Rick Crawford: Federated Auto Parts 200 preview

LEBANON, Tenn. -- Music City plays center stage this weekend for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as the trucks roll into the Nashville Superspeedway for Friday nights Federated Auto Parts 200. Nashville's country music roots date way back and so does the famed guitar that comes with winning at a Nashville track.

"Everyone knows when their coming to Nashville," said Rick Crawford driver of the No. 14 Strategic Air Command Circle Bar Ford F-150. "The guitar becomes the topic of conversation. I've been trying to win one for seven years now; I've come very close several times on both sides of town. Hopefully this is the year we can put the Circle Bar Ford in victory lane and then rock all night long on my new Gibson Guitar."

Crawford's racing roots in Nashville are deep having competed on both the Nashville Speedway USA historic fairground short track and the new 1.333-mile high-speed banked Nashville Superspeedway across town in Lebanon.

The Craftsman Truck Series started racing in Nashville during the 1996 season at the fairground short-track with Crawford having four starts from1997 to 2000. Crawford captured his best truck series finish in 1998 finishing third and scored a win in 1989 while driving in the Skoal All-Pro Superseries.

"I was sad to see Nashville Speedway USA come off the schedule," explained Crawford. "There are a lot of guys in the garage area here that have raced in different divisions at that track. I was always successful there, especially in the trucks; I ran there four times and had three top-ten finishes."

The new complex located in Lebanon has not been a bad location for Crawford either. In two starts at the Nashville Superspeedway Crawford has a third in 2001 and a second last season, leading 46-laps of the event.

"It was always fun coming to Nashville to race the short track, but now they have one of the most beautiful tracks in the country with the superspeedway," stated Crawford. "I'm glad my luck has stayed in the Nashville area, the last two years we've been in contention for victories. With Ray Stonkus and the Circle Bar crew working hard, I know we'll have a great opportunity to score a win Friday night."

Crawford is looking to this race and the upcoming Bristol, Tennessee race to help the team reclaim some ground in the chase for the 2003 championship. Currently the team is 159-points out of the top spot with 11 events remaining.

"We have had that monkey on our back," laughed Crawford. "We blew a motor in Kansas, missed the setup in Michigan and ran out of gas last week in Indianapolis. This team has rallied around one another and each and every member of the Circle Bar team is giving 110%. Nashville is the perfect place to get this team headed back where it belongs, up front."