I think this is the first article with quotes from Erin that I've seen in about a month (other than her nascar.com column). It's from a paper that covers news from her hometown, so I guess it's kind of her "local" paper.
Article

Full speed ahead
Friday, September 15, 2006
By STEVEN MYRICK

LOUDON, N.H. - Inside the cramped driver's compartment of a NASCAR Craftsman Truck series vehicle at New Hampshire International Speedway tomorrow afternoon, it might get hot enough to melt shoes.

The acrid smell of burning rubber will shock the senses like smelling salts. The constant roar of 725 horsepower engines will find its way past even the best of hearing protection.

At speeds approaching 185 mph, driving decisions will have to be instantaneous. Mistakes will mean laps lost, nasty scrapes in those carefully painted sponsor schemes, or worse. Much worse.

There are plenty of people who believe a NASCAR driver's seat is no place for a woman. There are others who believe it's no place for Erin Crocker.

But Crocker is more determined than ever to prove her doubters wrong.

The 25-year-old Wilbraham, Mass., native will pull on her coveralls and wedge herself into that seat hoping to turn her season around in the New Hampshire 200.

Crocker has been driving race cars in competition since she was 7. Spend 20 minutes talking racing with her, and it is easy to understand why her childhood nickname was "Crash and Lightning."

She has had success at every level from quarter midgets to ARCA. She wants everyone to know that she fully expects to achieve success in her No. 98 truck, and she sees herself with a Nextel Cup ride in the near future.

But for the first time in her life, success has not come early or often. It has not been an easy year, and it's not going to get any easier in Loudon.

In her last five races, the best qualifying position she managed was 27th, and her best finish also was 27th. A fierce competitor by nature, Crocker admits to frustration with the racing team's performance.

"There have been a lot of races where we've run a lot better than where we finished. The last few races just have not been very good for us," Crocker said. "Your confidence gets down, it's tough. Sponsors (Betty Crocker, General Mills) are putting in a lot of money, investing in my future. You feel a lot of pressure, you want to perform. You feel like 'I want to do this, I need to do this, why can't it happen today?' It's part of the game I guess."

It is difficult to imagine a more pressure-filled situation than Crocker faces. She is the poster girl for NASCAR's drive for diversity. She is working for Evernham Motorsports, one of the highest of high profile racing outfits. In the past month, her personal life has been the subject of much public and private speculation, talk of an affair with team owner Ray Evernham, 49, who is separated from his wife. But she takes all that in stride. What she can't abide is running in the back of the pack.

"I can ignore all that. Pressure is pressure," Crocker said. "You get pressure from sponsors, you get pressure from media. Regardless of what has been said in the media about my personal life, I think the pressure right now is coming from our results. The fact that we haven't run well is what's driving me crazy.

"You feel it when you're struggling and you don't know why, what part of the puzzle is missing. You have to be strong, that's what makes successful athletes who they are.

"I'm here because I wanted that. I love that, I know I can prove to these people I can do this. The day that I win one of these stock car races, it's going to be huge. When you have success, the pressure is gone, and you'll get the reward you've been looking for."

Crocker is hopeful that returning to the Northeast will be the spark she needs.

She excelled at soccer, tennis, lacrosse and skiing while attending Minnechaug Regional High School, before getting an engineering degree at Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute. Throughout high school and college she kept a full schedule of racing, earning Rookie of The Year and scoring wins on several circuits.

Most of her family remains in the area, and her two brothers are organizing a bus convoy to the New Hampshire International Speedway to watch her run.

"It has always been difficult for my family to come to races," Crocker said. "It's nice to come to New Hampshire and have all of them there. I've had success in the past when I've raced near home."

Family is important to Crocker. She says she will not stay in the racing game forever. She wants a family of her own, and a life that does not include being on the road for most of the year.

But for now, she is focused completely on her racing career, and she is well aware that she is in position to make history.

"I've had success in the past, I feel I've earned my way. But at the same time, there are 10,000 guys out there trying to get to this position," Crocker said. "I might not have had the opportunity to drive for Evernham Motorsports or have a sponsor like General Mills if I wasn't a woman. I think I have an opportunity to do something really big."

I don't know if I buy that completely, because I think the next natural step once the media got wind of their relationship was to say that she's only in the ride because she's dating the team owner...and if results aren't coming, then why is she still in the ride...unless it's because of their relationship...

That right there just drives me crazy. Whatever happened to landing a ride because of your talent? It seems to me that if we let someone have a ride just because they're a woman, or a "minority" or whatever then we are really no better off in society, in general, than we were 50 or 100 years ago. Whatever happened to earning your way in to something, because you deserve it? I just hope she actually gets some results, otherwise, this diversity thing is a load of crap...

