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"I'm happy with our
effort, but disappointed at the same time because we came here to
win the race," said Cook. "We brought home a solid
finish for the first race of the season and we are leaving here
with the truck in one piece." Cook started 20th in the
36-truck event and immediately rocketed into the Top-5 by the 12th
lap of the 100-circuit event. After the early charge, Cook was a
fixture in the Top-10 all day long rolling to the top of the
leader board for the first time at Lap 57. A round of pit stops
put Cook back in the field before the Sylvania, Ohio native again
moved to the front of the pack at Lap 80. A multi-truck crash just a
handful of laps from the finish turned the event into a wild, dash
to the checkered flag with Cook squarely in the middle of the
action. "We were in second
when the yellow then red flag waived at Lap 95," said the
six-year NCTS veteran. "When we went back to racing, we were
faced with a green-white-checkered flag scenario. We lined back up
and gave our all hoping to take a shot at the leader, Rick Carelli.
Unfortunately, we were shuffled back to sixth at the finish." While Cook was disappointed
with the final result, he was pleased with the front-running
effort by his team. "It was a tremendous
effort from the Power Stroke Diesel team," said Cook, who now
owns a pair of sixth-place and a fourth-place finish in three
Daytona Truck Series events. "Ultimately, we want to be in
the mix for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series crown and this
finish is an example of what our team is capable of every week.
We're definitely going to be in the hunt for the championship this
season." The effort earned Cook and
the K-Automotive No. 29 Power Stroke Diesel $20,150 in prize
money. Cook, who finished a career-best seventh in the final 2001
NCTS standings, is sixth in the 2002 championship chase, 30 points
out of first place.
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