Bad luck has Raines struggling in 2002

This isn't the season Tony Raines had in mind.

In 1999, Raines was the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series rookie of the year, placing 12th in the points.

He followed that up with a 15th in 2000 and a career-best sixth-place effort in the points chase in 2001.

However in 2002, nothing has seemed to go right for Raines, who pilots the No. 33 Bayer Chevrolet for BACE Motorsports.

	Raines finished second in the Hardee's 250 last year. Credit: ASP

"Things have not gone how we would have liked," said Raines about his fourth Busch Series campaign. "We have been all right with our speed, but we have just had a lot of bad racing luck.

"Last week at California Speedway, we got a hot dog wrapper stuck on our grill and it caused the engine to overheat. That is the type of thing that has been happening to us all season."

After nine races, Raines has just two top-10 outings and is 16th in the Busch Series points ladder.

Despite his team's struggles, Raines is upbeat about Friday night's Hardee's 250 event at the .750-mile Richmond International Raceway.

"I pretty much like all the tracks we go to, Richmond included," Raines said. "We ran well there last year and it is an intermediate, short track that I like racing at. It has two grooves for racing and you can catch someone and pass them if you find one of those grooves.

"Plus, it would be nice if the racing gods would go on vacation, because they have been very mean to us so far this season."

A year ago, Raines scored a runner-up finish at Richmond's spring race, losing out to Jimmy Spencer by 1.430 seconds to the checkered flag.

"That is what we need right now is a good finish, so we can get some momentum going and get some confidence," Raines said.

Like many drivers in the Busch Series ranks, Raines is a graduate of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Raines' top fiinish of 2002 is seventh, which came in March at Darlington. Credit: ASP

The LaPorte, Ind., native spent the 1997 and 1998 seasons in the Craftsman Truck Series, winning a total of four times and coming in fifth in points in 1998.

Prior to his stint in the Truck Series, Raines drove primarily in the American Speed Association from 1990-96. During that span he had seven wins, 45 top-five finishes and 70 top-ten efforts in 139 ASA starts.

His time in ASA, was highlighted by him winning the '96 ASA All-Pro Series crown.

"I learned a lot and gained a lot of valuable experience in ASA and in the Truck Series," Raines said. "That meant a lot because the Busch Series definitely has very tough competition. A lot of times we are racing against Winston Cup guys on Winston Cup tracks, so you always have to be on top of your game."

For now, Raines has no immediate plans of trying his hand full-time in Winston Cup.

"For a long time, I knew I wanted to be a race car driver and it is the greatest job in the world when you are having success," Raines said. "I want to prove myself in the Busch Series before I go to Winston Cup.

"Plus, I don't want to race in Winston Cup just to say I have raced in Winston Cup. If I do go to Winston Cup it would have to be a good situation for me."