Moore win makes for good timing

Ryan Moore of Scarborough, couldn’t have scripted a better scenario leading into Saturday’s debut in the NASCAR Busch Series at Loudon’s New Hampshire International Speedway. He will drive the No. 81 Chevy Monte Carlo for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.

Moore, 21, picked up his first ever Busch North win in 33 starts when he led from start to finish in the Local Dodge Dealers 150 at Lake Erie Speedway Saturday night.

“It was pretty perfect. Good timing. It was a huge relief to get back to Victory Lane. That will be a big confidence booster. Not just for me but for the whole [Busch North] team and for everyone down south [DEI] where they’re working really hard to build the new car for Loudon. They were glad to get the call [that I won],” said Moore.

“I thought we would have won a bunch of them by now but it didn’t work out. It’s nice to get the monkey off our backs. Now we can work on doing it every week,” said Moore, the son of Busch North all-time career wins leader Kelly Moore (20).

Ryan will run another Busch North race on Friday at Loudon, the New England 125, before joining his Busch team for qualifying on Saturday morning and the subsequent New England 200 at 3 p.m.

He will under the spotlight of a national TNT-TV audience and under the watchful eye of his crew chief will be the well-known Tony Eury Sr., former Nextel Cup crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“He’s a real smart guy. I tested with him. It was pretty awesome,” said Moore. “He’ll make it a little easier for me. I’ll have someone to lean on. He’ll answer all my questions. He’ll help me throughout the race.”

He said he will probably be a little nervous but he quickly added, “There’s no point getting [too] nervous. I’m going to have a lot of fun out there. I’m finally getting a chance to do what I want to do. I’ll do the best I can.”

The soft-spoken and personable Moore is the Pine Tree State’s next Nextel Cup Series hope.

He will probably run four or five more Busch races this season and he could be in line for a full-time Busch ride with DEI next season, depending upon how he does this year.

He is an intelligent driver with uncanny poise for someone his age. He’s aggressive within reason and knows how to get the most out of his car.

Roush Racing Craftsman Truck Series driver Ricky Craven of Newburgh, who has 278 Nextel Cup races and two Cup wins, didn’t make his Busch debut until he was 25.

Moore isn’t thinking in terms of being the next Ricky Craven.

“I don’t want to be the next Ricky Craven. I want to be the next Ryan Moore. I want to be better than Ricky Craven and any other driver [I’m compared to],” said Moore.

He tested a Busch car last week at Loudon “but it didn’t quite do what we wanted it to.”

So the DEI builders began working “night and day” to bring him a new one.

“I’m optimistic about it,” said Moore.

He said it will be “a little easier” making his debut at a familiar.

“It helps to know the facility: your way in and out of the pits, where the bathrooms are, where the food is. It gives you fewer things to think about,” said Moore.

Moore will have a busy three days this weekend.

“It’s going to be pretty crazy. But I’m excited. I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Larry Mahoney can be reached at 990-8231, 1-800-310-8600 or by email at lmahoney@bangordailynews.net.