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Riggs red hot heading for Nazareth

NAZARETH, PA (August 20, 2001) - On the heels of another victory in last week's Sears Craftsman 175 at Chicago Motor Speedway, Scott Riggs and his No. 2 Team ASE Dodge are geared up for a shot at one of racing's most prestigious titles - the NASCAR ...

NAZARETH, PA (August 20, 2001) - On the heels of another victory in last week's Sears Craftsman 175 at Chicago Motor Speedway, Scott Riggs and his No. 2 Team ASE Dodge are geared up for a shot at one of racing's most prestigious titles - the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship.

Riggs, who owns five wins in just his first full NCTS season, is looking forward to the next event on the tour - the Chevy Silverado 200 at Nazareth Speedway - with hopes of scoring another victory on one of the most unique oval tracks in all of racing.

"Nazareth is always fun," said Riggs. "I had a good run going at Nazareth last year in the No. 86 truck until we got caught up in an accident early in the race. I still managed to get quite a few laps under my belt, so I know I'll be comfortable when we get there. There's a one-day manufacturers test on Friday and that's going to help us out a bunch. It's going to be tricky, there's no doubt about that. I'm still not quite sure how many turns there are at Nazareth, I guess it depends who you ask. Some people say three, some say four, and others say five or six. I'm not going to get all worked up about that. The Team ASE 'Ultra Bad Boys' are the best in the business and I know they put a good truck underneath me no matter where we race."

Riggs and Team ASE have built a foundation for championship success posting a solid 4.3 qualifying average and 12 Top-5 finishes in 17 races this season. After struggling at Loudon, NH and Indianapolis Raceway Park, Riggs and the "Ultra Bad Boys" bounced back big with back to back wins at Nashville and last week at Chicago. The Chicago victory was particularly impressive marking the first time since August 28, 1999 that a driver has qualified outside the Top-10 and gone on to win an NCTS event.

"That was a huge win at Chicago, not only for me personally, but for all the guys on the team," explained Riggs. "We had a couple of bad weeks and that hurt us pretty bad as far as the points race goes, but I think we've bounced back pretty well. The win two weeks ago at Nashville was important because that showed we weren't falling apart like some people were saying."

"To follow that win up with another one was just awesome," Riggs continued. "The best part about the win at Chicago was the way we won. We didn't really have a truck that was capable of winning, but we hung in there all day and Timmy (crew chief Tim Kohuth) made smart calls in the pits and we were there at the end. That's what champions are made of."

At Nazareth, Riggs will be presented with one of his most formidable challenges of the season. Considered a cross between a conventional oval and a road course, the triangular-shaped eastern Pennsylvania circuit will not only test the driver, but will also be a strain on equipment.

"There's going to be a lot of braking and a lot of shifting," Riggs said. "We're going to need to be very aware of taking care of the Team ASE Dodge. Nazareth is generally pretty hard on equipment. We'll use a road course type of transmission and Martinsville (VA) Speedway brakes. It's definitely going to be interesting. I think if we can come away from Nazareth with another solid Top-5, I'll be very pleased. It's not the type of track we race on every week, so I think it will certainly be a place where the driver needs to bring his A-game."

The Chevrolet Silverado 200 at Nazareth Speedway will take the green flag Sunday, August 26 at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 18th race of the 2001 NCTS tour will be telecast live on ESPN and broadcast on MRN Radio worldwide.

About ASE:

ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) also has a long involvement in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. As the primary sponsor on the No. 2 Team ASE entry, the non-profit organization has been able to highlight its efforts to provide the highest quality professional technical training and certification at all levels of vehicle maintenance and repair. In addition to ASE's racing involvement, the organization is active in numerous civic, charitable, educational and humanitarian activities.

-ASE-

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