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POWER STROKE DIESEL BY INTERNATIONAL TEXAS POST-RACE REPORT
Series: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Date: Friday, June 10, 2005
Event: Chex 400K
Track: Texas Motor Speedway, Justin, Texas
QUALIFYING RESULTS:
1. Mike Skinner, Toyota, 182.902 mph
2. Rick Crawford, Ford, 182.076 mph
3. David Starr, Chevrolet, 181.971 mph
4. Johnny Benson, Toyota, 181.965 mph
5. Bill Lester, Toyota, 181.677 mph
22. Terry Cook, Ford, 180.144 mph
RACE RESULTS:
1. Jack Sprague, Chevrolet
2. Johnny Benson, Toyota
3. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet
4. Mike Skinner, Toyota
5. Matt Crafton, Chevrolet
6. Ron Hornaday Jr., Chevrolet
7. Terry Cook, Ford
About the Race . . .
Jack Sprague used pit strategy and fuel mileage at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) to win his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) race in 2005 by beating some of the fastest trucks on the track, including the Power Stroke Diesel by International race team, who finished seventh. Sprague pitted on lap 136 to go the final 31 laps, nearly 50 miles on 22 gallons to win his 25th-career NCTS race.
Tracking the Power Stroke Diesel by International race team . . .
Starting 22nd was no worry for the Power Stroke Diesel by International race team Friday night. The team brought Truck No. 10-08 for the third consecutive race this season and knew it could produce fast lap times during the course of the race.
At the conclusion of lap 1, Cook had picked off six positions and was heading to the front of the 36-truck field. A fine-tuned truck setup by the team aided Cook’s move to the front and by lap 25 he was in the top five.
“The Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford handled really well,” said Cook, who started his 199th-career NCTS race and 13th at TMS. “The truck picked right up where it left off at Dover: powerful and fun to drive.”
The team made their first pit stop of the evening on lap 31 under the race’s first caution flag. Most of the leaders, including the Power Stroke Diesel by International race team, pitted for four tires, fuel and various track bar, wedge and air pressure adjustments. Cook restarted 14th and again grabbed position after position to move back into the top five.
Cook had competition from pole sitter, Mike Skinner, Johnny Benson and Ron Hornaday Jr. through the entire race. Cook finally took third from Benson, then second from Hornaday before the race’s third caution flag for a multi-truck accident on the frontstretch, which brought out the red flag.
Skinner, Cook and others stayed out once pit road was open, however, all had to make a third and final pit stop around the lap-130 mark.
The race restarted on lap 97 and went green the rest of the way.
During the run to the finish, lead-lap trucks came down pit road, some for two tires, some for four while others took just fuel. Cook came to pit road on lap 133 with Crew Chief, Rick Gay calling for four tires and fuel, knowing fresher tires produce faster laps.
A smooth pit stop by the Power Stroke Diesel by International race team got Cook back out on the track in the top 20 with other teams still yet to stop for service.
Cook finished seventh to keep the nine-year series veteran eighth in the NCTS driver points standings, 168 behind leader Ted Musgrave, a gain of 25 points from last week.
“We definitely had a top-five truck,” said Cook. “Skinner, Hornaday and Benson were really the only drivers that could keep pace with the Power Stroke Diesel by International race team. Texas is the second of eight-straight races so our momentum of top-10 finishes continues on to Michigan. We’re looking for more of the same results, top fives and top 10s.”
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES DRIVER POINTS STANDINGS:
1. Ted Musgrave 1200
2. Ricky Craven 1180 -17
3. Bobby Hamilton 1147 -62
4. Ron Hornaday Jr. 1100 -66
5. Jimmy Spencer 1084 -87
8. Terry Cook 1007 -168
NEXT RACE:
Event / Track: Paramount Health Insurance 200 / Michigan International Speedway
Date: Saturday, June 18th
TV / Radio: SPEED Channel, 3 p.m. EST / MRN and XM Satellite Radio, 2:45 p.m. EST
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