Cook, Sealmaster racing end relationship

SANDUSKY, Ohio (October 16, 2000) - One of the longest-running owner/driver combinations in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) has ended. SealMaster Racing and driver Terry Cook agreed to end their relationship effective immediately. SealMaster and Cook have been together since entering the NCTS in 1996. "In a conversation this morning, Terry Cook requested to be released from his agreement with SealMaster Racing," said team owner Duke Thorson. "I granted that request. We've known for some time that Terry was looking at his options for next season and beyond. He's apparently found something and needs to get started on his new venture immediately." Cook is the only driver in SealMaster Racing history. According to Thorson, his impact on the team has been major. "When we started this thing, we had one truck, a couple of crew guys and Terry," Thorson said. "He worked in the shop every day. He managed the team. He did everything it took to take this from a crazy dream to being a pretty good race team. "We wish him nothing but the best. He's a talented driver with quite a future ahead of him." Cook made 93 NCTS starts in SealMaster's No. 88 Chevrolet. He won once, the Stevens Beil/Genuine Car Parts 200 in Flemington, N.J. in August, 1998. He twice earned the Bud Pole Award as the fastest qualifier for an NCTS event. Cook and SealMaster Racing are currently 14th in the NCTS driver and owner point standings. In their last race together, the team finished 17th in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 400 at the Texas Motor Speedway October 13. SealMaster Racing will compete in the 2000 NCTS finale, the Motorola 200 at the California Speedway Saturday, October 28. Thorson anticipates naming Cook's successor for that event soon.