Terry Cook, Ford Power Stroke Diesel Working to Complete Season with a Win at Homestead

(MOORESVILLE, N.C.) – Nothing would be more satisfying than a win Friday afternoon for Terry Cook and the No. 10 Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International race team.  Cook, who has five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins to his racing career, has three top-10 finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  The Sylvania, Ohio native feels bringing a new truck this week could put him and the team in Victory Lane in the season-finale event, the Ford 200.

“I definitely think we can win,” said Cook.  “This is our generation 2005 truck that will debut at Homestead.  This is the very first truck we’ve built that will be similar to the trucks we’ll race with in 2005.  It’s got a new body on it and a new chassis configuration, things we’ve been struggling with this year in house.  We’re excited to get this Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International race truck to the racetrack and working with Wes Ward, the winning crew chief from last year’s NASCAR Busch Series race, it gives me even more confidence going into the race weekend.”

The Ford 200 will mark the fifth event Cook will have Ward as crew chief with the Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International race team.  Their first event together was at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway back in May of this year, where Cook finished third after starting deep in the field.  Since then, Ward has led Cook to four additional top-15 finishes, including last week’s event at Darlington Raceway finishing 12th.

 “I’ve been listening to Terry throughout the season even though I wasn’t the crew chief,” said Ward, who guided Kasey Kahne to his first-career NASCAR Busch Series win last year at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  “The truck is different to the cars and I think that’s what we’re learning right now is the difference between the two.  The Homestead truck has a brand new body with a Robert Yates Engine.  I’d like to think we can go there and be competitive enough to win.”

“Anytime someone steps in as a crew chief in the middle of a season they’re in a learning curve,” said Cook.  “Having worked with Wes before in the season and being a ppc Racing crew chief on the Busch side with Jason Keller, you didn’t have a situation where someone was walking in off the street starting fresh.  It helps speed up the learning curve. Wes is fairly new to the trucks.  We’re just trying to get our communication down so that we’re making the right adjustments under the pit stops.  At Darlington, it was a statement of how we made adjustments to continuously make improvements on every single pit stop.  We’re working on what we’ve learned at Phoenix and Darlington and carrying that to Homestead.  The key is we’re bringing better race trucks to the track.  We rolled off the trailer very fast at Darlington and hoping to do the same at Homestead.”

 

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 entered its first season of competition in the 2004 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.  Now with the addition of the No. 14 VB / APlus at Sunoco Ford Taurus with driver John Andretti in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, co-owners Greg Pollex and Keith Barnwell become only the second team to field fulltime entries in NASCAR’s top-three series.  For more information, please visit www.ppcracing.com.