No matter which team he drives for, nor the number on the side of his car or truck, Ricky Craven has proven one thing over the past eight years: His Maine fans will enthusiastically support the benefit event that bears his name.

On Jan. 28, the ninth edition of the Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for Charity will be held in Greenville. More than 500 sledders are likely to hit the trails for a 60-mile trip around the Moosehead Region.

And organizers will disburse five more hefty checks from a fund that has raised more than $1,000,000 over eight years.

But as Craven’s status as a NASCAR driver remains in limbo after he stepped away from a Craftsman Truck Series ride at the end of the season, the ride continues to garner immense support.

For that, the Newburgh native is grateful.

“Whether I’ve won the closest race in the history of NASCAR or am driving the trucks or not racing at all, the snowmobile ride stands on its own merits,” Craven said on Wednesday, as he returned to his Greenville cabin.

“I think it’s become less about me and more about the fact that this is a fun event,” he said. “We’ve had 500 snowmobiles lined up for an 80-mile ride through the north woods of Maine. I would sign up for that every week if I had time … and I might. But the point is, this is fun. This is a recreation I did when I was a kid. We’ve just found a way to combine that activity and put some money on the bottom line [for charity].”

Craven’s mom, Nancy is the event’s co-director and does much of the work behind the scenes to ensure that the snowmobile ride is a success each year. And after raising $41,900 in its first year, the event has continued to grow.

A total of $253,500 was raised in 2004, and the 2005 ride raised another $185,200. That cash is generated by a potent combination of sponsors, fans, snowmobile enthusiasts … and friends.

And it seems that each year, more and more of the regular attendees move into the “friends” category.

“This is a reunion, every year,” Ricky Craven said. “People mark their calendar and know exactly where they’re going to be the last Saturday in January every year.”

When they get to Greenville High School, they’ll find a large crowd of people they may not have seen since the previous year. And while some public appearances of professional athletes are merely meet-and-greet sessions that allow fans a brief word and an autograph or two, that’s not what this ride is all about.

“The reality is, the people are there for the right reasons,” he said. “I think a small percentage of people come because they want an autograph. I think the majority, if not all the people, come because it’s a good event that represents what they like about the state.”

The ride benefits five charities: The Marrow Foundation, Give Kids the World, the Children’s Miracle Network, the Travis Roy Foundation, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

And the event has turned into a year-round endeavor for Nancy Craven.

“We don’t get any down time,” she said. “The day of the ride, people come up to me and say, ‘Here’s my money for next year.'”

While 200 people have already signed up for this year’s ride and another 100 are part of a Greenville contingent that will pitch in at the scene, Nancy Craven said she’s still eager for others to sign up.

One popular feature of the ride is a raffle for a Ford F-150 Supercrew pickup which is bought by sponsor Brake Service and painted with a NASCAR color scheme. This year’s truck sports the logos of Craven’s 2005 ride, the No. 99 Superchips entry in the Craftsman Truck Series.

Tickets for the raffle cost $100, but only 500 tickets will be sold. Nancy Craven said ticket sales are lagging a bit, but she hopes things pick up in the weeks before the ride.

Nancy Craven said that each year her son has a great time interacting with participants. For many years, he returned home as a hero to many race fans as the state’s lone entry in the elite NASCAR Winston Cup or Nextel circuit.

This year, with his future up in the air, Nancy Craven said the dynamic may change a bit.

“This is going to be a tremendous year to give him a boost,” she said. “He doesn’t know what’s ahead of him. I don’t either.”

If you’re interested in taking part in this year’s ride – or in buying a raffle ticket – you can contact Nancy Craven at 941-9364. Brake Service in Bangor also has raffle tickets available, Nancy Craven said.

Year-end submissions sought

On Saturday I’ll share a few thoughts about 2005, and take a brief look at what 2006 may hold.

If you’ve had a memorable year and want to try your hand as an assistant outdoor columnist for a day, please consider e-mailing me a few thoughts for possible inclusion.

The pay will be poor (or, more accurately, non-existent). The perks will be few (people may, as a matter of fact, begin lining their bird cages with your prose on Sunday morning). And there’s always the chance that an irate reader may take issue with the observations you make and malign you, your hometown, and your ugly, misbehaving child, spouse or dog (whether you have any of the above or not).

With that said, if you’ve got a particular reason to begin looking ahead to ’06, I’d love to hear what you have to say. And so, I’m sure, would our readers.

Thus far, relatively few submissions have arrived here at 491 Main Street, but if you’ve got a few minutes to peck out a thought or two, I hope you consider sending them my way.

Did you have a memorable trip with family or friends this year? Was the fishing good … bad … or ugly? Did you finally get the chance to fulfill an outdoor goal? And what’s your outdoor agenda for the year to come?

Those are just a few suggestions to prime your creative pump. Now, it’s up to you … I’m all ears.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.