NASCAR Trucks: Joe Ruttman Notes, New Hampshire Preview
29 July 1999
* The Bobby Hamilton Dana Racing team has started the second half of the 1999 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Season with two top five finishes, Nashville earlier this month and Michigan last week. That makes it two top five finishes in three races.Ruttman and the team joined forces at Texas in June and right from the start they looked as if they could grow into a contender week in and week out. Now they appear to be on that path.
* Joe Ruttman is one of only two drivers that have finish all three events at New Hampshire International Speedway in the top 10. The other driver is Jack Sprague.
* The Dana Racing team and driver Joe Ruttman will be running the truck named "Goober" this week at New Hampshire International Speedway. It is the same truck they finish fourth with four weeks ago at Nashville Speedway USA.
* Joe Ruttman enters this weekend's event looking to begin one streak and continue another. Ruttman is hoping to extend his streak of five top ten qualifying efforts in as many weeks. He is also hoping to get his second top five finish in a row and third in four races.
* Joe Ruttman is going to be very busy between the New Hampshire race and the Indianapolis race. He is scheduled to visit four Dana plants in the Indiana area and also participate in a NASCAR day's festival in downtown Richmond, Indiana.
On Monday, Ruttman will be just outside of Richmond, Indiana at two Perfect Circle Plants that produce cylinder head liners for such companies as Cummins, Detroit Diesel, John Deere, Briggs and Stratton and Mack to name just a few.
On Tuesday, Ruttman will be signing autographs for over 2000 people in the Downtown area of Richmond, Indiana.
On Wednesday, Ruttman will join Bobby Hamilton in Fort Wayne, Indiana at two Spicer plants. Both drivers are scheduled to tour the plants and meet the employees.
The Spicer plants produce the front axle assemblies for the Dodge Ram, Jeep and Ford's Explorer.
Ruttman's Quotes for New Hampshire International Speedway
"I would say I like racing at Loudon," said Ruttman. "I've had some very good runs here so I have to be pleased, but unfortunately I have never been able to win here so I can't say I love it."
"This will be the first time I race with Bobby as a teammate," said Ruttman. "So it should be interesting. Maybe we can run together for most of the day and decide the win among ourselves. All joking a side, it will be good for the whole team because now we have two trucks to gain information from."
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