#29-Terry Cook says he’ll likely remain with K-Automotive Motorsports, there’s a much better chance both Cook and sponsor Power Stroke Diesel will move to either Roush Racing or ppc Racing. It is believed that Cook’s interest in ppc Racing revolves around the fact that he could eventually move to that organizations’s Busch Series team. Keith Barnwell, ppc Racing’s GM, had no comment when asked if the organization could move to the truck series next year.(Winston Cup Scene)(11-6-2003)
UPDATE: Roush Racing has agreed to the contract proposal offered by Power Stroke Diesel and driver Terry Cook to field a Truck Series team for Cook next season.(Winston Cup Scene need sub to view), no idea if this will be the #50? a third Truck team? or what happens to the #29 team.(11-14-2003)
UPDATE 2: Jack Roush intends to enter driver Greg Biffle in both Winston Cup and Busch Series championship races next season, with full sponsorships for both programs, Roush said Friday. Like Kevin Harvick in 2001 with Richard Childress, Biffle would run full seasons in both series, Roush said. Grainger, the industrial supply company, will continue to sponsor the Cup effort, with the sponsor for the Busch car not declared. Also, Roush said, the company will continue with the two Craftsman Truck teams for Jon Wood and Carl Edwards and will have a second Busch car, which would be run by up to four different drivers [The Pennzoil sponsorship]. The total effort for Roush Racing would be the five Cup teams, two in Busch and two in Trucks. Biffle, 2000 champion in Trucks, won the Busch championship in 2002 and was graduated to Cup this year, running second to Jamie McMurray in rookie points and winning the summer race at Daytona. Since mid-year, he has run part-time in Busch with Ed Evans’s #7 team. The second Busch team is interesting. Roush said he already has backing to run three of his Cup drivers part-time, those being Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth, in about 20 races. Sponsorship may also be available to run one of the Truck jockeys in the remaining races, bringing the team up to full-year status. Roush also says the means may be available to do a third Truck team with a driver to be named.(Speed Channel)(11-16-2003)
UPDATE 3: However, being told that Cook will go to ppc Racing with their new Truck Series team along with his sponsor, Power Stroke Diesel.(11-25-2003)
UPDATE 4: hearing ppc Racing will announce the Terry Cook and Powerstroke Truck Series deal on January 10, 2004 in correlation with Daytona testing and that Fred Wanke will be the crew chief for the team.(12-18-2003)
UPDATE 5: #10-Terry Cook isnt officially employed for the 2004 season but that hasnt kept him from NASCAR Preseason Thunder testing. Cook and veteran crew chief Fred Wanke brought a downforce truck to the test, posting a Sunday best of 177.658 (21st overall) in preparation for the Florida Dodge Dealers 250. Cook was impressed by the initial reaction in the garage area to the 2004 body styles in which all four manufacturerstrucks share the same dimensions from the windshield post back. Previously, the width of the greenhouse and length of the truck bed varied among Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford, among a variety of differing measurements. Its the first time Ive been down here to test that the teams havent been screaming about bodies,said Cook, whose performances at Daytona International Speedway are among the best on the series. In four races, the Sylvania, Ohio driver has finished as high as fourth and never worse than ninth with an average of 6.25. The cream always rises to the top, said Cook, who hopes to announce his 2004 plans before returning to Daytona on Feb. 10. This is a championship team thats won championships in other series. Hopefully, well be part of that cream.(NASCAR PR)(1-11-2004)
