Newburgh’s Ricky Craven picked up the first of his two NASCAR Winston Cup (now Nextel Cup) wins at Martinsville Speedway (Va.) in 2001.

The Nextel Series returns to Martinsville on Sunday for the Advance Auto Parts 500.

But another trip to Victory Lane would certainly seem unlikely the way Craven and the PPI Motorsports Team have run lately.

He has gone 35 races without a top five finish; 14 without a top 10 and 12 without a top-20.

He is currently 32nd in points with a pair of 22nd-place finishes representing his best through the first seven races.

“This is my worst start ever in NASCAR. It’s frustrating. It isn’t the most enjoyable time. But I still say that our best races are ahead of us,” said Craven Thursday morning. “Testing [at Martinsville] went well [last week]. It was encouraging. We built a new car and I’m very excited about that. It’s a very good race car. Cal [team owner Cal Wells III] is committed to building a new fleet of race cars. They’re beautiful.

“I’m confident we’ll turn the program around. We’ve done it in the past. There’s no doubt in my mind we’re going to run better as the season goes along,” added the 37-year-old Craven, the 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year. “It isn’t an easy time for Cal or me but we’ve had taller hurdles in the past.”

The financial and testing restraints that go with being a single-car team continue to plague them and that has been magnified by the switch from Pontiac to Chevy Monte Carlo this season.

Pontiac pulled out of the series after last season.

The PPI Motorsports team originally ran Fords before changing to Pontiacs before the 2003 campaign.

“We’re the only single car team to win in the last few years and, whether we’re a single or multi-car team, we’ll win again. I’m sure of it,” said Craven who pointed out that veterans Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace and Jeff Burton have gone longer without a win than he has.

Martin’s last win came in 2002 while Wallace and Burton haven’t won since 2001.

Craven’s second win came at Darlington Raceway (S.C.) last season.

“That was the perfect opportunity to secure that second sponsorship [and race team] but it didn’t happen and when it didn’t happen, our window of opportunity closed. But it didn’t slam shut. Obviously, that’s still our objective,” said Craven who noted that they also have a “very difficult economy” working against them in their quest to land a second sponsor and team.

“Bill Elliott was leading the race at Texas without decals on his car. He was unsponsored. That’s the strongest statement you can make about how difficult the economy is. He’s one of the sport’s best,” said Craven. “Consider that and then you can understand how difficult it is for someone like us to get a second car and a second sponsorship.”

Craven knows there is pressure to produce but he said that’s nothing new.

“I’ve recognized pressure since I began racing when I was 15 years old. I’m motivated by pressure. I’m motivated by competition whether it’s auto racing, one-on-one basketball or playing a game air hockey with my kids,” said Craven.

He said as a senior member of the PPI Motorsports team he wants to be “part of the leadership that helps us overcome our challenges and disappointments.

“I’m very determined to do that,” said Craven who slipped to 27th in the points last season after a career-high 15th in 2002.

He praised first-year crew chief Dave Charpentier and former crew chief Mike Beam, who has returned to PPI Motorsports as the director of competition.

And he said the second-year engine program is headed in the right direction.

“The engine department has the wind at its back now. It’s gaining momentum,” said Craven.

Craven, fresh off a family vacation to St. Thomas, is excited about racing at Martinsville.

“Martinsville has been very good to us,” said Craven, who has three top-10 finishes in his last 11 races there. “It’s one of my favorites.”