Ted Musgrave is the only two-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race winner at Gateway International Raceway, having taken the checkered flag first in 2001 and in 2005. In his 2001 win he led 140 of the race's 160 laps. In 2005 he was even more dominant, leading all but two laps en route to the win. In both instances Musgrave started from the pole and went on to win.

What do you remember about your two wins here? "I know in 2005 we led all but two laps which is just incredible knowing the way the competition is in this series these days. It was really neat to be so dominant. We made a pit stop and we didn't win the race off pit road but we easily retook the lead. You don't have too many days like that. The competitors just couldn't stay with us in either of our wins there."

Why do you like Gateway so much? "It's a real challenge. You have to find a way to keep up your momentum off both corners, especially turn two because it's so tight. Turn four is a challenge too because it's flatter. With the long straightaways and the flat corners momentum is so important there. It's almost like Pocono in that respect. It's not a flat out track like so many of the other tracks we go to. You can't just hold the throttle down and point the nose and go. You have to drive it."

Has your team regained some of the momentum it had early in the season? "I believe we have. We've added some people and moved some people around and I think it's started to pay off. We were falling off through the summer a little there. But I think where we are now we can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We've had a couple of good races in a row and everyone on the team is starting to feel a little better. We're at Labor Day and that's the end of summer so we're in the stretch to the championship now. We're going to work hard to try to get back in contention to finish in the top-ten in points." 

Your sponsor, ASE, has announced they are leaving the sport after the season. What have they meant to you in your Truck Series career? "I've never driven a Truck Series race without ASE stickers on my truck since I moved to the series full-time in 2001. They have always been with me in some form or fashion. They sponsored Jimmy Smith (owner, Ultra Motorsports) almost from the start of the series and when he expanded to two teams in 2001 and hired me they were a co-sponsor on my Mopar truck. They were there with me when I won the championship in 2005. When Jimmy shut down Ultra, ASE came with me and they've been with me ever since. They are the longest running sponsor in the history of the series. But nothing lasts forever and they've had to evaluate how they spend their marketing money and they've decided it's time for them to move on. We hate to see them go because they've been such strong supporters of the series and of me personally, but at the same time we understand. When you look at how many companies have come and gone since they have been here, it's in the hundreds. It really has meant something to me to be involved with a company that is so dedicated to the sport. I hope we can get up and contend for a win or two for them before the end of the season and send them out in style."

Ted's Gateway stats: In seven career NCTS starts at Gateway, Ted has two wins (2001 and 2005), five top-five finishes and six top-ten finishes. He has completed 1,133 of a possible 1,134 competition laps (99.9%). His average start is 5.6 and his average finish is 4.1. He has led a total of 382 laps in five races: 140 in 2001, 8 in 2002, 48 in 2003, 158 in 2005 and 28 in 2006.

This week's truck: Ted will be behind the wheel of Chassis #12 this week in Gateway.  This truck was last raced by the team in Milwaukee.