Ricky Craven Event Preview
No. 32 Tide Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Round 9 of 36 - Aaron's 499
Talladega Superspeedway
HICKORY, NC (April 19, 2004) - Ricky Craven, driver of the No. 32 Tide
Chevrolet, returns to Talladega after posting two top-10 finishes last year
at the biggest track on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit.
Ricky Craven, driver of the No. 32 Tide Chevrolet:
Last year you finished fourth and eighth respectively at Talladega. You
also ran well at Daytona before suffering a gear problem. What are your
expectations for this weekend?
"I believe the team has gotten much better at their restrictor plate
program. I do need to qualify that we have run well at Daytona and Talladega
since I strapped into the Tide car. What we haven't done is we haven't been
able to finish the job for a variety of reasons. I can go back to 2001 when
we were running fourth or fifth on the last lap and there was a wreck and it
wiped us out and we were a half a lap away from a top-five finish. The
following year, we led Talladega three times and probably had the best car
we'd had. It was very exciting...all the planets were aligned, but we ran
out of fuel and had to make a stop with just a few laps to go. So although
the finishes reflect less performance, the team has always run well. We've
just gotten better at finishing the job."
Aerodynamics and horsepower are the two key factors at Talladega, and
handling is less of a premium as it is at Daytona. Where can a driver make
a difference at a superspeedway?
"I think it is about managing momentum and aside from racing, of which I've
obviously had a passion for my entire life, I like a good game of poker.
It's a thinking man's game. I think that Daytona and Talladega have
similarities to a game of poker where you are thinking about the next move
and how the last move affected you and the players around you. You very
much have to manage momentum like two forward, one back....three forward,
two back......over the course of the day, you find yourself among the
leaders and then you have a chance to win."
They say superspeedway racing is more mentally draining versus the physical
aspect. How do you stay calm and focused during the race. Is there really
such thing as "the zone?"
"Absolutely and I think that applies to all athletes. It is a level of
focus. It is a different type of racing, but it is still racing."
Take me for a lap around Talladega....
"You shift through the gears... first, second, third, fourth and then
you are wide-open. It is very much about lining up with cars and that you
feel you run well with or they have momentum and managing that. It is less
physical and more mental. You race the pack more than you race the track."
Chassis No. 45: The Tide Racing team is taking Chassis No. 45 to Talladega
this weekend. This is the same car the Tide team ran earlier this year
during the Daytona 500 where it posted a 23rd place finish.
Appearance: Craven will sign autographs at his souvenir rig on Saturday,
April 24th from approximately 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please check with the
souvenir rig in advance for ticket distribution.
Driver Points standing: 29th (479 behind leader, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.)
