Kerry Earnhardt (Ronda Greer Photo)

By some standards, 2006 could be seen as disappointing for Kerry Earnhardt (No. 13 National Pork Board/Thorsport Chevrolet) but the third-generation competitor prefers to take the more optimistic view of his first full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Earnhardt, who won the 2005 Budweiser Pole at Daytona International Speedway in his first series start, believes he's making progress as teammate to Matt Crafton (No. 88 Menards/Energizer Chevrolet).

Crafton is 12th in a tight battle for the series' top 10 while Earnhardt stands 22nd in what arguably is the most competitive season top-to-bottom in the 12-year history of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Earnhardt has flirted with top-five and top-10 finishes and finally - last Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway - the stars aligned to put the driver in 11th-place at the checkered flag. The finish bettered by six positions the North Carolinian's career-best in the series.

"We've struggled at the short tracks and a little bit of it is because of me," said the 34-year-old son of seven-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Dale Earnhardt and brother of current star Dale Earnhardt Jr. "I'm too aggressive in the corners and the trucks are a lot different from the cars I'd been racing. I'm still working to figure it all out."

In Nashville, Earnhardt and crew chief Lance Hooper, a former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver, appeared close to finding the puzzle's missing pieces.

Kerry Earnhardt leads Aric Almirola and Robert Richardson at Nashville. Nate Mecha/HSP

"Lance and the guys made some good calls in the pits and the breaks with the cautions allowed us to get up front," said Earnhardt, adding that some new-found patience also is helping. "I really just rode around and played the cat-and-mouse game."

Earnhardt believes the relationship with Crafton - a veteran of 138 races and fifth-place finisher in the 2004 title race - is paying dividends.

"We tested last week and our lines of communication have gotten much better," said Earnhardt. "We bounced ideas off each other at (Indianapolis) and again at Nashville and just having him to talk to is a big help."

He and the team are headed to Bristol Motor Speedway next week in a good frame of mind. "I am excited to have some momentum going there," he said.

Where Earnhardt's career goes from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is anyone's guess but for the moment he - and wife Renee and their four children - are pleased with his situation.

"I am having fun and I really enjoy the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series," he said. "I like the shorter schedule because it gives me time to spend at home with my family. That's important to me (because) family is the most important thing and I wouldn't do anything differently."