FF: Quintin Crye 2006 California season preview

QUINTIN CRYE LOOKING FORWARD TO 2006 USAC CALIFORNIA FORD FOCUS SEASON

(Gridley, Calif.) After a three-race 2005 campaign running a USAC Ford Focus midget on dirt, Quintin Crye, of Gridley, Calif., is planning a full season of USAC California Ford Focus racing on both pavement and dirt for 2006.

Crye hopes his past experience racing karts, mainly at the Cycleland Speedway in Oroville, Calif., will translate into a solid season and an eventual full midget ride for 2007, aiming his goals toward next January's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

"I am really excited for the 2006 season to get started, especially since we'll be racing on pavement, and I haven't done that yet," Quintin said of his plans for this season. "I hope that the experience I get on pavement this year will lead to impressing a few people and allow me to get into a midget in 2007, or at least maybe subbing for someone who can't race."

Although his primary efforts will be to get his Focus car to the front of every race in 2006, Quintin is not letting his long-range goals out of his sight -- using his kart and Focus racing experience to help launch a stock car career in a few years.

"If the money is there, I'm hoping to do the whole 2007 USAC Midget Series season, possibly working toward a stock car program in the future," Quintin explained. "Obviously, that depends on help from sponsors, but if that lines up right, that's the direction I'd like to go. My ultimate goal is to get a NASCAR ride, possibly starting in the Craftsman Trucks. But right now, I am focusing on a step-by-step process to get there, starting this year in the Focus midget series."

After running competitively for nine years at Cycleland Speedway, Quintin moved into the USAC Ford Focus Midget Series division in 2005, running three races on dirt.

"We've made big changes from last year," stated Quintin about his 2005 campaign. "We're making everything stronger and more competitive from last year. Last year was interesting, though. It was my first year in a suspension car, which was a big change for me. It was fun, but scary at the same time. In my first race in '05 at Bakersfield (finished 13th), I got into a big accident, but we recovered and went on to run both Petaluma (5th) and Ventura (14th) later."

NEXT RACE FOR QUINTIN CRYE:
March 18 -- Ventura Raceway (opening race of 2006 USAC California Ford Focus season)

www.CryeRacing.com