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09-08-11
Crafton & Sauter Ink 2012 Contracts
Return to No. 88 & No. 13 Chevy Silverados in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
ThorSport Racing announced today that Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter will return to drive for the Sandusky, Ohio based team in 2012. Crafton and Sauter both signed deals which will keep them behind the wheel of their current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rides next season under the ThorSport Racing banner, owned by Duke and Rhonda Thorson. Recently, the organization opened its doors to the 100,000-square foot racing facility in Sandusky, Ohio.
Matt Crafton, Driver of the No. 88 Chevy
ThorSport Racing has competed in the Truck Series since 1996 and has had at least one truck starting in more races than any NCWTS team - making them the longest tenured team in the Series. The team has six wins, eleven poles and has led the series in driver points 13 of 17 weeks in 2011 between both Crafton and Sauter.
Crafton, the 35-year-old driver of the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado, currently has 239 starts with ThorSport Racing and will be embarking on his 12th full-time season with the team. The Tulare, California native made his ThorSport Racing debut in the last event of the 2000 NCWTS season and currently holds the title of the longest relationship between an active driver and team in the series. He also extends the longest sponsor-team relationship in the Series as Crafton continues for an 11th year with Menards. Crafton has earned two wins and six poles in his Truck Series career and has a best year-end ranking of second in the championship standings (in 2010).
"I'm really proud to be extending my relationship with ThorSport Racing," said Crafton. "Team owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson and all the guys on my team have really become like a second family to me. When I first came to ThorSport, Duke promised me that this team would keep getting better every single year, and every year we continue to break records and raise the bar on the way to being what I believe is the best organization in the series. I'm really happy to continue to have the opportunity to race for them again next season."
Next season will be Sauter's fourth with the team. The 33-year-old driver from Necedah, Wisconsin took NCWTS Rookie of the Year honors in 2009 behind the wheel of the No. 13 Chevrolet. In his 67 starts for the team over the last three years, Sauter has three wins and four poles, and has led the point standings for 10 of 17 weeks during the 2011 season by Atlanta. He has earned a best year-end ranking of third in the championship standings (in 2010). His dominating and aggressive driving style has earned the respect of rookies and veterans alike, earning him and his team almost every award in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series - from Hard Charger to Start Positive, Stay Positive - in 2011.
Johnny Sauter, Driver of the No. 13 Chevy
"It's an honor to drive for a fourth year with Duke and Rhonda Thorson," said Sauter, who is currently second in driver championship points with eight races to go in 2011. "They have progressively built championship-caliber teams over the course of 16 years. It's rare to find the support I've found here on the 13 team. I'm proud to have a home at ThorSport Racing, and I hope to continue that championship spirit in 2012."
"Clearly with all the exciting things weve had going on in the 2011 season, having all of our drivers back in 2012 just continues the good news here at TSR," said David Pepper, Team Manager. "We feel as if we have two of the top competitors in the NCWTS in Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter; and an outstanding young talent in rookie Dakoda Armstrong. We're excited about getting all of our drivers and teams together in 2012 so that we can compete for poles, race wins and top fives into the future."
"We have three quality drivers in our stable at ThorSport Racing, and that's great for the Series as well as our growing sponsorship and partnership programs," said Matt LaNeve, Vice President of Motorsports Partnerships. "We're looking forward to seeing Matt, Johnny and Dakoda continue a strong tradition of excellence in 2012."
Program details regarding sponsorship of the No. 88 and No. 13 Chevrolet Silverados are forthcoming.
09-03-11
Justin Marks - Atlanta Motor Speedway Recap
Parts Failure Bursts Solid Night for Justin Marks, ThorSport Racing in Atlanta
ThorSport Racing welcomed Justin Marks to the No. 98 team for this weekend's events at Atlanta Motor Speedway with a solid GoPro Chevrolet Silverado. The team's goal of gaining as much experience as possible and going all out for the victory with Marks behind the wheel of the No. 98 for the first time remained on course until the final 30 laps of the Good Sam Club 200. A freak parts failure in the fuel system sent the team behind the wall for repairs and ended their climb towards the front of the field prematurely.
