Journeyman Hut Stricklin has seen many sides of racing in the last several years. After wearing about every hat possible short of being the team owner and cook, Stricklin was happy to start the 2001 season once again driving the No. 90 Hills Bros Coffee Fords for veteran owner Junie Donlavey.

Stricklin, the Calera, Ala., native who is Winston Cup legend Donnie Allison's son-in-law, has been everything from a driver to team manager to crew chief to crewman in his most recent assignments. After the most recent Busch Series team he was driving for ceased operations, he hooked up with Donlavey and ran seven races late in the 2000 season. His best finish was 14th in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis and he finished 28th or worse in his other six starts, with a best start of 26th at Michigan.

Longtime Richmond, Va., mechanic Bobby King will take the crew chief's role out of Stricklin's hands this season as Stricklin attempts his 14th Winston Cup season. Stricklin, who made his first start at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1987 for Skip Jaehne, scored a career-high 16th in the points in 1991 while driving for fellow Alabama resident Bobby Allison.

Stricklin, whose best championship finish was 16th while driving for Bobby Allison, has had some good flashes in his career, including two second place finishes and a Bud Pole in 1995 at Rockingham, but he has struggled to get into a stable environment recently.

One of the high points in his career was a second place finish to Jeff Gordon in the 1996 Southern 500 at Darlington, where an overheating race car cost him a chance to challenge for the win. He calls his own best moment his other runner-up run, to his good friend the late Davey Allison at Michigan in 1991 when he drove for Allison's father.

Stricklin was Alabama Limited Sportsman champion in 1978-79 and won championships in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series in 1982 and 1984. He won the 1986 Goody's Dash Series championship, winning nine of 17 races and 10 poles.