Ricky Craven: off track
Ricky Craven is in his 10th year in the Winston Cup series in 2003, and he's hoping for it to be the most successful one of his career. In 2001, Ricky made his mark by bringing the ...
Ricky Craven is in his 10th year in the Winston Cup series in 2003, and he's hoping for it to be the most successful one of his career. In 2001, Ricky made his mark by bringing the #32 Tide Ford to victory lane for the first time in his Cup career at Martinsville, and this season he backed up that singular win with a breathtaking side-by-side duel with Kurt Busch for his second career victory at Darlington.
Newburgh, Maine native Craven finds time to balance his stressful racing schedule by contributing to charity not only financially but also personally. He has hosted a snowmobile ride for charity since 1998 supporting the Marrow Foundation, Maine's Children's Miracle Network, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire and Maine, the Travis Roy Foundation, and Give Kids the World!
Snowmobiling is also the way Ricky chooses to relax when away from the road with wife Cathleen and children Riley Diane and Richard Everett.
Q: Tell me about your snowmobile?
Craven: It's an Arctic Cat. It's the same kind as I rode when I was a 6-year old in Newburgh, Maine.
Q: Is this a way for you to relieve the stress of racing?
Craven: It's something that I have always enjoyed. Of course, the common denominator is that is has an engine and a steering wheel. It is one of the things that I truly have a passion for, there are parts of the country that you either can't get to or see without a snowmobile. It's just a great, great time.
Q: Do you race these things?
Craven: Oh, I yeah, there have been a little bit of that in times, but I am really sort of laid back now and just enjoy cruising.
Q: Are the wife and kids as into snowmobiling as you are?
Craven: It's something that we talk about a lot. My little boy rode with me one day and we rode 40-miles, and my little girl went on my charity ride this year and we went 60-miles. So, that was wonderful.
Q: What is your favorite spot to snowmobile?
Craven: Our log cabin is on Moosehead Lake in Maine. That is where we do our charity ride, and also where we do most of our snowmobiling. It's a 160- mile ride that's a loop around the lake.
Q: If you had to pick one thing that you love about being on a snowmobile what would it be?
Craven: The opportunity to travel through the wilderness and see things you wouldn't ordinarily see. It's just a phenomenal sport.
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