Craven comes through on promise Driver predicted team would get a win in the first six races of the year

Ricky Craven made a prediction to his Tide Pontiac team at a meeting just after the holidays.

“I told them we were going to win one of the first six races,” said Craven. “I was interested in establishing confidence and unity among the team.”

He had a fourth and a 12th among his first four races leading up to Sunday’s Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

He was worried that he wouldn’t get the win and felt this would be his best chance to make good on his prediction.

“I didn’t want to go into Bristol [Tenn.] this weekend needing a win,” said Craven referring to the unpredictability created by the high-banked .533 oval at Bristol Motor Speedway where wrecks are common.

Craven’s prediction came to fruition in one of the most memorable finishes in Winston Cup history as the Newburgh native edged Kurt Busch by two-thousandths of a second.

Both cars were swapping paint, side-by-side, as they crossed the finish line.

“It was incredible. It was awesome,” said Craven Monday morning.

He said winning at Darlington was special because “Darlington is one of the four pillars of NASCAR along with Daytona, Talladega and Charlotte.”

Craven and Busch bumped each other on the next-to-last lap. Craven forged into the lead but Busch recovered from his bump, tapped Craven and regained the lead.

“I knew I would have one more chance [to pass him],” said Craven who admitted that he wasn’t sure how he kept his car from spinning out after the Busch tap.

The final attempt to pass came in turns three and four where he had been strong all day.

“I ran a line very few cars ran. Only Michael Waltrip and Matt Kenseth ran it,” said Craven who ran high and then sleekly sliced down to the inside of Busch before the two cars locked side panels.

“It was pure hard racing,” said the 36-year-old Craven. “It was really neat the way it unfolded. We ran the high line and, early in the race, I told Scott [crew chief Scott Miller] that we weren’t very good. But I felt if we kept tuning the car, the sun came out and some of the other cars got sliding around the track, we’d have a chance. Scott made some great adjustments and the sun came out with 100 miles to go.”

Craven, who started 31st, didn’t know he had won after they crossed the finish line.

“Scott said ‘That was incredible’ over the radio. Everybody was hollering. I said ‘That’s great but did we win?’ Then I saw the scoreboard in turn two and No. 32 was on the top,” said Craven.

He said he couldn’t sleep Sunday night and wound up watching the finish of the race on CNN’s Headline News.

His second career victory catapulted him into fifth place in the point standings.

“Our start has exceeded my expectations,” said Craven, who finished a career-best 15th in points a year ago in a Ford Taurus. “But we’re not where we want to be yet. We’re still a work in progress.”

He praised his pit crew, saying, “They were very focused. They were rock solid. They really contributed to the win.”

He enjoys driving the Pontiacs, whose engines are being built for the first time at the PPI Motorsports shop.

Craven mentioned being a “New England boy” in the TV interview immediately after the race. He is sharing this win with the region.

“Nobody gets the fan support I get from the New England fans,” he said.