Marks came to the team for the Atlanta event to help the newest addition to the ThorSport Racing stable get more track time before next season's attempt at Rookie of the Year with driver Dakoda Armstrong. After practice and qualifying on Friday afternoon, crew chief Dan Stillman called for changes to remedy the handling troubles Marks described prior to the 200 mile battle later in the evening.
Evidence of the changes appeared within the first five laps as Marks came over the radio and informed his team the GoPro Chevy was really loose. Holding on until the first pit stop, he maintained his position within the top 20 and steered clear of some early trouble on the track. On lap 23 the GoPro crew supplied their driver with four tires and several adjustments to tighten him up all the way around the 1.5-mile circuit.
Marks was silent on the radio following the first round of adjustments until the next caution period on Lap 37 when he radioed to Stillman that the adjustments had his ThorSport Racing machine headed in the right direction, but still needed some final tweaking. Just 23 laps later, Stillman brought his driver back down pit road for a set of sticker tires and more adjustments. Marks went back to work on traffic and began picking his way through the field towards the top-10.
The final chance for adjustments came during the last scheduled pit stop of the night with 30 laps remaining as Marks peeled off the track to bring the No. 98 to the attention of his crew. A solid stop by the team would be followed by a report from their driver that he had completely lost fuel pressure as soon as he returned to competition. Marks brought the truck down pit road and the crew lifted the hood and quickly discovered the failure in the fuel system. Stillman directed his crew to pull the truck behind the wall to fix the broken part, taking just 14 laps to remedy the issue and get Marks back to racing. Unfortunately, he was not able to gain any positions and ended the night in 28th position.
"We didn't start the night off where we wanted to be, but the guys did a good job and we made gains all night," Stillman commented. "I wish we could've run the whole last run on the track because we had the truck really handling well after that final pit stop."
"We were really loose in the beginning of the race but we got better and better after every pit stop. We just had an unfortunate parts failure in the fuel system there and the guys did a great job getting it fixed and getting us back out there for the points," Marks said following the race.
"I'm really excited for this team and for Dakoda. I can tell there's a good pace in this truck and it just needs to be discovered with this group of guys and this package. It was going to be a good solid night for us but what's good is the 98 got some experience and stayed fresh for the next race for Dakoda Armstrong. "
Rookie driver Armstrong will retake the wheel of the No. 98 Chevy Silverado at Chicagoland Speedway in two weeks when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series resumes competition.
08-29-11
Justin Marks - Atlanta Motor Speedway Preview
Marks, GoPro Lend a Hand to ThorSport, No. 98 Team: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Justin Marks will take the wheel of the No. 98 GoPro Chevy Silverado this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway for a one race deal that will not only give Marks a shot at the win, but will also give the newest team under the ThorSport umbrella and crew lead by crew chief Dan Stillman another valuable chance to compete before going full-time in 2012. The team's primary driver, Dakoda Armstrong, has chosen seven select races this season to compete in, the maximum number allowed without spoiling his chances to run for Rookie of the Year next season. Team Manager David Pepper confirmed the plan to give the third team in the ThorSport Racing stable a chance to compete at another track before their first full-season campaign.
"When this opportunity came along to put a quality driver like Justin Marks in one of our trucks, it was a natural fit to see what we can do in a one-off deal," Pepper explained. "This race is all about getting more points, getting more experience for our team, and keeping our full time driver's rookie status in place. The entire 98 team is looking ahead to the full season and rookie campaign with their driver, Dakoda Armstrong, and running this Atlanta race with Justin Marks is just another start that will help gain owner points for 2012."
Marks traveled to Sandusky early this week to check out his new ride and interact with the entire No. 98 team prior to traveling to Georgia, the state that is home to one of his favorite race tracks, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and his wife Erin.
