-Automotive team $12,775 of the $537,893 in posted awards for the race. More importantly, Cook advanced to fourth in the championship battle with 1889 markers.

       With his sights set on moving up in the championship standings, Cook now heads to the next event on the tour - the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park this Friday evening.

       "Honestly, we've had our focus on that race for a long time because it's our sponsor's race," said Cook. "Today, we had Dan Ustian, the President and COO of International Truck and Engine Group with us - they make the Power Stroke Diesel for Ford. Next week, Dan will be there again with a host of Power Stroke Diesel representatives from the Indianapolis Power Stroke Diesel plant and the Melrose Park (IL) home office. If we ever wanted to win a race, that's the one and we came real close last year finishing second. This is going to be our homecoming and we hope we can win."

       Cook and his Power Stroke Diesel Ford will take the green flag at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time in the Power Stroke Diesel 200 Friday, August 2 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The event will be telecast live by ESPN and broadcast live on MRN Radio.