Craven keeps focus on Truck Series

Newburgh’s Ricky Craven remains firmly focused on winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points championship for Roush Racing but admitted he now feels his chances of replacing Mark Martin in the No. 6 Ford in the Nextel Cup series next season are “remote.”

Martin is retiring from full-time Nextel Cup racing to run in the Truck series.

“The reason I think it’s remote is I turned 39 years old a couple of days [May 24] ago and that is clearly not the trend,” said Craven. “I’m not trying to talk myself out of a job but I’m realistic. Roush Racing is evaluating the opportunity and the drivers and that’s exactly what they should be doing.

“I have made it clear I’m interested in racing Cup cars with Roush Racing. I still feel I’ve got several good years ahead of me and that my best years are still ahead of me,” he added. “I won two [Cup] races the last four years and I’m determined to succeed again. I certainly have no reservations whatsoever that I can compete at the top of my game the next two, three, four years.”

He observed that “a lot of people will be interested in that ride. It’s a very good team and Mark Martin is an excellent driver. Whoever drives that car next year will not only be a talent, he will have had to earn that opportunity. It’s an outstanding opportunity for someone.”

Craven is currently third in points, 59 behind leader Ted Musgrave and 18 behind second place Bobby Hamilton, the defending Truck series champ. Craven and Musgrave are the only drivers with six top-10 finishes through the first seven races.

Geoff Smith, the general manager of Roush Racing, told the Winston-Salem Journal earlier this week they have a sponsor lined up for the No. 6 car but they are still mulling over the driver candidates.

He said Craven and 23-year-old Busch series rookie Jon Wood are “still on the radar screen for possible selection” and they would do a fine job. He also said they have “three other young candidates” in the program including Truck rookie Todd Kluever.

Craven has 278 Nextel Cup races under his belt with two victories, 17 top-fives and 41 top-10s. He left the Tide No. 32 Chevy in July last season after 31/2 years with PPI Motorsports and the Tide car. The PPI Motorsports team struggled mightily last season, Craven was 34th in points when he parted ways with owner Cal Wells III, and those problems are even worse this season as Bobby Hamilton Jr. failed to qualify this week and is 37th in points.

There was some speculation Procter and Gamble/Tide was interested in hooking up with Craven in a Roush car next season. However, they will have one year left on their contract with PPI Motorsports after this season.

“I haven’t had any discussions with them,” said Craven.

He said he has no interest in speculating on the future.