Automobiles Review

RICK CRAWFORD – No. 14 Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford F-150 – ON RACING AT DOVER. “From the first time we came here in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, I took a liking to it just by looking at it.  It’s a tough race track and it reminds me of a half-mile track we’ve got back home, Mobile International Speedway.  With the elevated straightaways and the turns with the banks so high, you fall down into the corners.  To me, I look at it as a Bristol on steroids.  It’s described as the Monster Mile and it lives up to that.  It can be a monster.”

SINCE THE TRACK IS SO TOUGH, DOES EXPERIENCE HELP YOU? “I think racing experience comes into play.  You’ve got a lot of people here that are going to be fast.  All in all, you’re going to have to know how to race here.  You’ve got to know what this race track can dish out to you.  There’s times when you don’t race the competitors and there’s times when you can race the competitors and you’ve got to know where and when to pass and when not to.  This track lends to the fact of getting you in trouble.”

HOW DOES RICK CRAWFORD RACE THE MONSTER MILE? “I race the 14 truck, the Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International. We’ve had some good trucks here.  I’ve sat on the pole here; we’ve led some laps.  We’ve been in contention to win here a couple of times.  I race it as if this race track is Darlington.  I race the track, not necessarily the guys around me.  But if I can take advantage of somebody around me then I’ll race.”

IN THE SEVEN RACES THIS SEASON, YOU HAVE SEVEN TOP-15 FINISHES.  TALK ABOUT CONSISTENCY AND YOUR SEASON. “It has been consistently fast.  I’ve had good trucks.  The Circle Bar race team along with Kevin Starland [No. 14 crew chief] and myself have been experimenting lately with something that we believe in and it’s coming around. This race team hasn’t reached its potential yet.  To be second in the points without, what I’d call 100 percent potential, I can’t wait to get it to 100 percent.”

WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT TO SEE YOU REACH THAT POTENTIAL? “It might happen this weekend.”