Musgrave finds success in Craftsman Truck Series
By Tim Packman, Turner Sports Interactive
November 8, 2001
2:56 PM EST (1956 GMT)
MIAMI, Fla. - If there’s no place like home, then Ted Musgrave might just be in the right place.
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Ted Musgrave
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While competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this season, the 45-year old native of Franklin, Wis. enjoyed a resurgence of sorts in his driving career. Behind the wheel of the No. 1 MOPAR Dodge, he and his team made a series high seven trips to Victory Lane.
Combining those victories with his 15 top-fives, 20 top-10s and two Bud Pole Awards, Musgrave was able to claim second place in the points chase to champion Jack Sprague. During Thursday night’s banquet at the plush Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Miami, Musgrave and team will be honored for its accomplishments.
Not a bad way to celebrate one’s first year in the Craftsman Truck Series, considering the NCTS wasn’t even in Musgrave's future plans at this time last year. Without a ride at the time, he wasn’t sure what track his career was on.
“When I got the call from Jim Smith (team owner), it sounded really good,” Musgrave said. “I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. I’d been in Winston Cup for 10 years.
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Musgrave made it to Victory Lane seven times in 2001.
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“This was an opportunity to change to another series. It’s not Winston Cup, but it’s still NASCAR.”
So, Musgrave did his homework and took a tour of the Utlra Motorsports shop where the trucks would be built and worked on. He also realized that others drivers had jump-started their careers in the Truck Series. Within 24 hours, he called Smith back and said he’d take the ride.
Two races into the season, Musgrave and Ultra were in Victory Lane at Homestead. It was Musgrave’s first NASCAR victory. From there, the team would win three of the first five races this year.
“To win that second race of the season was really good,” Musgrave said. “It more or less showed that what was the team was capable of. It was my first NASCAR-sanctioned win and what I wanted to do.
“Winning at Milwaukee was pretty special, too. Being that I’m from that area, I ran late models and ASA races on that track. Doing it in front of the hometown crowd was even better.”
It was a good year for Musgrave and the team and they are going to enjoy the accolades that will reign down on them. However, Musgrave knows what it takes to get a good driver into Victory Lane.
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Musgrave finishes the NCTS season in second place.
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“You have to have good equipment underneath you,” he said. “The way things are now, the driver can’t make up for bad equipment. I know I still have what it takes to get the job done.
“But, I don’t think I’d go back to Winston Cup. I’m with a good team with good equipment. I’m having too much fun here, I like this series and how things are going for the team and myself.”
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