Dowler set for NASCAR Truck debut

For immediate release / May 11, 2004

NPP BACKS DOWLER IN NASCAR TRUCK OUTING
EMCO Western Series champ set for inaugural Truck race at Mansfield

EDMONTON, AB - On Sunday, May 16, reigning CASCAR EMCO Western Series 
champion and current points leader Kevin Dowler will participate in the 
inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Ohio's Mansfield 
Motorsports Speedway. Dowler will be driving a MOPAR Truck, owned by Sun 
Valley Speedway (Vernon, BC) owner Ron Rhodes, with sponsorship from 
Northern Provincial Pipelines (NPP).
  	NPP is located in Edson, AB and is owned by Dwight Kennedy, who backed 
Dowler in the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, at Florida's New 
Smyrna Speedway, during Speedweeks in February.
	Mansfield Motorsports Speedway is a new, .44-mile oval located southwest 
of Cleveland, OH. According to Dowler, who hails from Sherwood Park, AB, 
making his first Truck Series outing at Mansfield will put him at less of a 
disadvantage than he would otherwise be, were he to make his inaugural 
NASCAR appearance at a track where his competitors have a lot of experience.
	"This is a great opportunity given that the track will be new to 
everyone," said Dowler, who won the season-opening CASCAR EMCO Western 
Series race a few weeks ago at Sun Valley. "For the past few years I've 
been looking at different options for getting into a Truck race and I'm 
excited that it's going to happen racing for Dwight Kennedy and Northern 
Provincial Pipelines in a Canadian-owned Truck."
	Dowler is confident about what he can accomplish Sunday in the NPP MOPAR, 
although his goals are tempered by the knowledge that he'll be getting into 
the Truck for the first time, and driving for a team that has struggled to 
make the starting field in the highly competitive Craftsman Truck Series.
	"I've wanted to give this a try for a long time and I think we can have 
some success," said Dowler, whose Apollo Motorsports team is focused on the 
CASCAR Western EMCO Series. "I hope to do a good job for Ron [Rhodes] and 
Dwight [Kennedy] by getting the Truck qualified and into the race; that's 
been the big challenge so far this year. The Truck Series is extremely 
competitive."
	Dowler's first chance to gain experience in the NPP Truck will take place 
prior to race weekend when NASCAR hosts a one-day open practice at 
Mansfield Motorsports Speedway. It will be the first opportunity for all of 
the teams to test their Mansfield Truck setups in advance of Sunday's race. 
"There is a day of open practice before qualifying, which is good for us 
because I have to get some practice driving a Truck," said Dowler. "Knowing 
that the other teams won't be coming to race with extensive notes on the 
track should be beneficial to us, too."
	At this point, Dowler is looking at the ride as a one-off, but is open to 
doing more in the future if things go well. The UAW/GM 250 starts Sunday 
afternoon at 2 p.m. (ET) and will air on SPEED.

For more information, contact Kevin Dowler // Whitemud Mechanical 
(Edmonton, AB) // Ph: (780) 462-9572

Prepared by Inside Track Communications // www.insidetracknews.com