Mike Skinner (Ronda Greer Photo)

Golf, not racing, will be front and center for several NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitors as the series takes its longest hiatus of the season.

This is Masters Week at Augusta National, an event that Rick Crawford (No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford) and Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) look forward to each year.

Both are avid players who would carry single-digit handicaps if not for a busy racing schedule. But they're also fans of the game and can't wait to see the likes of Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen tee it up in the season's first major.

Skinner went to last year's tournament and may be in the gallery later this week.

"It was pretty awesome; a lot of fun," he said. "I have been invited to play Augusta National but we were testing and had to turn it down. I have not had another invitation but I'd love to play there."

Rick Crawford (Ronda Greer Photo)

Crawford, whose late model team was based in Cleveland, Ga., calls the course "hallowed ground for a golfer, like Talladega (Superspeedway) is for a racer from Alabama." Crawford hails from Mobile.

He won't be able to attend this year's tournament but has in the past. His son, Adam, will be competing in his first late model event this weekend in Mobile.

"My favorite in the tournament is Fred Funk," Crawford said. "A couple of years ago we did a ride-around for Ford at Homestead-Miami Speedway before the tournament at Doral. Fred was one of the guys I had in my car and we really had a good time."

The drivers' pick for who will wear the traditional green jacket on Sunday afternoon?

"When you go to The Masters it is hard to not predict Tiger Woods to be a contender," said Skinner of the four-time winner.

Crawford agrees, but is going in another direction.

"I'm going with the southpaw and the 2004 winner Phil Mickelson," he said. "If you look at the year he's had so far, it is very similar to the year he was having in 2004 before he won the Masters."