There were certainly more highs than lows for Newburgh’s Ricky Craven and his No. 32 Tide Ford and PPI-Motorsports team during the recently completed NASCAR Winston Cup season.

His 15th-place finish in the points standings was his best ever. His previous best was 19th in 1997 when he drove for Hendrick Motorsports.

Even though he didn’t make a return trip to Victory Lane after winning his first everWinston Cup race in 2001, his nine top-10 finishes were two more than the seven he registered during the 1997 and 2001 seasons.

He won the Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville Speedway (Va.) in 2001.

Craven led at least a lap in 11 different races and his 382 laps led were 10th most.

“Without question, we had a very good year,” said the 36-year-old Craven from his Greenville home. “It’s important to put things into perspective. We are a single-car team in a series with several multiple-car teams. We finished ahead of several of those teams. It’s the equivalent of being a small-market team in baseball. There were obvious deficits we had to overcome. We were competing against teams with much bigger budgets and, at times, we will lose to teams with bigger salaries or more resources.

“We built a strong foundation of people. We have a great group of team members. We’ve raced together for two years and it paid off for us,” continued Craven. “Although we didn’t win, which certainly disappoints me and the team, we’re all proud of the fact we met our objective by finishing in the top 15 in points. And we did it with more top 10s and more laps led than last year [when Craven finished 21st in points]. We’re a better team than we were last year but there is a void having not won, the same void Rusty Wallace and Jeff Burton feel.”

Craven and his team were tops among single-car teams.

“We have demonstrated great focus as a team as well as a great level of desire and hunger. Those are two elements you have to have to succeed,” said Craven.

He said it is “very important” to become a multi-car team to “better compete against the Hendrick, Roush, Yates and Childress teams. There is strength in numbers.”

Each driver is allowed to test seven times at Winston Cup tracks so multi-car teams would get to test at least 14 times. Even though each driver is allowed just seven, team members compare notes and technology.

“They also have more wind tunnel time, more engineers, more money and on and on,” said Craven.

Craven pointed out that his team had run the “majority of our seven tests by the midpoint of the season.

“Hopefully, we can have a second team by 2004,” said Craven.

The Tide Ford will become a Tide Pontiac in 2003 and team owner Cal Wells III has decided that they will build their own engines rather than purchase them from Robert Yates as they did this past year.

“The Pontiacs are very good automobiles. The new cars tested well in Miami. I think they’ve built four Pontiacs already and we’ll have another four by January,” said Craven.

Winston Cup points champion Tony Stewart drove a Pontiac this past season.

“We will have a lot of changes going into next year so we’re going to use December and January to make the transition to the Pontiacs,” said Craven.

One possible change that will dramatically impact the team involves crew chief Mike Beam.

Race engineer Roy McAuley replaced Beam as crew chief for the last four races while Beam took on other responsibilities within the team.

McAuley was being groomed to become the permanent crew chief next season and Beam was expected to be the team manager.

But, according to the Jayski website, Beam is being considered as the crew chief for the No. 30 America Online Chevy driven by Jeff Green.

And McAuley’s future was reportedly up in the air.

“It is important for me and the team to retain Mike Beam,” said Craven. “He is a great crew chief and a very good friend. He has a wealth of experience. And I would love to have Roy back as the team engineer. Roy has a lot of ability. I really benefited from working with both of them.”

Craven, Wells and the team have a five-year plan and Craven said “we’re a healthy two years into it.”

He would love to finish in the top 10 in points next year and the eventual goal is to compete for the points championship. But it won’t be easy, especially if they remain a one-car team.

“The most important thing about next year is we need to maintain our progress,” said Craven. “We can’t slip back. We’ve got the transition to the new Pontiacs as well as to our own engine program and, perhaps, to a few changes among crew members. Those things are going to be a big test for us. How well we prepare in December and January will have a lot to do with where we end up in 2003.”

Ricky Craven’s NASCAR results for the 2002 season with start, finish and winnings:

Daytona 500: 43, 17, $156,762

Subway 400:1, 5, $70,900

UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400: 9, 31, $63,075

MBNA America 500: 6, 5, $69,950

Carolina Dodge Dealers 400: 1, 41, $48,850

Food City 500: 11, 13, $65,540

Samsung/Radio Shack 500: 10, 14, $92,050

Virginia 500: 18,30, $48,750

Aaron’s 499: 35, 18, $67,160

NAPA Auto Parts 500: 15, 37, $61,000

Pontiac Excitement 400: 10, 9, $59,975

Coca-Cola Racing Family 600: 3, 3, $139,250

MBNA Platinum 400: 6, 7, $72,485

Pocono 500: 12, 14, $51,965

Sirius Satellite Radio 400: 8, 15, $59,940

Dodge/Save Mart 350: 38, 19, $59,175

Pepsi 400: 26, 23, $68,325

Tropicana 400: 25, 20, $71,850

New England 300: 9, 21, $57,650

Pennsylvania 500: 16, 17, $51,265

Brickyard 400: 22, 33, $103,675

Sirius Satellite Radio at The Glen: 37, 34, $46,040

Pepsi 400 presented By Farmer Jack: 16, 17, $56,540

Sharpie 500: 7, 16, $71,310

Mountain Dew Southern 500: 16, 14, $60,170

Chevy Monte Carlo 400: 20, 21, $52,805

New Hampshire 300: 8, 6, $70,150

MBNA All-American Heroes 400: 7, 9, $65,890

Protection One 400: 20, 38, $60, 900

EA Sports 500: 16, 15, $64,885

UAW-GM Quality 500: 16, 36, $47,160

Old Dominion 500: 14, 7, $57,300

NAPA 500: 16, 21, $69,350

Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400: 23, 9, $60,175

Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil: 35, 34, $48,525

Ford 400: 27, 24, $51,175