NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Cintas Rookie Report
2 July 1997
CINTAS ROOKIES LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MILWAUKEE MILE CHARLOTTE, NC - Cintas Rookie-of-the-Year program enters the 12th event of the season with a respectable start to the 1997 year -- two wins, 18 top-ten finishes and six drivers in the top-20 point standings. - Rick Crawford continues to have a strong season in the Circle Bar Motel & RV Ford 150. He finished 18th at Nazareth and moved into 12th position in the Craftsman point stands with 1,294. - Rob Rizzo noted the talent level among the Cintas Rookies to be the most competitive at any level of motorsports. Rizzo, who will miss the July 5 race at The Milwaukee Mile, said, "It's unfortunate that I will miss a couple of races because I really enjoy the competition and I want to win the Cintas Rookie-of-the-Year award." - Nearly twenty rookies are expected to qualify for the Sears DieHard 200 at The Milwaukee Mile on July 5. A field of 36 will begin the CBS-televised race at approximately 1:30 pm. - Look for Kenny Irwin, driver of the #98 Raybestos Ford, to have a good outing at Milwaukee this weekend. Irwin got tangled with lapped traffic early in the NAPA AutoCare 200 at Nazareth las weekend and settled for a 27th-place finish. - The Milwaukee Mile is the eighth race of the 1997 Craftsman Truck Series on a larger track. At least one Cintas rookie has finished in the top-ten in the seven previous races and 1-2-3 sweep at Texas on June 6th. By Muhleman Marketing