Terry Cook Mindful of His Truck Win at New Hampshire

(MOORESVILLE, N.C.) – Terry Cook knows what it takes to win at New Hampshire International Speedway.  Driver of the No. 10 International Trucks and Engines Ford, Cook won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event in 2002, one of four wins that year.  Now coming off his sixth top-10 finish of the season last week at Richmond International Raceway, Cook looks to rack up win number one for ppc Racing and climb his way back into the top-10 driver points standings.

“Knowing you’re going to a racetrack you’ve won in the past does give you confidence going there,” said Cook, the nine-year series veteran driver.  “Our racing program is a lot better on track this second half than the first.  I always enjoy going to New Hampshire, the track and the race.  It’s a track that if you’re hooked up you can pass but you really have got to be good.  You have to pick and choose your passes.  If you take a long time to pass, the leader will be a half-a-lap ahead of you and then you have to rely on caution flags and pit sequences to get track position.  You’re just better off having a good race truck like the International Trucks and Engines Ford we’ve got and perform well in qualifying.”

Cook will sit in a familiar seat when he takes to the 1.058-mile speedway Friday morning.  Crew chief Jamie Jones has elected to bring Truck No. 10-04, which Cook ran last week to a ninth-place finish.  Cook ran this very same truck at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway to a third-place finish and at Michigan International Speedway, where he finished seventh.  Could Cook continue his string of top 10s with the International Trucks and Engines Ford?

“For the first time all year long I feel an extra added boost of confidence heading to the track,” said Cook.  “We felt the first part of the season we struggled with this truck even though we’ve had a couple of good runs with it.  We were very fortunate to have a great test a couple of weeks ago and think we’ve figured out some of the issues.  We’ve made the necessary changes and felt very competitive all night long at Richmond last week and feel we’ve made big strides toward where we need to be.  Hopefully that will catapult us to a good run at New Hampshire.”

 
About International Truck and Engine Corp. . . .

International Truck and Engine Corporation is the operating company of Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV).  International Truck and Engine is a leading producer of mid-range diesel engines, medium trucks, heavy trucks, severe service vehicles, bus chassis and a provider of parts and service sold under the International® brand.  The company also is a private label designer and manufacturer of diesel engines for the pickup truck, van and SUV markets.  Additionally, through a joint venture with Ford Motor Company, the company will build medium commercial trucks and currently sells truck and diesel engine service parts.  A subsidiary, IC Corporation, produces integrated school buses.  International Truck and Engine has the broadest distribution network in the industry.  Financing for customers and dealers is provided through a wholly owned subsidiary of Navistar.  Additional information can be found on the company’s Web site at www.internationaldelivers.com.

 
About ppc Racing . . .

Based in Mooresville, N.C., ppc Racing enters its first season of competition in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with driver Terry Cook and the No. 10 Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International race team.  ppc Racing continues its competition in the NASCAR Busch Series, its fifth season, with driver Jason Keller in the No. 22 Miller High Life Ford Taurus.  With co-owners Greg Pollex and Keith Barnwell, ppc Racing earned the 2000 NASCAR Busch Series championship and has scored 27 wins and more than 150 top-five finishes as it enters the 2004 season. For more information, please visit www.ppcracing.com.