NASCAR Trucks: Ribbs looking to surpass money milestone at Chicago

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

August 16, 2001

Racing With Tutt: For the second week in a row, Willy T. Ribbs will have a teammate Dodge Motorsports Diversity driver on the track with him. Last week, Dodge Motorsports gave Bill Lester a shot in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. This week, Georgia short track driver, Preston Tutt, will get behind the No. 4 Dodge Motorsports Bobby Hamilton Racing entry. The truck will be the familiar red with white decaling.

Hopefully, the duo will have a little better outing this week than last week.

Looking for $150,000: If Ribbs can pick up $ 12,650 in earnings at Chicago Motor Speedway, he will eclipse the $ 150,000 mark in career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series earnings. He has been inching ever closer with every week that passes, but a series of problems have kept him from achieving this mark as of yet.

Moving Up in the Rookie Points: If Ribbs and the No. 8 Dodge Motorsports Team can gain four points in the Rookie of the Year Race, they will move into fifth in the standings after the Craftsman 175. Currently, Ribbs has 93 points to Nathan Haseleu's 96 points.

Michigan Bound: After the running of the Craftsman 175 at Chicago Motor Speedway, Ribbs will be heading to Michigan International Raceway on Sunday, August 19. He will be on hand to help present the scholarships for Dodge's Diversity Program to the winners from around the world.

"I think what Dodge is doing is great," said Ribbs. "To see a company take part in building such a plan as the Dodge Motorsports Program, is a great statement about what kind of people are running DiamlarChrysler." This Week's Truck: Ribbs will be back in the truck that he had his best finish of the year in at Pikes Peak. "Rocket" has seven starts to its credit, but has been out of action for over a month while getting repairs after being crashed at Kentucky Speedway, in what has been Ribbs's only DNF of the season.

Willy T. Ribbs Quote

"This is my kind of town. I love coming here. I have some friends that live the Chicago area and I always love coming into town and seeing them."

Text provided by David Pepper

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