Fw: COX RETURNS TO PROCUP COMPETITION

----- Original Message -----
From: "nelson skinner" <nelson@mail.sopwithmotorsports.com>
To: <usar@bellsouth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 1:20 PM
Subject: COX RETURNS TO PROCUP COMPETITION



MOTORSPORTS NEWS
For immediate release
July 9, 2002
Contact: Nelson Skinner, 317-590-4111



COX RETURNS TO PROCUP COMPETITION

Indianapolis - Veteran driver and Speed Channel announcer Stephen Cox will
return to the cockpit of a Hooters ProCup car on July 20th at New River
Valley Speedway in Radford, Virginia. In only his second ProCup start, Cox
will pilot the No. 16 Ford Taurus fielded by Don Sprouse Motorsports.

Cox's only other appearance in the series came last September at Chemung
Speedrome in New York where he finished a surprising 14th of 31 cars in his
first-ever Hooters ProCup race.

This time around, Cox says his goals are a bit higher. "We'd really like a
top ten. I may be pushing too hard and expecting too much since I've never
even sat in this car, but after the Chemung race last year I think it's
possible." Stephen has not yet been fitted into the seat and has no laps in
the car, but said "I have a lot of confidence in Don Sprouse Motorsports.
That's why I took the ride. The top five or eight spots are probably taken
by the established, well-funded drivers, but I think a good driver and a
good car with an experienced crew still has a chance to pull off an upset
and squeak into the top ten... at least I'm gonna test the theory."

The race will air on Fox Speed Channel on Thursday, July 25th, at 9pm
eastern time.
___________________

Pit Notes for Stephen Cox
Hooters ProCup, Radford, VA, July 20, 2002

> The last time Cox drove in competition was May 26th, when he finished
fourth in the Stephen's Brothers Toyota World Sports Racer at Hallett Motor
Racing Circuit's 1.8-mile road course.

> In his last 23 starts (dating back to 1999) Stephen has produced 3 wins
and 14 top five finishes, with only 3 DNF's.

> The weekend after his ProCup race at New River Valley Speedway, Stephen
will jump back into the cockpit of a Toyota World Sports Racer for Stephen's
Brothers Racing. The series competes on Tulsa's road course on July 29th.
______________

Quotes from Stephen Cox on:

> If he'll run any more races in ProCup this year: "Short answer? I don't
know. If we can actually pull off a decent finish at New River Valley...
maybe. I really want to wait and see how we do in Radford."

> On his lack of experience in ProCup racing: "The downside is obvious...
I'm the least experienced guy on the racetrack. The upside is that if no one
expects anything, you have a lot less to live up to."

> On his fellow Speed Channel announcers who will call the race on TV: "Rick
Benjamin can get at least twenty minutes of joke material out of this, which
should cut down on his show prep considerably. And Scott (Sutherland) would
probably finish five spots better than me with the same car, but if you
quote me on that I'll deny it."