Diverse field to take green in Truck return

CONCORD, N.C. -- After a lay off of almost four weeks, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is ready to roll again -- under the lights.

	Tony Stewart

The Virginia is for Lovers 200 on Thursday night (8 p.m. ET, MRN; 10 p.m. ET tape delay ESPN2) will rekindle the points battle shaping up in truck series. Richmond International Raceway will host 46 trucks trying to garner one of the 36 starting spots.

Two-time NCTS champion Ron Hornaday set the qualifying record of 121.726 mph around the .75-mile oval on Sept. 4, 1997. The race record belongs to a former driver turned owner.

Bob Keselowski, owner of the No. 29 Ford of Terry Cook, took the checkers in 1 hr, 26:24 minutes on the same weekend Hornaday set the qualifying mark. Keselowski's average speed was 104.167 mph.

Mixed in the usual cast of characters will be some familiar names to Winston Cup fans, as well.

Joining CTS regulars Mike Bliss, David Starr, Rick Crawford and Ted Musgrave; will be Cup Series regulars Kevin Harvick, Ken Schrader, Bobby Hamilton and Tony Stewart.

For Stewart, who seems to be willing to drive anything with four tires and a steering wheel, it will be his second start in the tailgated machines. He will be driving a No. 33 Chevy owned by Andy Petree Racing.

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"I haven't run the Trucks but once, and that was clear back in 1996 or 1997 at Indianapolis Raceway Park," said Stewart, normally found driving the No. 20 Pontiac in the WCS. "From what I understand, the setups are quite a bit different from what we have in Cup so we'll have to wait and see.

"You have your race setup on the Truck to begin with. For me, I'm running this race for the fun of it. I just want to go out and have a good time and not worry about points for a night."

Well, there will be plenty of other drivers worried about points from the green to checkers. Some won't admit it, but the thought is always there this late in the season.

Mike Bliss leads Cook, Ted Musgrave, Rick Crawford and Robert Pressley by a mere 100 points between first and fifth.

Cook, on the heels of four wins, seven top-five efforts and 13 top-10 finishes, trails Bliss by 34 markers. This is the highest points standing Cook has enjoyed at this juncture in the NCTS season.

"This is the first time heading into Richmond that I have been in this position," Cook said. "I've won some track championships, but never on a national touring level like the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

"I use the same theory now as I did then, which is to keep doing what we are doing and don't worry about the points. If you worry about points, you are going to be caught up in a race that you basically don't have any control over.

"We are only in control of what the No. 29 Power Stroke Diesel Ford team can do. Because I've raced well at Richmond in the past, and my team has a win there in the past, we should be ready for the 200-lap event."