Ricky Craven has two career NASCAR wins at Martinsville. Credit: Autostock

Craven makes NASCAR return at Martinsville

Veteran will make qualifying run at Busch race for FitzBradshaw

Veteran Ricky Craven, who has two career victories at Martinsville Speedway, will attempt his first NASCAR start this season in this weekend's Goody's 250 Busch Series race at the Virginia half-mile.

According to FitzBradshaw Racing team manager Bill Farnsworth, Craven's deal is for one race, the first of a nine-race program between the team that fields a pair of Dodge Chargers in the Busch Series and Family Dollar stores.

Inside the Numbers Ricky Craven at Martinsville   Cup Busch Trucks Starts 17 8 2 Wins 1 0 1 Top-5s 1 2 2 Top-10s 3 3 2 Poles 1 1 0 DNFs 2 3 0 Avg. Start 24.4 16.6 6.5 Avg. Finish 22.4 14.9 1.5

Craven is entered to drive FitzBradshaw's No. 14 Charger, tended by veteran chief mechanic Greg Ely, who will also make his debut with the team. Farnsworth said depending on how the weekend goes, the duo may do other events together.

Craven, whose last NASCAR start came in the 2005 Craftsman Truck Series finale for Roush Racing, won last fall's Truck Series race at Martinsville and his first Cup victory came at the same venue in October 2001.

Craven, who recently celebrated his 40th birthday and attended Friday's activities last weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway, said he wasn't ready to give up on attaining a couple goals he had in racing, with his heart set on returning to Nextel Cup, which he last raced in 2004.

"I think a lot of moves are going to be made in the series when Silly Season really gets started this fall," Craven said, explaining his absence from racetracks, while he spent the summer with his family in Maine. "I hope [racing at Martinsville] will be the start of my preparation to be in a position to take advantage of some of those opportunities."

Ricky Craven will have to qualify the No. 14 Dodge on speed. Credit: Autostock

Later this summer, Craven also plans to race in the Oxford 250 in Oxford, Maine -- a famed New England Late Model race.

Craven has 27 starts at Martinsville, spread across NASCAR's three national tours. He has five top-five and eight top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 16th and an average finish of 13th. Craven's first pole positions in both the Cup and Busch series came at Martinsville.

Craven will need to qualify for the 43-car lineup based on his speed, since neither FitzBradshaw car is in the top 30 in Busch Series owner points.

"Martinsville is obviously a special venue for me, and I am eager to race again in the NASCAR Busch Series," Craven said. "I am looking for positive results this week for FitzBradshaw Racing and Family Dollar."

Craven's teammate this weekend has a New England connection. Carlos Contreras will drive FitzBradshaw's No. 12 Dodge tended by crew chief Paul Wolfe, a former Busch North driver making his debut as a crew chief.