"I'm confident at the 1.5-mile tracks like Atlanta, so I'm focused on running as hard as we can. The goal for the race team is to take another step forward with the 98 guys and help them as much as possible to prepare for Dakoda's rookie of the year campaign next season."
Special Appearance: Marks and Dakoda Armstrong will team up and make appearances at the Team Chevy stage on Friday afternoon at 3:00 pm EST, followed by a visit to the Coca-Cola Fan Stage at 4:00 pm. The two will be entertaining fans with Q&A sessions about ThorSport Racing, the No. 98 team, and racing at Atlanta and beyond.
Chassis History: Crew chief Dan Stillman and the No. 98 GoPro team have prepared chassis No. 23 for battle at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. Justin Marks will attempt to visit victory lane with this specific chassis, as it is one of the most successful trucks out of the ThorSport Racing stable with two victories last season under Johnny Sauter's guidance.
Justin Marks on Atlanta Motor Speedway
What do you think your biggest challenge will be at Atlanta- "I don't think the track is that challenging necessarily; it's unique. I really like that there's a lot of room to race so no matter how your truck is working, you can almost always find a place to make it run decent. The biggest thing for me this weekend will be trying to learn the truck and the guys as quickly as possible and get our communication together. I've never worked with Dan Stillman, and we basically have one day to get it done."
What is your main goal heading into Atlanta- "We need to make the most out of every practice session and the time on track so we're as prepared as we can possibly be on Friday night. I feel like every time I go to the 1.5 mile tracks I'm a top-10 contender when the equipment is there. It's going to be kind of nice to not worry about points and just run as hard as we can, get what we can get. The goal for the race team is to take another step forward and I'm going there to try and win the pole and the race."
Why did you choose ThorSport Racing for your team at Atlanta- "David Pepper and I go way back to 2007 when he spotted for me in ARCA and we built a relationship. We've always talked every year about doing something together and the opportunity presented itself this time. GoPro made a commitment to try and run an entire truck series season, but the decision was made halfway to try to concentrate on just a couple of events and make the most out of those races that we do end up running. This is one of those races, and we're looking forward to a great weekend."
08-25-11
Justin Marks Joins ThorSport Racing for Atlanta 200
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Justin Marks will take the wheel of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing machine at Atlanta Motor Speedway for a one race deal that will not only give Marks a shot at the win, but will also give the newest team under the ThorSport umbrella and crew lead by crew chief Dan Stillman another valuable chance to compete before going full-time in 2012. The team's primary driver, Dakoda Armstrong, has chosen seven select races this season to compete in, the maximum number allowed without spoiling his chances to run for Rookie of the Year next season. The Atlanta 200 was not one of those events on Armstrong's schedule, but the he will be at the 1.5-mile oval to gain as much experience from Marks and offer up support to his crew.
"This opportunity will give my team an extra race and experience they need since I can only drive our scheduled seven races this season and stay committed to being a rookie for next year," Armstrong said. "We're fortunate to have Justin on board for Atlanta so the whole 98 team can run another race and hopefully gain extra points to get us closer to locked in at Daytona."
Armstrong will also attend the remainder of the races on the NCWTS schedule to take notes, talk with his teammates Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton, and take an in-depth look at everything his team does beyond the cockpit.
"I plan on going with the rest of my ThorSport team to the final nine races of the year, and regardless of if I'm behind the wheel or not, I want to learn as much as I can from everyone at the track," Armstrong added.
Team Manager David Pepper confirmed the plan to give the third team in the ThorSport Racing stable a chance to compete at another track before their first full-season campaign.
"When this opportunity came along to put a quality driver like Justin Marks in one of our trucks, it was a natural fit to see what we can do in a one-off deal," Pepper explained. "This race is all about getting more points, getting more experience for our team, and keeping our full time driver's rookie status in place. The entire 98 team is looking ahead to the full season and rookie campaign with their driver, Dakoda Armstrong, and running this Atlanta race with Justin Marks is just another start that will help gain owner points for 2012."
