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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Cintas Rookie Report

2 July 1997

         CINTAS ROOKIES LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MILWAUKEE MILE


CHARLOTTE, NC - Cintas Rookie-of-the-Year program enters the 12th event of 
the season with a respectable start to the 1997 year -- two wins, 18 top-ten 
finishes and six drivers in the top-20 point standings.

 - Rick Crawford continues to have a strong season in the Circle Bar Motel & 
RV Ford 150. He finished 18th at Nazareth and moved into 12th position in the 
Craftsman point stands with 1,294.

 - Rob Rizzo noted the talent level among the Cintas Rookies to be the most 
competitive at any level of motorsports. Rizzo, who will miss the July 5 race 
at The Milwaukee Mile, said, "It's unfortunate that I will miss a couple of 
races because I really enjoy the competition and I want to win the Cintas 
Rookie-of-the-Year award."

 - Nearly twenty rookies are expected to qualify for the Sears DieHard 200 at 
The Milwaukee Mile on July 5. A field of 36 will begin the CBS-televised race 
at approximately 1:30 pm.
 
 - Look for Kenny Irwin, driver of the #98 Raybestos Ford, to have a good 
outing at Milwaukee this weekend. Irwin got tangled with lapped traffic early 
in the NAPA AutoCare 200 at Nazareth las weekend and settled for a 27th-place 
finish.

 - The Milwaukee Mile is the eighth race of the 1997 Craftsman Truck Series 
on a larger track. At least one Cintas rookie has finished in the top-ten in 
the seven previous races and 1-2-3 sweep at Texas on June 6th.


By Muhleman Marketing