Craven hopes to end hiatus, race part time

Newburgh native Ricky Craven isn’t ready to retire from auto racing.

But the two-time winner in the Nextel Cup series said he doesn’t foresee driving a full-time schedule next season.

“In looking toward 2007, I expect to race. Perhaps on a part-time basis. And I could enjoy that. I want to help a team and have a positive influence on that team,” said Craven, who last ran a full season in 2005 for Roush Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series.

“I certainly enjoyed that year in the truck series but I don’t see myself running in it again full time other than if I owned my own truck team,” said the 40-year-old Craven.

Craven had seven top-10 finishes in his first eight races for Roush Racing and was running second in points at that stage.

But a few races later, owner Jack Roush decided to overhaul his truck teams to try to jumpstart struggling rookie driver Todd Kluever. That meant Craven lost crew chief and long-time friend Mike Beam to Kluever and Craven’s team wound up struggling.

Craven did win a race at Martinsville, making him the 15th driver in history to win at the Nextel Cup, Busch and Truck levels, but he wound up 14th in points.

Craven admitted that he had discussions with a Nextel Cup owner earlier this month about returning to race full time for one year.

But he wouldn’t confirm if it was Cal Wells III, for whom he drove for 31/2 years and registered his two victories. They were the only single-car team to win a race in the decade.

“That opportunity isn’t going to happen now,” said Craven, who raced twice last year.

He ran for the FitzBradshaw Racing Team in a Busch race at Martinsville, finishing 39th, and in the TD Banknorth Oxford 250, winding up 32nd.

He spent the majority of his time off “reflecting on my career and catching up with my family.

“I made the right decision,” said Craven, who thoroughly enjoyed his year away from the sport.

However, he also said “I missed competing and interacting with the fans and I was a little uncomfortable being stagnant.”

He said if he accepts a part-time ride in the Nextel Cup, Busch or Craftsman Truck series, “it will really have to be a concentrated effort. We would have to decide on the races we were going to run so we have time to prepare for them. We would have to be focused on just those events in order to maximize our performance.”

He purposely stayed away from the racetrack this past season so he could spend time with wife K.K. and children Riley, Everett and Lydia.

He said he knew that hurt his chances of landing a ride for 2007 but has no regrets about doing so.

“I know it made it more difficult for me to be part of the discussion leading into 2007. However, taking any other approach other than the one I did would have been a contradiction to my reasoning [for taking the year off],” said Craven, who has a home in Greenville in addition to Concord, N.C.

Craven, the 1995 Rookie of the Year in the Nextel Cup series, has 278 Nextel Cup races to his credit and said he is proud of what he has accomplished during his career.

Craven, who owns a commercial leasing [land] firm in Kannapolis, N.C., said running the two Cup races at New Hampshire International Speedway are “at the top of my list.

“That would be personal,” said Craven, who has won poles but hasn’t won a Nextel Cup race at Loudon, N.H.

He is confident he can be a productive driver again after shaking off the rust.

He also said he may explore other opportunities in the sport such as radio or television work.