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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Cintas Rookie Report (Week of 7/7/97)

10 July 1997

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Cintas Rookie-of-the-Year Program
Notes & Quotes
Week of July 7, 1997


CHARLOTTE, NC - Cintas Rookie-of-the-Year points chase is heating at 
midseason of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, with a number of drivers 
closing in on points leader Kenny Irwin who has won twice this year. Irwin 
leads all Cintas Rookies with 146 points; Rick Crawford has one top-five 
finish and four top-10 finishes and is curretnly in second position with 123 
points. Boris Said, driver of the #44 Federated Auto Parts Ford is in third 
position in the Cintas Rookie standings with 101 points, 35 behind leader 
Irwin.

 - "What a place, there's no good way to describe this track, it's unique. 
I've never been comfortable here, but I always seem to be very fast. The way 
we've been the last three weeks, I would race anywhere if it meant we could 
win." -- Kenny Irwin, driver of the #98 Raybestos Ford on Louisville Motor 
Speedway.

 - "This place owes us one." - Tammy Jo Kirk, driver of the #7 Lovable Ford 
referring to las year's All Pro race. Kirk had the lead at the white flag and 
was taken out by lapped traffic. The #7 team has the same truck they had at 
Portland, earlier this season.

 - "We have the right set-up with the rear-end gear for Louisville. I cut my 
teeth on short tracks, so I should have a good race." - Stacy Compton, driver 
of the #86 Valvoline Instant Oil Change Ford. Compton feels fortunate that he 
hasn't used a provisional this season."

 - "This is a racer's race track. You can be off a little with your set-up or 
off with the horsepower, but it comes down to the driver. You can catch 
somebody in a mistake and have a good run. Everybody will be making 
adjustments all day." - Rick Crawford, driver of the #14 Circle Bar Motel & 
RV Ford.

       CINTAS ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR POINT STANDINGS

 1. Kenny Irwin        146         10. Kelly Denton       33
 2. Rick Crawford      123         11. Terry Cook         32
 3. Boris Said         101         12. Mike Cope          24
 4. Tony Raines         95         13. Randy Tolsma       22
 5. Stacy Compton       84         14. Kenny Hendrick     13
 6. Tammy Jo Kirk       83         
 7. Tony Roper          74         
 8. Bob Rizzo           46         
 9. Lonnie Rush         44         

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