Cook wins again; Waltrip rallies to sixth

Power Stroke Diesel 200 Results | Craftsman Truck Series Standings

CLERMONT, Ind. -- Terry Cook is having little trouble finding Victory Lane in the Craftsman Truck Series this year.

After starting on the Bud Pole, Cook kept the No. 29 Power Stroke Diesel Ford out front, leading 178 of 200 laps of the Power Stroke Diesel at Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday night.

It was a series-high fourth win for him, fifth of his career and third in the last six races.

He had to survive two restarts in the last 25 laps to pull off the victory.

"There is one race that I mark all year long and that's the race here because of all the tradition involved," Cook said. "This is the same truck we've won with a total of three times now. It's just an awesome piece.

	Terry Cook has won three of the last six Craftsman Truck events. Credit: Autostock

"We just keep working on it and refining it every week."

With his win, Cook now trails the leader of Mike Bliss by a only five points. He was asked if thoughts of a championship have come across his mind with the way the team has been running lately.

"The focus is one race at time right now," Cook said. "We got through this race and did what we had to do by winning and leading the most laps to get those bonus points.

"If we keep doing that each week, we're going to get a championship.

Cook relinquished the lead only two times, and those were because of pit stops. Andy Petree led by staying out during a caution flag, and Jason Leffler led nine laps.

Finishing 1.467 seconds behind Cook was Jason Leffler for his fifth second-place finish this season. Leffler, still winless in the No. 2 ASE Dodge despite seven poles, tried in vain to get that elusive first victory.

"We were off a little bit, but we weren't going to run with the No. 29 tonight because he was hooked up," Leffler said. "I don't know what we have to do to win a race, but I'll finish second the rest of the year.

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"It was a good points day for us and we'll be in good shape."

He now holds the record for most second-place finishes without a victory in Craftsman Truck Series history.

Travis Kvapil was third, and Mike Wallace was fourth.

A last-lap melee jostled the top 10. Robert Pressley was fifth, and Darrell Waltrip was sixth. He was followed by Lance Norick, Jon Wood, Bobby Dotter and Matt Crafton to round the top-10 finishers.

The accident took out points leader Mike Bliss, Andy Petree, Rick Crawford and Dennis Setzer; who were all running in the top 10 prior to the incident.

Upon crawling out of his No. 17 Tide Dodge on pit road, Waltrip climbed over the wall onto the frontstretch and did a reprise of the Ickey Shuffle as the crowd roared. The dance was reminiscent of what he did after winning the Daytona 500 in 1989.

PHOTO GALLERY • Power Stroke Diesel 200

"What time is it?" Waltrip asked. When told it was a little after 10 p.m. he responded, "Good, Stevie (wife) said I had to be home by 11 o'clock tonight.

"I wonder if she'll let me do this again at Richmond?"

There were three lead changes among three drivers and there were a record-tying 10 cautions in the event.