Craven will lose gum in Loudon

There is no shortage of pressure on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit. Sponsorship dollars can be hard to come by and performance can dictate whether those sponsorship dollars are forthcoming.

Last weekend’s USA Today cover story expressed the need for today’s drivers to also have communication skills when they are talking with sponsors, making public appearances and dealing with the media.

Newburgh’s Ricky Craven has the total package in that he is a quality driver and is very much at ease conversing with sponsors, fans and the media.

He also has a sense of humor, which can be a valuable ally in handling pressure.

While driving in Sunday’s Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, he had a comical experience.

According to the PPI Motorsports website, Craven radioed the team after the first caution lap.

“Guys, can you remind me to get rid of my gum before I get in the car next time? I’m like a little kid. I tried to throw it out the window and it stuck to my glove. Now it’s on the steering wheel and the shifter.”

Crew chief Mike Beam told Craven they would.

“You know, it’s pretty handy for the shifter though. It’s like velcro,” relayed Craven.

Nobody knows how Craven will do in Sunday’s New England 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway but one thing is for certain: he won’t be munching on gum when he climbs into his Ford Tide No. 32.

Heat races better than time trials

Should Oxford Plains Speedway owner and general manager Bill Ryan consider using time trials to determine the top 10 qualifiers for the Oxford True Value 250?

That would ensure the 10 fastest cars would be in the show.

Then you could have heat races and consolation races to determine the rest of the field.

The way it is now, there are six 20-lap heat races with the top four qualifying. Starting spots for the heat races are determined by a draw. Those who don’t qualify in the first set of heat races are put into the field for one of three 20-lap, 24-car consolation races and, again the top four qualify.

Those who barely missed the cut in the first set of heat races earn good starting spots in the consolation races.

Finally, there is a last-chance 50-lap race where only the winner qualifies.

There are also provisional spots and the winner of Saturday night’s late model feature at OPS gets in.

Three-time winner Ralph Nason of Unity said time trials would improve the caliber of entrants. It would bring more drivers up from the south because they know they’d make the show based on time trials. They wouldn’t have to worry about drawing a poor starting spot in a heat race and not qualifying.

Two drivers who would probably benefit from time trials said they prefer the current setup.

“I don’t like the fact they don’t have time trials but it’s a lot better for the fans and if it wasn’t for the fans, we wouldn’t be here,” said Dale Shaw of Center Conway, N.H.

“I usually have a quick car but I’m a fan, too, and time trials are boring,” agreed Mercer’s Jeff Taylor. “It’s much more exciting seeing cars racing for a spot in the race.”

Ryan said the fans prefer heat races to time trials and that’s good enough for him.

It would also be time-consuming to have 80-plus cars running time trials.

It’s fine the way it is.

Larry Mahoney can be reached at 990-8231 or by email at lmahoney@bangordailynews.net.