Phoenix: News of notes. schedule

2003 schedule released ... The 2003 schedule was released on Nov. 1 and the series will see an increase in the schedule to 25 races. Starting with the Feb. 14 race at Daytona International Speedway, the series will have 12 races held in conjunction ...

2003 schedule released ...
The 2003 schedule was released on Nov. 1 and the series will see an increase in the schedule to 25 races. Starting with the Feb. 14 race at Daytona International Speedway, the series will have 12 races held in conjunction with the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

Lowe's Motor Speedway will host the series for the first time in 2003; Mesa Marin Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway, charter tracks when the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks debuted in 1995, return to the schedule. Martinsville Speedway adds a second date in 2003.

Close races ...
Eight NASCAR Craftsman Truck races at Phoenix International Raceway have been decided by a margin of less than one second, including the last three races at the track. The track has seen six different winners and four repeat winners, with Jack Sprague leading the way with three wins. If Bliss can win Friday's Chevy Silverado 150, he will become the fifth repeat winner.

Joining the race ...
NASCAR Winston Cup drivers Kevin Harvick and Ken Schrader, along with NASCAR Busch Series driver Stacy Compton are scheduled to compete in Friday's race, along with former San Francisco 49er's kicker Mike Cofer. Compton won the pole and finished fourth at Phoenix with current NASCAR Winston Cup crew chief Chad Knaus.

Harvick lauds NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ...
"The trucks are a great place to come up in NASCAR," Harvick said. "It gives you the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of NASCAR and you get a chance to race the same tracks you hope to be racing in the NASCAR Busch Series or NASCAR Winston Cup Series someday. Everyone is laid back, it's about racing, and it's a good time. I'm not going to stop racing the series - well, probably ever - but definitely not until I finally win one (NASCAR Craftsman Truck race). I've got rookie of the year titles, I've got some championships, but I don't have a truck win and that's aggravating." In his last start in the series (Richmond, Sept. 5), he finished second for the fifth time in his career. Harvick is second in the series in most second-place finishes without a win, behind Leffler (six).

Chevy Silverado 150 (NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race No. 21 of 22).
Phoenix International Raceway.
3 p.m. ET (1 p.m., MT, local), Friday, Nov. 8.
TV: ESPN2 (live), 3 p.m. ET.
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.