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Power Stroke Diesel by International / Terry Cook Pre-Race Report – Gateway International Raceway
Event: Ram Tough 200 – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Track: Gateway International Raceway, 1.25-mile “paperclip”
Date / Time: Saturday, April 30th / 8:15 p.m. EDT
TV: SPEED Channel, 8 p.m. EDT
Radio: MRN Radio, 7:45 p.m. EDT (check local listings)
Internet: www.nascar.com (paid access required) and www.truckseries.com
2004 Race Summary . . .
Terry Cook was on the verge of another top-10 finish when NASCAR officials waved the green flag on a lap-160 restart to begin yet another green-white-checkered finish. However, going into turn one, Cook was tapped from behind and sent hard into the turn one wall, thus eliminating the former race winner from contention. The race had three additional green-white-checkered restarts with David Starr surfacing as the winner. Cook finished 26th in the first of nine races with the No. 10 International Trucks and Engines Ford paint scheme.
Vote For Me! . . .
Cook is in the running for the Power Stroke Diesel by International Most Popular Driver Award on truckseries.com. Cook should be the natural victor but not without your support. Click on http://www.truckseries.com/polls/mpd05/ and vote for Cook throughout the 2005 racing season!
Power Testing . . .
Cook and the Power Stroke Diesel by International race team will test Monday at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C. ppc Racing uses this facility many times throughout the year to set up their race cars and trucks prior to race weekends. Cook and the team have visited Caraway Speedway earlier this month in preparation of Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, where they earned a 10th-place finish.
Are You Listening? . . .
Cook has had a busy couple of weeks with numerous radio call-ins. Last week, Cook was on Motorsports Talk Radio with Ron Miller and Charlie Krall from truckseries.com. You can listen to the show by clicking on the 4/20/05 show at http://www.provenchassis.com/mst/listen.asp. Other radio call-ins this week for Cook include . . .
Radio: Sirus Satellite Radio’s, “Sirus Speedway,” with host Marty Hough
When: Wednesday, April 27 at 3:30 p.m. EDT (approx.)
Radio: KFNS-AM 590 (St. Louis)
When: Wednesday, April 27 at 8:30 p.m. EDT (approx.)
Radio: KUSN-FM 99.5 (Chicago)
When: Friday, April 29 at 8:30 a.m. EDT (approx.)
Terry Cook on last year’s multiple green-white-checkered finishes at Gateway International Raceway. . .
“I am a very big fan of the green-white-checker finish and very fortunate to come out on the positive end. Not only to continue to lead and win a race at New Hampshire but to go from second to winning the race at Milwaukee in 2002. I am a race fan first. I think any single race no matter if it’s Indy Car, late model, NASCAR – I don’t care what it is, the race fans deserve to see a green-flag end to the race. There should be no races ended ever under the caution flag and I’m glad to see the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series continue to do that.”
Terry Cook on his most memorable moment in St. Louis . . .
“The memorable was in 2002 with a school visit. I was very ill and at the time of the visit, I didn’t realize how sick I was going to be. It felt like a slight cold but still went ahead and visited a school in St. Louis. The school was in an area that was very deprived, very poor people and they were thrilled to have us there. We had a show truck there and got to spend an entire day at the school. Then Gateway International Raceway staff gave away tickets to nearly everyone at the school and they were all in attendance to see me win that day so that was really, really cool as far as meeting the kids and winning the race that weekend.”
Terry Cook on this year’s race versus the races in years past . . .
“The 2005 race will be quite a bit different than any other NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Gateway International Raceway because it will be the first year we as drivers will not be shifting. We will not have the option to shift under the new gear rules implemented for this year. We shifted for many years at Gateway, where you downshift into turn one and up-shift heading onto the backstretch and into turns three and four. Some drivers would shift four and five times a lap. Typically we would downshift and up-shift but no longer can we do that in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with the new gear rules. It will definitely be a whole different race this year.”
Terry Cook at Gateway International Raceway . . .
Year Start Finish Laps Completed Reason Out Money Earned
2004 20 18 131 / 133 Running $ 7,715
2004 18 26 160 / 174 Accident $ 8,315
2003 9 9 160 / 160 Running $12,475
2002 8 1 160 / 160 Running $52,160
2001 2 3 160 / 160 Running $31,840
2000 4 9 158 / 160 Running $11,395
1999 4 15 160 / 160 Running $ 9,275
1998 18 22 156 / 160 Running $ 7,800
Average start / finish at Gateway International Raceway: 9.0 / 12.1
Meet the Power Stroke Diesel by International Crew . . .
Keith Barnwell, General Manager
Jon Bruns, Rear Tire Carrier
Dan Cagle, Spotter
David Cropps, Rear Tire Changer
Jeff Fleenor, Catch Can
Rick Gay, Crew Chief
Ken Majors, Engine Tuner
Jamie Price, Gas Man
Kenneth Purcell, Jack Man
Steve Rasmussen, Shock Specialist
Shaun Wheeler, Front Tire Carrier
Tim Whitaker, Front Tire Changer
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