Backed by one owner and one manufacturer for more than 12 years, Rick Crawford will make his 300th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start for Circle Bar Racing this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Piloting the flagship No. 14 International Truck & Engine Ford F-150 for owner Tom Mitchell in the American Commercial Lines 200 on Saturday, Crawford will extend his series record of starts that began at the Walt Disney World Speedway on January 19, 1997.
"It's not only an honor to make my 300th truck series start this weekend at Atlanta, but it is a tribute that each and every one of them has come with Mr. Mitchell in the No. 14 Ford," said Crawford, who has one pole and two-top five finishes in nine starts at AMS. "When we started this deal in 1997, we had only one truck and one engine. Through hard work and determination, we have grown Circle Bar Racing into the two-truck operation that it has become today. It hasn't been the easiest task, but Mr. Mitchell has given us all the tools necessary to succeed and the rewards have been plenty."
Crawford, who has five career wins and five poles to his credit, was part of one of the most memorable finishes in truck series history, winning the 2003 Daytona 250 in a three-wide photo finish at the famed 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. He also claimed the pole last fall at Texas Motor Speedway, the track located closest to Mr. Mitchell's Circle Bar Truck Corral in Ozona, Texas.
While Tom Mitchell has yet to view a truck race in person, he is always keeping close tabs on his two teams.
"I have a weekly teleconference with Mr. Mitchell every Monday to discuss the previous week's race, and he is always supportive of our efforts and wants to make sure we're getting everything we need to be successful. A lot of people aren't aware that he started in the sport of auto racing hanging out with the likes of A.J. Foyt as a car owner in the open-wheel garage, and his experience in the sport of NASCAR spans more than two decades. Mr. Mitchell runs his personal business, the Circle Bar Truck Corral out of Ozona, Texas, but we operate his racing business like he's standing there right next us. I think that's one reason we've been successful and have been able to stay together for so long - we run the racing business like he would run the business if he lived here in North Carolina."
Lisa Mitchell, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Circle Bar Racing, will be in attendance at this weekend's race to represent her father's organization.
"This is an important weekend for Circle Bar Racing and my father. Tom takes so much pride in knowing that he helped Rick Crawford reach his potential as a race car driver and receives no greater joy than watching his two trucks run up front. This is Circle Bar Racing's 301st truck series race, but we are celebrating this weekend because it is Rick's 300th career start and he has been with my father for each and every one of those starts. We are running a special hood decal that not only depicts Rick's 300th start, but illustrates his association with Tom Mitchell during that span of time. The two have worked in tandem for what is now Rick's 13th year of truck series competition, and we look forward to many more."
The third race of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season is scheduled for March 7, at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the running of the American Commercial Lines 200. Live action can be seen on SPEED, the exclusive home of the Camping World Truck Series.
