NASCAR Winston Cup points champion Jeff Gordon often says crew chief Ray Evernham and the constructive relationship he has with him have been critical components in their success.

Newburgh’s Ricky Craven is developing a similar relationship with crew chief Mike Hillman as they prepare to debut first-time Winston Cup owner Scott Barbour’s new Ford race team at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 14.

The Barbour-Hillman-Craven team has locked up a primary sponsor, according to Barbour, but the owner said it will be up to the sponsor to make the formal announcement.

“We’re very happy with it. They could announce it as soon as tomorrow,” said Barbour.

Craven has been pleased with the progress of the team and his relationship with Hillman

“Mike and I are on the same page. He wants my input. We have a partnership. We have great dialogue. It was like it was in 1996 with Charley Pressley. We had a good working relationship and we were good friends. That’s what Mike and I are establishing,” said Craven, who got off to a great start that season with the Kodiak racing team.

Hillman said “a lot of people told me Ricky was a hard dude to work with. But he wants to be the best. He isn’t happy finishing 15th, 12th or 25th. And I don’t want to be around anybody who is content to finish 15th, 12th or 25th.

“It’s immense how good our relationship is and how we communicate about everything,” added Hillman. “He’s one of the few guys I would trust to try [new] things with.”

Hillman said one of the reasons he and Barbour selected Craven was because “he’s a hands-on driver. He knows cars and he wants to have input into the racing team.”

The common goal of Craven, Barbour and Hillman is to start every race, finish as many laps as possible and visit Victory Lane at least once.

“Ricky is ready to win and I’m overdue to win,” said Hillman.

Barbour said “I’m extremely happy with everything. We’ve made a lot of big strides.”

The team has eight Fords and will take three to Daytona. Barbour said he has added Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Mike Tomczak and former driver Donnie Allison to the race team.

The team has tested at Daytona and Talladega (Ala.) and Hillman said “we’ve shown great gains every time.”

He credited the tireless efforts and dedication of the entire race team for the progress.

It will be an uphill climb for the Barbour team, especially early in the season. Because it is a new team and provisional starters for the first four races are based on last year’s points, Craven will have to qualify his Ford in order to race.

“We have to be on the money for those first four races,” said Craven. “We have to establish ourselves in the points standings and then work on developing consistency.”

I’ve never missed a Winston Cup race and I don’t intend to start now.”

Craven, who missed four months with post-concussion syndrome and a related ear problem last season and then was released by the Hendrick race team, said he is healthy and excited about the upcoming season.

“I went through a lot of adversity in ’98. But it was good experience for me although it was painful at the time. I intend to use that to my advantage,” said Craven, who has found little difference so far between driving a Ford and the Chevys he has raced his entire life. “I want to win a Winston Cup race. That’s the only thing that has eluded me. I’ve been awfully close. I know it’s going to take some time to establish ourselves but I feel we’ve gotten off on the right foot.”