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COOK TRADES TRUCK FOR MIDGET MARCH 11 AT RCA DOME

3 March 2000

COOK TRADES TRUCK FOR MIDGET MARCH 11 AT RCA DOME

    Terry Cook of Sandusky, Ohio has something in common with Kenny Irwin,
Mike Bliss and Randy Tolsma. Well, sort of!
    Unlike Irwin, Bliss and Tolsma, who traded rides in the MCI WorldCom
USAC Midget Cars for NASCAR Craftsman Truck commitments, Cook will step out of
his truck to compete in the March 11 "Thunder in the Dome XVI"
invitational USAC Midget Car race at the RCA Dome in downtown Indianapolis, Ind.
    "I'm going there to win but I'm also going to have some fun," admits
Cook, who finished fourth in the February 18 truck race at Daytona International
Speedway. He'll drive a Sam Pierce Chevrolet/Beast Gaerte-powered car
entered by Sam Pierce of Alexandria, Ind. Mechanical assistance will come
from noted car builder and mechanic Bob East of Indianapolis, Ind., who
built the cars driven to the last three MCI WorldCom National Midget Car
titles by Jason Leffler.
    "I'm going to have to rely on Bob's vast experience," adds Cook, who
actually will be making his second Midget Car appearance. "I got to drive
a Kenyon Car late last year at the Indianapolis Speedrome and finished fifth
(after starting 10th), but this will be different. I expect a lot of
bumping, but we do that in the trucks too."
    Cook will have to start last in his Team USA heat race as a result of
the blind draw for starting spots held recently at the USAC headquarters.
"It's going to be hard to pass," he says, "but it won't be much different than
when we raced the trucks at Louisville (Ky.) or Erie (Colo.). Those were
tight tracks too. I hope to get some good advice from John Heydenreich,
who has some RCA Dome experience."
    Cook finished fourth in last year's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
standings and scored his initial feature victory at Flemington, N.J. Prior to
competing in the trucks, he won track late model stock car championships
in Sandusky, Ohio and Flat Rock, Mich. 
	   Cook will try to help Team USA claim its fourth consecutive
team title in the March 11 race, for which tickets can be purchased from the RCA
Dome box office. Special $3 discount coupons are also available at Kroger
and Speedway Auto Parts Stores.