Ricky Craven
He won the closest finish in NASCAR history, a photo-finish victory that remains etched in the sport's memory.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American stock car racing driver and commentator·Birthday: May 24·Generation X
Biography
Ricky Craven emerged from the small-town tracks of Maine to become a resilient force in NASCAR, a driver whose career was defined by perseverance as much as speed. After being named the 1991 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, his trajectory was nearly derailed by a series of severe crashes and injuries that sidelined him for stretches. His comeback, however, cemented his legacy. Driving for Cal Wells' underdog team, Craven clinched a legendary victory at the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400, edging out Kurt Busch by 0.002 seconds in a finish so tight it required officials to review the photo. That moment, a triumph of tenacity, became his signature. After retiring from full-time driving, he smoothly transitioned to television, where his analytical insight and calm, experienced voice made him a respected commentator, translating the nuances of the sport for a new generation of fans.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ricky was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ricky Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Ricky's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 in the closest recorded finish in NASCAR Cup Series history (0.002 seconds).
- Secured victories in four different NASCAR-sanctioned series: ARCA, Craftsman Truck, Xfinity, and Cup.
- Named the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year.
- Earned two career NASCAR Cup Series wins, both coming with the underfunded PPI Motorsports team.
Did You Know?
He is a distant cousin of country music singer Mindy McCready.
His first major racing victory came in the 1991 ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway.
After retiring, he became a farmer in Maine, raising blueberries and Christmas trees.
He was the first driver from the state of Maine to win a NASCAR premier series race.
“I knew we had won. I didn't know by how little, but I knew we had won.”
