Rick Crawford in the No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford F-150 at Texas. (Ronda Greer Photo)

The Circle Bar Truck Corral team rode into the Texas Motor Speedway high in the saddle coming off a string of solid finishes that put them back in the Championship picture. Crew chief Kevin "Cowboy " Starland and his Circle Bar gang rounded up the team's newest speedway chassis, CB 19 for the Sam's Town 400. Chassis 19 made its first start just 3 weeks ago in the Quaker Steak and Lube 200 with a solid first night finish and the team saw real potential and started grooming the new chassis for Texas.

All fine thoroughbreds can have a mind of their own, and Chassis 19 displayed that trait off the hauler in Texas. In horse terms the truck was a little twitchy and having a tough time finding its head on the racetrack. Cowboy and the Circle Bar Gang know how to put the whip to a pony and make it a stallion and by the second session their Ford F-150 was making tracks. Qualifying on the high banks of Texas Motor Speedway is simple; you take a deep breath mash the gas to the floorboard and hang on for 3 miles. Nobody likes to mash the gas more than Rick Crawford. With whip in hand Crawford posted a 5th place starting spot and got an insight of the real potential of Chassis 19.

Texas is home base for Tom Mitchell and the Circle Bar Truck Corral and race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway always has a homecoming type atmosphere with a strong contingent of guest crewmembers from the real Circle Bar Truck Corral Team. The teams number 1 supporter, Lisa Karnes (Mitchell's Daughter), led this years gathering of Circle Bar employees, family and friends to Texas Motor Speedway. With the boss just a stones throw away in Ozona, Texas plus a big delegation of the Circle Bar family on hand, Crawford and his team strapped on their guns for an old fashioned Texas shootout. With the drop of the green flag Crawford came out with six shooters blazing and holding on to the reigns of a Circle Bar Ford stallion. Crawford started 5th and that would be his lowest posted position of the night. By lap 10 he was 3rd and he and Cowboy were working on ways to make their Ford F-150 better for the finale. With each stop the Circle Bar over the wall crew held their own against the best in the series and kept the Circle Bar machine up front. On lap 76 Crawford would go to the whip and pass Mike Skinner for the lead. Out front, the Circle Bar Ford took a breath of clean air and would lead 33 laps before being passed back by Skinner. In the final laps the Circle Bar team would come home 3rd giving up a spot to eventual race winner Todd Bodine. The third place finish was the teams best of the year and moves them to 9th in the point's standings just 35 points from 5th.

Crew chief Kevin "Cowboy" Starland: "Off the trailer we had a little work to do to get our Ford F-150 up to speed. Rick knows what he wants and the feedback he gives us is always right on the money. The over the wall guys had another solid night on pit road. This is our best finish of the year and we'll keep building on our momentum."

Driver Rick Crawford: "I was proud of the team when we got out there and took the lead in front of the Texas fans and our Circle Bar family. Lisa and her Dad do so much to make this team possible, I'm just happy they let me drive their truck. I thought we were running Mike (Skinner) down there at the end and then all of a sudden here comes the 30 truck. I had put him a lap down earlier but he was strong at the end. When it comes to Texas, we bring the best piece, or build one, for this particular racetrack. Cowboy and the whole Circle Bar race team gave me another bullet tonight and we shot it."