Raybestos Rookies Willie Allen, Joey Clanton and Tim Sauter participated in a press conference on Thursday afternoon at Texas.  Allen leads Sauter by seven points (152-145) in the overall rookie standings and Clanton by eight.

WILLIE ALLEN, No. 13 THORSPORT CHEVROLET:  "I've definitely had an up and down season.  I've had a lot of mechanical failures but hopefully got that straightened up now.  We're trying hard each week to win the Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors.  It definitely means a lot to me and my team.  A lot of big names have went on up to the top series, NEXTEL Cup, and I'd definitely love to be part of that award.  But I've got two competitors here breathing down my neck.  Joey Clanton has really stepped it up and Tim Sauter is a good guy.  Hopefully we can pull it out."   

JOEY CLANTON, No. 09 ZAXBY'S FORD: YOU FINISHED SIXTH LAST WEEK AT ATLANTA.  WHAT DID YOU LEARN LAST WEEK THAT WILL HELP YOU HERE AT TEXAS?  "The biggest thing is just being patient on the mile-and-a-halfs.  We really didn't have a good truck there in practice last week and had a terrible starting place but just kept the nose clean.  We had a good truck, made the right adjustments during the race and was able to work our way up to the front keeping patient and staying out of the wrecks that seemed to catch up a couple of people last week.  That's really where we've been kind of taking from what happened at Martinsville two weeks prior and trying not to catch ourself up in that where we're finishing at the end of the race."

TIM SAUTER, No. 07 LESTER BUILDINGS CHEVROLET:  WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR YOU TO WIN RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR?  "I think right now Joey has stepped up the program here so we've got to get some top-10 runs here to make a race out of this.  I want to thank Raybestos for helping sponsor this series and the rookie of the year deal.  I think our truck is running good here.  We struggled really bad at Atlanta and I think our mile-and-a-half program hasn't been that good this year and we're looking for things to turn around here this weekend."     

ALLEN:  DURING THIS RACE, ARE YOU AWARE OF WHERE EACH OTHER IS ON THE TRACK?  DOES THAT EVER ENTER YOUR MIND?  "You try not to think about it but if you look at the scoring pylon you definitely look and see and just do the best that you can do.  You pretty much got what you've got and, like I they said, just stay out of trouble and keep improving our truck.  I think we've got a pretty good truck for this weekend.  I don't know if it'll qualify that good but I really feel like it's good for the long run."

CLANTON:  DURING THIS RACE, ARE YOU AWARE OF WHERE EACH OTHER IS ON THE TRACK?  DOES THAT EVER ENTER YOUR MIND?  "I've kept up.  I mean, I'm only getting to run 16 races so I've got to replace a couple of bad ones that I did have this year.  I've definitely keeping up with where these two have been because they are able to replace some of their worst.  Now they've got 10 points and nine points, which is the best you can get.  I'm up here scrambling trying to replace some six-point and five-point finishes.  So I'm definitely keeping up with where they're at every week, every lap of the race."

SAUTER:  DURING THIS RACE, ARE YOU AWARE OF WHERE EACH OTHER IS ON THE TRACK?  DOES THAT EVER ENTER YOUR MIND?  "I think we're all competitors so obviously it's always in the back of your mind.  Obviously we don't want to wish anybody ill luck or anything like that but you are always looking and trying to do better."

ALLEN:  COMMENT ON WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED THIS YEAR IN THE NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES.  "It's definitely been an up-and-down adventure.  It's been a lot of fun to get to do this for a living, full-time.  Last year I was back reading gas meters in Nashville so to get to come and do this is a blast and a big opportunity.  Just going and learning all the different racetracks, I've come from a short track background and to go to the superspeedways and learning the balance it takes to make it work for qualifying trim and for race trim has hopefully stepped up my career.  I'm always learning more every time I go to the track.  I'm thankful I've got a good teammate, Matt Crafton, I can bounce stuff off of each week."