Leading rookie Gaughan looks to repeat at Texas

FORT WORTH, Texas -- In the last nine NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, there have been nine different winners.

Going into Friday's Silverado 350 at the high-banked, high-speed 1.5-mile oval, the most recent winner, Brendan Gaughan, hopes he can break that mold.

"Since 1997, there have been nine truck races at Texas and nine different winners," Gaughan said. "I want to change those statistics. We've raced here twice, taking a second the first time and top honors at the last race. Now, it's time for another victory."

Gaughan, a two-time NASCAR Winston West champion who is the leading Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate and the only rookie to win a race this season, drove his No. 62 NAPA Dodge into Victory Lane in June.

While the championship battle coming the 17th of 22 races this season is a wild, eight-man affair, Gaughan is not totally disappointed to be 12th, because he has a shot to become the first driver to double-up in a season at Texas.

	Brendan Gaughan Credit: ASP

"We've taken one win, three top-fives and six top-10s so far this year," Gaughan said. "We've got six races left and if we can consistently do well, we'll be able to move up into the top-10 in the points. Winning Texas would definitely help get us closer to that goal."

Thirty-five truck teams have three hours of practice Thursday -- two hours before Bud Pole Qualifying to set the starting lineup at 7 p.m. ET. Since the field was set for 36 trucks, every entry will qualify.

Scott Riggs set the Texas truck qualifying mark of 181.953 mph, 29.678 seconds; in the same No. 2 Team ASE Dodge that Jason Leffler has used to win eight Bud Poles with this season.

A one-hour final practice is scheduled at 8:30 p.m.

CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES  •  2002 Standings  •  2002 Official Results

Mike Bliss has been the most consistent driver in this year's Craftsman Truck Series and a 44-point lead in the standings over Terry Cook is his reward. Both men have won four times this season.

After a wild finish to the most recent race, the Virginia is for Lovers 200 at Richmond International Raceway, Rick Crawford in third (72 points back) and Ted Musgrave in fourth (80 out) kept pace with Bliss.

The guy with his back to the wall is No. 18 Dickies/Square D Dodge pilot Robert Pressley, who fell to fifth, 147 points behind Bliss, after a multiple truck crash instigated by his team owner Bobby Hamilton wiped them both out and knocked Pressley from a possible top-five back to 15th.

	Robert Pressley won races at Daytona and Michigan this year. Credit: HSP

"We're in a little bit of a hole after last week," Pressley said. "We can not afford to have another bad week. One more and we can kiss our chances at the title away. We need to win or get a top-five finish to get back in the fight."

Pressley provided the battle cry for all seven of the drivers chasing Bliss.

"It's time to make a move or just fade away," Pressley said. "We know that and so does everyone else."

Travis Kvapil set the race record average speed for the 146-lap distance when he won last October at 112.020 mph in the No. 60 CAT Chevrolet.