LOUDON, N.H. – The storybook ending his fans were hoping for failed to materialize Sunday, but Ricky Craven ended his career with the No. 32 Tide car with dignity, class and one of his best performances of the season.

The Maine driver drove to a 17th-place finish in the Nextel Cup Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway.

While much of the attention Sunday centered on the 10 drivers competing in the first race of the 10-race showdown in the inaugural Chase for the Nextel Cup, Craven still drew the loudest ovation at his home track.

The day was bittersweet for Craven and his dedicated fan base who have followed him since he first circled the NHIS oval as a rookie in the Busch North Series more than a decade ago. Mired in a season-long struggle, which had him sitting in 35th place in the Nextel Cup points standing – last among racers who had completed every race – Craven agreed three weeks ago to end his relationship with his Tide team and car owner Cal Wells.

But the pair agreed to team up one last time this weekend at NHIS. Craven admitted to having second thoughts.

“This was something that was created spur of the moment,” Craven said. “We talked about it, Cal and I shook hands and walked away. Since then, I thought this doesn’t make sense, this does make sense, this doesn’t make sense.

“I felt I owed a debt to the fans. There are no greater fans in the world than the fans who sit up in this grandstand today.”

“When you come to New Hampshire International Speedway, you know that Ricky Craven is by far the favorite,” said race winner Kurt Busch. “Him and I had a great finish at Darlington (which Craven won last year in the closest race in NASCAR history) and the way that the fans have embraced me here is, by far, different than any other race track. It brings a smile to your face because of the way the fans react to you with their local boy.”

Starting in the 35th position, Craven quickly moved up into the top 30. One of the few cars to pit on the first caution on lap 19, he played for track position and did not pit at the planned competition yellow on lap 35. While most of the field stopped to change tires and take fuel, Craven stayed on the track and moved from 25th to 10th.

With the car stronger on the longer runs, he quickly dropped back to 13th before making a run at the leaders. By lap 63, Craven had moved into ninth before the caution flag flew again one lap later. By the time green-flag racing returned, Craven was back in the pack.

Craven ran with the leaders one final time when a two-tire pit stop lifted him to ninth on lap 107. But he gradually fell back and never got higher than 16th.

Still, his 17th-place effort – the first car one lap behind the leaders – was his second highest finish of the season. He has placed 16th three times.

Craven says the passion to compete remains strong. His lifelong love of racing began by age 5 when he watched his father race stock cars. He won his first race at 15, and went on to win rookie of the year honors at every level up the NASCAR ladder, including the Nextel Cup in 1995..

“I don’t think I’ll be satisfied if I don’t battle back next year and win a few more races,” Craven said. ” My expectations are what got me here. My expectations have gotten me in trouble at times. But my expectations right now are to come back and to end my career like Bill Elliott. Go end my career on a high note.”

Elliott ended his fulltime status last year by winning the fall race at Rockingham and was leading with a lap to go in the season finale before a flat tire cost him that victory.

Craven’s career with Wells and PPI racing began with much promise. As the driver of a rare single-car team, Craven won two races, started on the pole three times, finished in the top five 10 times and posted 24 top-10 finishes in three years.

“We put up some good numbers,” Craven said. “For a single-car team, I’ll match that against anybody in the last decade. Nobody in the last decade put up numbers like we have as a single-car team.”

His future is uncertain. At age 38, Craven believes he still has some quality years of racing ahead of him. He admitted Sunday that he has firm offers to drive in both the Craftsman Truck and Busch series, but he is waiting for an opportunity to return to Nextel Cup, this time with a well-funded multi-car team. While he is no longer committed to the No. 32 Tide ride, Craven said he intends to honor the remainder of his personal services contract with General Motors, which will limit his options for the final nine weeks.

Craven will return to Maine this week and do some fly fishing for a few days at a secluded location reachable only by plane.

“I’ve learned to relax a little bit,” Craven said. “I’ve got six rocking chairs up there, but I’m not sitting in any of them. I’m just going to take a break and maybe answer the phone.

Craven will be disappointed if the phone doesn’t ring with an offer, especially with the new Chase for the Nextel Cup format now in place that separates the top 10 drivers from the rest of the field.

“This series with this new points system is going tlo create a lot of excitement for 10 teams and 10 drivers,” Craven said. “And, I think it’s going to create some tension for some others. In the past that’s always been 25 on back. Now I think it’s from 11 on back because there is a new way of measuring yourself. I just believe there is a seat for me to sit in, but it’s not there yet.

“I’ve got some unfinished business here in Nextel Cup and that’s what motivates me.”