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News and Notes
UAW-GM Ohio 250
Mansfield Motorsports Speedway
Race No. 6 of 25
Terry Cook Appearances . . .
- Friday, May 13th, Mansfield Race Festival, Mansfield, Ohio, Power Stroke Diesel by International simulator, 7 – 8 p.m. EDT
- Sunday, May 15th, Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, Mansfield, Ohio, Power Stroke Diesel by International simulator, 10:45 – 11:15 a.m. EDT
About Terry Cook, driver, No. 10 Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford . . .
- Mansfield Motorsports Speedway (MMS) will be Cook’s 196th-career NCTS start
- Led 34 laps to finish third in inaugural NCTS race at MMS
- Five-career wins and eight career pole positions with 21 top-five and 72 top-10 finishes Last NCTS win in Power Stroke Diesel 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2002; led 178 of 200 laps from the pole, a .686-mile short track
- Won first-career race and pole at Flemington (N.J.) Speedway in 1998 and ’97, respectively, a .625-mile short track
- Last pole position was at Daytona International Speedway in first 2004 race with ppc Racing; led 12 laps and finished fifth
- Past performances at MMS:
Year Start Finish Laps Completed Reason Out Money Earned
2004 34 3 250 / 250 Running $7,715
2004 Summary . . .
Outstanding would best describe Cook’s effort in the inaugural NCTS race at MMS. After starting deep in the field (34th), Cook went to the front by the race’s mid-point, leading 34 consecutive laps. Cook would finish third in the race, his best finish and second top five in 2004.
Cook on Mansfield Motorsports Speedway and NASCAR’s success at reaching out to the Ohio market . . .
“Mansfield Motorsports Speedway is a really nice short track. If the Mansfield (Motorsports) Speedway staff can put on a show like they did last year for us this year that would be great. They put 20,000-plus race fans in the grandstands last year and sold out. We as drivers are putting on a show because we’re in the entertainment business and when we can put a show in front of that many people, then it’s pretty big. I was very excited to see that many race fans last year being it is near my home town and the first-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in Ohio.”
Cook on the amount of race fans that attended . . .
“Again, it tells you just how much of a fan base that area has. To give you an example, when NASCAR goes to Michigan International Speedway, they have sold out the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race for so many years. They continue to build grandstands to fulfill the demand in that area and the same holds true at Mansfield. People are just begging for a major NASCAR touring race to be held in that area and they got their wish with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series last year.”
Cook on the new drivers entering the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series . . .
“Yes, there are new drivers entering the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. I was listening to Darrell Waltrip talk about racing in NASCAR’s NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series in his racing career and by far the most fun he has had is running in the trucks. More and more NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers like Darrell Waltrip are coming over and running in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series; they enjoy running in the series. Even Mark Martin, who could run in any other series is choosing to run in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series next year and that speaks a lot about the series. To be able to have a crowd like we had last year at Mansfield and to have an expected record crowd this year just shows the demand the area has. I can remember the race fans waiting in the rain all weekend long. The weather didn’t turn good until halfway through the race when the sun finally came out through the clouds. We had rain the whole weekend and for those fans in that area stick it out speaks very highly of how devoted they are to watching their favorite drivers compete.”
Cook on racing again in your home state of Ohio . . .
“The race in Mansfield is very special because it’s to my hometown. We always get to race at Michigan International Speedway; it’s about an hour away from where I grew up. To have a race in the state of Ohio is really special and I’m very excited about going back to Mansfield. It doesn’t matter if you seat 10,000 or 25,000 people, to have a facility that last year sold out a month-and-a-half in advance of the race gives you an idea how many race fans there are in Ohio. At any Saturday or Sunday night short track race across the state of Ohio, you’ll find the best race fans anywhere; they’re very dedicated to their sport and the race fans will hopefully be treated to yet another great race at Mansfield on Sunday.”
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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