Cook beats Leffler, wins GNC Live Well 200

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (AP) -- Terry Cook took advantage of a race-extending caution Saturday at The Milwaukee Mile, passing Jason Leffler with less than two laps remaining to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series GNC Live Well 200.

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Cook, who'd led 127 of the race's first 154 laps before a slow pit stop dropped his Ford to fifth place, battled back to within a half-second of Leffler's Dodge but was running out of time when Brian Rose hit the Turn 4 wall.

The race's third caution extended the 200-lap, 200-mile distance for three laps -- the last two under green -- and Cook took full advantage of the reprieve.

The Ohio native was able to dive under Leffler's truck as the pair began the 202nd trip around the flat, one-mile speedway. He took the lead off Turn 2 and extended the advantage to .696-seconds _ about two truck lengths -- at the checkered flag.

Cook, who averaged 104.490 mph, won for the second time in 2002 and third in a 127-race NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career dating to mid-1996. He won $48,960 plus a $10,000 sponsor's bonus for winning from the pole position.

Leffler, a U.S. Auto Club open-wheel champion who still seeks his first NASCAR victory, finished second for the third time in series competition.

"I was going to be heartbroken," said Cook, believing he was destined to finish second for the second time in as many races despite having the fastest truck. "I just yelled 'yeeha' when that caution came out. I was able to put an outside-inside move on Jason ... and I got underneath him for the win."

Leffler, who'd had to forfeit a No. 7 qualifying spot to start 30th after his crew changed an engine on race morning, blamed himself for the inability to protect his late lead.

"If I had to do it over again, I'd get a better restart," said Leffler. "I'm surprised I stayed ahead of him as long as I did."

Cook, eighth different series driver to win at The Milwaukee Mile, that began in 1995, first year of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Coy Gibbs, started and finished third in his Chevrolet Silverado. Rookie points leader Brendan Gaughan blocked defending race winner Ted Musgrave to claim fourth, also in a Chevy.

That blocked allowed David Starr to pull inside Musgrave off the final turn and the pair banged fenders all the way to the checkered flag. Musgrave prevailed by about an inch to hold off Starr and take the lead by four. Starr had entered the season's ninth race with a one point lead.

Robert Pressley, Mike Bliss, Jon Wood and Travis Kvapil completed the top 10.

There were six lead changes among five drivers -- Cook, Leffler, Gaughan, Gibbs and Bliss.

The race's three, brief caution periods consumed just nine of 203 laps, the fewest in eight series events on the track.