People's views are going to differ on diversity initiatives in any profession. I personally am in support of them but I'm not trying to change anyone's mind who isn't, because they won't change mine. :)

Erin ran 26th in NCTS first practice and hit the outside wall in rookie practice. They pulled out the backup truck and she finished 33rd in final practice.

Erin apparently finished 32nd after a fuel pump issue in the backup truck.

Not to sound mean or anything, but has she ever finished in the top 25???

According to NASCAR.com, her highest finish is 16th. She has two top 20 finishes this season and her average finish is 26th. (She ranks 24th in points)
After she finished 16th at Kansas on July 1, her finishes in her last six races have ranged from 27th place to 35th place. :unsure:

Wow, if I were an owner, I think I might start looking elsewhere. I mean, I realize it's a development program and everything, but this arrangement just does not seem to be working out too good.

It really makes you think if she wasn't so close to her boss, she might not have a job.

Yeah, I don't know if you're serious or sarcastic, but that is what I honestly wonder. How many other teams would be okay with this kind of performance? It wasn't okay with Jeremy...oh wait, that's because Jeremy called out Ray on his relationship...never mind.

I have to agree with Helena.... any other team probably wouldn't allow this kind of performance. It makes you wonder about a lot of stuff. Now don't get me wrong I'm not knocking Erin's talents, but perhaps it's not in her best interest to keep her in a truck? Perhaps putting her back in Arca for a season or two would be better for her. IMHO

I for one don't think we'll see her in a truck ride, or any ride associated with EMS, much longer...

My guess is that Erin will complete the full season in trucks, then it might be quietly announced (in the offseason) that her sponsorship for trucks was not renewed. However, Ray may just try to get a sponsor for her to go to Busch cars (even though he says she'll be back in the trucks), thinking those would handle better for her. The issue with that theory is I'd think that Busch sponsorhips are much more expensive than Trucks.

I read on another board a couple of weeks ago that Ray did an interview with XM radio and Claire B. Lang in early September. I haven't been able to find a transcript, so I can't confirm, but a couple of people posted that Ray said they may put Erin in a Cup car at Homestead - this year. Apparently he said she will race the Truck and Busch races at Homestead, so there is a possibility of her running a car in the Cup race, too. Ray thought she did well testing in a Cup car.

Uh, sorry, but hell no! If she can't handle a Truck or a Busch car all that well yet, WHY would they put her in a Cup car? Especially at the last freaking race of the Chase??? No no no. I will boycott Ray if he does that, dangit. I love the man, though he's lost some cool points as of late, but I will seriously be pissed if that happens. JMO, though.

I'm with you. No way. She is not ready for that...oh mylanta, can you imagine?

One theory as to why she'd do better in a Cup car is because most drivers that come out of the sprint car world don't do as well in stock cars until they get to the Cup level (see the early Busch careers of Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, JJ Yeley....). The Cup cars are heavy and have more horsepower. Sprint cars have a lot more horsepower than Busch cars and the Trucks.

I can think of some other drivers in the Truck series who do still have rides and aren't performing as well as people would expect them to. Same in the Busch series. I'd like to see Erin at least get one more year in the Truck Series. let's not forget that the EMS truck program was completely new this year. I don't think it's all down to Erin.

As far as sponsors (this is my area of expertise, it's what I'm studying in school), with her being one of the token females, she'll get sponsors. She's young, intelligent, and attractive (when she wants to be). That'll keep her in sponsorships for a few years. NASCAR really wants a female driver so they can compete with Danica-mania and even though the NASCAR community and Ray don't seem to be on the greatest terms right now, I think that they'll continue to support Erin until they find another female to dote on.

I dunno. I just don't really want to see her in a Cup car yet. Eventually sure, but I just don't think she's proven herself enough yet to earn a ride in a Cup car. Again, that's jmo though.

Those are very good points and the sponsorship thing could end up turning out OK for her. But even though being female is a huge plus for her, being in the "relationship" might be more of a negative and outweigh the "pluses" of being female. IMO Erin may have lost a lot of the female fans that General Mills (and other potential sponsors) were looking for, people who initially supported her.

I have actually read of people writing/e-mailing General Mills saying they wouldn't support their products if they continue to sponsor Erin. (I'd bet that's a tiny amount of people who would do that, but companies usually pay attention, because for every letter or e-mail you get, there are a number of other people thinking the same thing.)

I also read of a General Mills appearance of Erin's at Bristol (I think the week after Jeremy's allegations were made public). Apparently a number of people who were not in line for her autographs (there were a lot of drivers signing) walked by her table and made some not-so-nice comments about Erin and Ray within Erin's earshot. (Which made me feel bad for Erin, no one deserves that IMO). I would guess there was a General Mills representative there with Erin and taking that all in. Regardless of the upside, I don't know if a sponsor would want that kind of public reaction.

Oops, never mind. :) I posted what I had here (related to Erin's sponsors) in the new thread (with Erin's new column).