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NASCAR Trucks: Joe Ruttman ready for another tour of Nazareth

13 July 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Last Year: Until last year at the Nazareth 200, Joe Ruttman had never finished outside the top 10 in the event. Unfortunately, a faulty fuel pump brought that streak to an end. But Ruttman believes, as does his team, that a new streak will begin on Saturday.

"Nazareth is one of the tracks that is a challenge to race on, but that's what makes it fun," said Ruttman. "It's one of the tough tracks to get a hold of because every corner is different and every time you go through the corner, you do it a little bit different. Like I said, the best way to describe the track is that it's a driver's track."

It's been 12 races since Ruttman and the Dana team went to victory lane in Phoenix, another one-mile flat track with oddly shaped turns. So everyone on the Dana team thinks that they have a great chance at a solid run, maybe even a repeat of earlier this year.

Top Five Starts: When Joe Ruttman and the Dana team qualified on the pole last week, it marked their third consecutive top five start and seventh overall for the year.

"We're starting up front and running up front," said Ruttman. We're just having problems finishing up front. But I think that's going to change real soon."

Moving Up: After last weeks 12th place finish at New Hampshire Speedway, Joe Ruttman and the Dana Racing team moved up one position to 11th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings. Ruttman closed the gap to just 42 points back of Dennis Setzer, who holds down the 10th place in points.

Plant Visits: Over the next two weeks, Joe Ruttman is going to be very busy. He has three Dana plants to visit and two full days of activities planned at Dana Corporation's World Headquarters in Toledo, Ohio.

"We've got a lot of Dana people to see in the next two weeks, but we're going to have fun," said Ruttman. "Dana is one of the best sponsors I've ever had, and I've had a bunch in my 30 years of racing. It's going to be a lot of fun meeting the people in the plants and in the offices in Toledo." The plant tours are in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Rochester Hills, Michigan, and Antwerp, Ohio.

Ruttman's Quotes for Nazareth Speedway

"This track is a driver's track. Every time you go into a corner, it's a little bit different. It's just unique. I guess I would say the thing you have to do to be fast here is just be smooth."

"We had a strong run last week. We just didn't get the finish we wanted. Every week, the Dana team and myself come to win and this week is no different. We've been really good all year on the flat tracks, so we'll just have to see how we do."

Text provided by David Pepper

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.