Andy Santerre’s career may not be progressing as quickly as NASCAR Winston Cup driver Ricky Craven’s did. But the Cherryfield stock car driver’s career is still going nicely.

The 28-year-old Santerre will return to the Busch Grand National North Series again this year, but, unlike the previous four seasons, he will begin the season with a big-time sponsor.

“This is the first time I’ve had major backing,” said Santerre, referring to Monro Muffler-Brake, based in Rochester, N.Y. “It’s kind of neat. I’ll have three cars [Chevy Monte Carlos] and two are brand new. We’ve added on to our shop [in Litchfield], and we’ve added a full-time crew member [fabricator Rick Bergeron].”

“The biggest change has been in our shop equipment. We’ve b “The biggest change has been in our shop equipment. We’ve bought a lot of tools and equipment that I needed in the past but couldn’t afford to have,” said Santerre, who used to begin the racing season with one car.

Santerre finished second to Dave Dion in the points race a year ago and had set his sights on racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series or joining the Busch Grand National South series.

“I had made up my mind that I was ready to go south. I tested a truck, but I didn’t get the ride. And there weren’t a whole of of openings in the Busch South series,” said Santerre. “I was offered rides, but not by the top teams. I would have been a back marker.

“Unless I got a deal with a top team in the truck or Busch South series, there wasn’t any sense leaving my own deal up here,” added Santerre. “I work a lot. I have to put in a lot more time up here. But I call my own shots and I don’t have to answer to anybody. I kind of like it.”

Santerre, who was the Rookie of the Year in the Busch North series in 1993, has one thing on his mind for this season.

“Our main goal will be to win the points title,” said Santerre. “We came up a little bit short last year.”

Santerre said the combination of having a top-notch crew,

Santerre said the combination of having a top-notch crew, adding a full-time crew member to take a big load off him, and having equipment he never had before has “made my situation a whole lot better.”

He is still talking to a couple of teams on the Busch South series in hopes he may get a few rides this season.

“The advantage the Busch South series has [over Busch North] is they run the same tracks the Winston Cup cars race. They race the day before [a Winston Cup race]. And they run on the same tires, radials, that the Winston Cup cars use. We run on bias tires,” said Santerre.

Scarborough’s Joe Bessey is on the Busch South tour and is currently tied for 22nd in points.

Santerre sold one of his cars to Adam Friend of Detroit and the 22-year-old Friend intends to race the car in the fourth Busch North series events at New Hampshire International Speedway this season.

Friend, who will graduate from New Hampshire College in May, also intends to run the Northeast Pro Stock Association tour again this summer.

The first Busch North race will be on April 20 in Lee, N.H.