Stricklin gets new aid for Bristol.

The Pepsi 400 presented by Meijer may not have been the success that Hut Stricklin may have been hoping for, retiring before half distance with mechanical troubles, but few would argue that the future of the #90 Hills Bros Ford Taurus is looking rosier race by race.

Since Stricklin took over the wheel of the Junie Donlavey owned machine at the Brickyard 400, the team have been improving by the week. Stricklin drove the car to a season's best 14th best finish at Indy and then followed it up with the best time in second round qualifying at Michigan whilst calling his own shots on set-up and race strategies.

Now Donlavey has moved further to improve his team by hiring Stricklin's ex-Busch Grand National crew chief, Craig Huartson to man the pit-wall for the rest of the Winston Cup campaign. Stricklin and Huartson hit it off together in the BGN Series earlier this year, scoring pole position in the curtain racing NAPA Auto Parts 300, the prelude to the Daytona 500. However financial restrictions within the team forced its closure before mid-season and Stricklin left to rejoin the Winston Cup tour in place of Ed Berrier.

"I am here to win and build a contender for Donlavey Racing," said the incoming Huartson. "They have worked well with Hut and I, and there is a lot of promise on this team."

Stricklin shares the optimism of the incoming crew chief. "When Craig and I sit down and talk about set-ups, we are always on the same page, it is scary how close we think alike."

The pairing will get their first opportunity to work together this Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway in the goracing.com 500.