Rick Crawford Texas Preview
Contact: Craig Bailey Chex 400 Performance PR Plus Texas Motor Speedway 704.377.8727 (office) Justin, TX 704.507.2456 (mobile) June 2-3, 2005 cbailey@pprplus.com Rick Crawford's Texas Motor Speedway Results Date Start Finish Laps Status 10/16/04 21 7 146/146 Running 06/11/04 18 15 167/167 Running 10/11/03 8 9 146/146 Running 06/06/03 2 14 165/167 Running 09/13/02 4 4 146/146 Running 06/07/02 9 4 167/167 Running 10/05/01 6 2 146/146 Running 06/08/01 8 20 162/167 Running 10/13/00 29 6 167/167 Running 06/09/00 12 8 166/167 Running 10/15/99 10 23 123/125 Running 06/11/99 13 12 178/179 Running 06/05/98 26 26 135/167 Engine 06/06/97 6 3 167/167 Running Starts Wins Poles Top 5 Top 10 Laps 14 0 0 4 8 2181/2224 (98.1%) Notes/Quotes The Chex 400 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway marks a homecoming for Rick Crawford and the Circle Bar Racing team. While the team's race shop is located in Concord, NC, team owner Tom Mitchell and his Circle Bar Truck Corral are based in Ozona, Texas. "Texas is our home race track," said Crawford. "We put more emphasis on doing well in Texas than at any other track on the schedule. We want to win there. Mr. Mitchell's family and business are in Texas and we want him to feel proud of the product we bring to the race track in basically his backyard. We take the best to Texas." Crawford and the Circle Bar Racing team have proven their competitiveness on the 1.5 mile speedway with four top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 14 starts. In March, Crawford shattered the track record, grabbed pole position and led the most laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a track nearly identical to Texas Motor Speedway. Unfortunately, an accident resulting from a cut tire destroyed that truck. "We have a brand new Ford F-150 truck for Texas," continued Crawford, a native of Mobile, AL. "It's basically the little brother to the truck we used with great success in Atlanta. When you have a good piece like we did in Atlanta, you hate to lose but (crew chief) Kevin ‘Cowboy' Starland did a great job building its replacement. In fact, we learned a few new things which made this truck even better." In preparation for the Chex 400, Crawford participated in a two-day test session at Texas Motor Speedway on May 24 and 25. "We tested the new truck last month and were very pleased with it," said Crawford. "The entire team is looking forward to racing it." In 1991, Crawford and the Circle Bar Racing team joined forces when Tom Mitchell began sponsoring and then owning Crawford's NASCAR All-Pro Series Ford. In 1997, the Crawford/Mitchell combination moved into NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Prior to his association with Crawford, Mitchell fielded cars in IndyCar competition (now the Indy Racing League) and in the NASCAR Cup Series. * * * * The Official Rick Crawford Fan Club is still accepting new members for the 2005 season. Members of the Fan Club receive a Rick Crawford T-shirt, autographed hero card, fan club decal, quarterly newsletter, discounts on merchandise and much more. For details, visit http://www.rickcrawford.com/eagle/fans/fanclub.pdf or write to Rick Crawford Fan Club, PO Box 1055, Harrisburg, NC 28075 * * * * The No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford F-150 which Rick Crawford will pilot in the Chex 400 at Texas Motor Speedway is a new truck known simply as CB16. * * * * The Chex 400 at Texas Motor Speedway marks Rick Crawford's 207th consecutive NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start. Crawford's string of starts, a series record, earned him the nickname ‘Ironman'. * * * * Circle Bar Truck Corral Racing Pit Crew Position Team Member Hometown Crew Chief Kevin ‘Cowboy' Starland Chesaning, MI Truck Chief/Rear Tire Carrier Ronnie White Polkville, NC Rear Tire Changer Tim Sanders Newberry, SC Front Tire Carrier Shawn Pincola Cadiz, OH Front Tire Changer Bobby Clark Wyandotte, MI Jackman Gene ‘Gator' Morris Adrian, GA Gas Man Dan Heiser Princeville, IL Catch Can Eric Gifford Mayfield, NY Spotter Milt Bishop Milwaukee, WI Pit Support Brandon Abernathy Cleveland, GA Rick Crawford's 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results Date Track StartFinish Laps Status 2/18 Daytona Int'l Speedway 19 36 10/100 Accident 2/25 California Speedway 14 14 100/100 Running 3/18 Atlanta Motor Speedway 1 29 128/135 Accident 4/9 Martinsville Speedway 14 21 249/250 Running 4/30 Gateway Int'LRaceway 19 5 160/160 Running 5/15 Mansfield Motorsports Spdwy 4 6 254/254 Running 5/20 Lowe's Motor Speedway 2 25 119/136 Running 6/4 Dover Int'Ll Speedway 21 11 200/200 Running Starts Wins Poles Top 5 Top 10 Points Laps 8 0 1 1 2 885 (14th) 1220/1335 (91.3%) Rick Crawford's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Career Totals Starts Wins Poles Top 5 Top 10 206 3 3 47 97