Announcement

(Sept. 10, 1998) - Xpress Motorsports, the team which fields the No. 61 IWX Motor Freight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chevrolet, plans a limited (15-20 races) Busch Series, Grand National Division schedule for next season with NASCAR Winston Cup driver Derrike Cope at the controls. Also, a limited Winston Cup schedule (driver and dates to be determined) is on the drawing boards for the team.

"We see this as an opportunity to continue growing our team," said Steve Coulter, owner of Xpress Motorsports. "We feel we have assembled a great team under the leadership of Dave Fuge. This arrangement for next year will allow us to compete on a level with the best in the industry. That really has a lot of appeal to me and I'm looking forward to the challenge"

Xpress Motorsports is in its third season of competition on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team was formed in 1996 with Dave Fuge joining the team midway through 1997 as crew chief and team manager. From that point forward the team has been improving and getting stronger in performance and in personnel and equipment.

"I'm personally looking forward to this for many reasons," said Fuge,43, a former Winston Cup team owner (Tri-Star Motorsports). "Derrike and I came east together in 1987. It's very exciting because with everything we have here at Xpress Motorsports and Derrike as our driver, I know we can put together a winning effort."

"Dave and I were together when I started in racing," said Cope. "We always have talked about the chance to work together again. Everything has come into place for it to be the right time. Dave has assembled a great team at Xpress Motorsports. Actually, many of the guys there are from the Northwest and people I know real well. All the resources are in place for us to get back together again and run very competitively."

A final schedule, sponsorship program and further details of the program are currently being formulated.