Coming off a yr he described as being very tough for my part, Newburgh local and -time NASCAR Monster Energy Series winner Ricky Craven of Newburgh is having a miles higher 2019 thus far. After going through a painful divorce and feeling underutilized as a NASCAR analyst at ESPN, Craven landed a comparable TV gig at Fox Sports wherein he is tremendously worried in their weekend race coverage. “This is an excellent possibility for where I am in my life,” the fifty two-year-antique Craven said. “I usually have well-known Fox’s willpower to NASCAR. It has gone on for an extended, long term. It’s an excellent logo, and I’m so proud to be a small part of it. “I couldn’t be happier,” stated Craven, who has worked the first three races for Fox and handles prerace and postrace analysis with several other personalities. He by and large works weekends. Craven become used handiest on ESPN’s Sports Center remaining year after several years of acting on some of the distinct NASCAR-associated shows for the community along with “NASCAR Now,” which turned into canceled in 2014 after seven-12 months run.
“The platforms for me at ESPN had disappeared. I wasn’t busy,” he stated. Craven said he, in reality, enjoyed his 12 years at ESPN and turned into thankful to them for giving him the opportunity. With Fox, further to having a much backup prominent role, Craven works usually out of the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, which is simply 20 miles from his domestic. When he becomes at ESPN, he became required to fly to their studios in Bristol, Connecticut, numerous instances at some point of the season. “Now I get to sleep in my bed and spend more time with my 14-year-old daughter Lydia,” stated Craven, who defined that he didn’t get to spend as tons time as he wanted to with older children Riley and Everett because of the demands of his racing career and his journey dedication with ESPN. Fox TV turned into masking the race at Darlington Raceway (South Carolina) in 2003 when Craven nosed out Kurt Busch through -thousandths of a 2d for one among his two Cup collection victories. “So while this possibility occurred, it regarded suitable,” Craven stated. “[Current Fox announcers] Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds have been all very huge elements of the group.” Craven credited his agent, Mark Carmony, with doing the legwork that caused his new process. Craven, first of all, met with Steve Craddock, the senior vice chairman of NASCAR Programming for Fox. Craven stated Craddock shared with him the funding Fox had in the Charlotte studio and its NASCAR insurance, and he turned into impressed. “I knew I could be running with Shannon Spake, who I’ve regarded for many years. She’s a first-rate woman,” stated Craven, who labored with her at ESPN. “They had an entire team of people I were related to over time.” That organization consists of former Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon. When Craven was hired in overdue January, Craddock stated in a news release that he “is synonymous with credibility and knowledge in the NASCAR industry. “He doesn’t turn away from candid evaluation, even under hard circumstances, and his recognition, widespread revel in and relationships in the game command the honor of all.”
