Ex-NASCAR driver tried to arrange sex with 12-year-old girl: cops

A former NASCAR truck series driver was busted in Florida after being caught in a sting trying to meet with a 12-year-old girl for sex, authorities say.

Rick Crawford, 59, was charged with attempted enticement of a minor after speaking with an undercover Florida officer who pretended to be the father of the girl.

"$$$. Is no problem," Crawford responded in an email at one point, according to court documents obtained by the Daily News. "I'm OK with rules. Say when."

Cops say the suspect, listed in the complaint as Richard Hoyt Crawford, Jr., later asked for a picture of the girl and asked how much money it would cost. The undercover officer said he would get back to Crawford.

During another exchange with the officer, Crawford would try to arrange for a time to meet with the girl on Feb. 28, the court records state, and "again" asked for a picture of the girl. The officer provided a picture of a "law enforcement employee" who was 12 or 13 at the time the picture was taken.

Crawford was later asked if he had done this before, and he said, "Paid for it. Yes," according to the documents.

Photo: SEMINOLE COUNTY JAIL

"Arrangements were made" for Crawford to pay between $50 and $75. He was arrested on Feb. 28, when the meeting was scheduled to take place, and taken to the Seminole County jail.

An undercover officer who had been communicating with Crawford was with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office and had been working with an FBI child crimes task force since 2005.

Crawford later told cops that "he showed up to see whether or not the father had a 12-year-old daughter, but claimed he would not have gone through with it if the child had been underage," according to the court documents.

He had five career victories in his NASCAR truck series career in 336 starts. He last competed in 2012, according to Motorsport.com.