Pepper and Marks have prior history in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and found this opportunity as a chance to help the ThorSport Racing team gain experience and provide Marks with the tools to compete for the win. The California-native will bring GoPro with him as a sponsor on the No. 98 for the Atlanta event.
"David Pepper and I have had history since 2007 when he spotted for me in ARCA," Marks commented. "We'd always talked every year about doing something together and the opportunity presented itself this time. GoPro made a decision at the halfway point of the season to concentrate on just a couple of races to round out the year and make the most of them, with one of those events being this opportunity with the No. 98 ThorSport Racing team."
"I'm confident at the 1.5-mile tracks like Atlanta, so I'm focused on running as hard as we can. The goal for the race team is to take another step forward with the 98 guys and help them as much as possible to prepare for Dakoda's rookie of the year campaign next season."
About Justin Marks
California native Justin Marks began his love of racing after attending local races and the Indianapolis 500 with his father at the age of 14. His racing career sprouted from local street stock racing and grew into a successful SCCA and Rolex Sports Car Series career. Marks finished 16th in the 2001 Rolex Sports Car 24 Hours of Daytona in his first career professional race, and later collected a total of 12 wins in the SCCA and Rolex Sports Car Series combined. In 2009, he competed once again in the 24 Hours of Daytona and came home with a victory.
Marks moved on to ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series competition in 2007, where he competed in select races over the next two years. Last season, he raced full-time in the ARCA Racing Series with Win-Tron Racing, collecting one win, seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. In the first half of 2011, Marks competed in 12 events for Turn One Racing and GoPro, collecting the pole at Dover and two top-10 finishes. For the latest news on Justin, please visit www.JustinMarksRacing.com.
08-02-10
ThorSport Racing Drivers to Visit Ronald McDonald House in Nashville on August 6
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ThorSport Racing drivers Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton will visit the Ronald McDonald House in Nashville prior to next weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. Sauter and Crafton, along with Sauter’s No. 13 Country Music Television/”Roll the Gold” Chevrolet will be on site on Friday August 6 from 4 to 6 P.M. World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse “Roll the Gold” will also be on site for the families to visit up close as well.
“My wife Cortney and I became parents this year and every day that goes by we realize how fortunate we are to have a healthy baby boy,” Sauter said. “We can’t imagine what these families are going through having a child with a serious medical condition. It really makes you think. Coming and spending some time with them is the least we can do. There’s nothing like talking racing to help take their minds off some of their worries, even if it’s just for a little while.”
“We visited the Ronald McDonald House in Kansas City earlier this season and we had a lot of fun with the families there,” Crafton said. “It has to be incredibly hard to be going through what they are going through so we just want to help put a smile on their face. We’re happy to do whatever we can to take their minds off of hospital rooms, operations, and medical bills even if it’s just for a little while.”
“We are thrilled to partner with ThorSport Racing for this exciting event,” said Liz Piercy, executive director of RMHC of Nashville. “Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton’s visit to the Nashville Ronald McDonald House provides a wonderful opportunity for the children and families who make our House their home away from home.”
“Roll The Gold”, trained by Chad Williams Stables (Shelbyville, Tenn.), will be competing at The Celebration, August 25th through September 4 at the historic Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Grounds in Shelbyville, Tenn. Celebration lasts for eleven days ending on the Saturday night before Labor Day. The Celebration attracts nearly a quarter of a million fans from more than 40 states.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway is set for a 9 P.M. Eastern/8 P.M. Central start. The race will be televised live on SPEED starting with a 30-minute pre-race show at 8:30 P.M. Tickets are still available by calling 866-RACE-TIX or visiting www.NashvilleSuperspeedway.com.
ABOUT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF NASHVILLE:
The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Nashville is to "keep families close" by providing essential resources and a "home away from home" for families of critically ill children receiving inpatient or outpatient medical care at Nashville area hospitals. RMHC of Nashville has served more than 10,700 families in the 32-bedroom Ronald McDonald House since it opened in 1991 and more than 150,000 individuals in the Family Room located within Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt since it opened in 2004. For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, please visit www.rmhcnashville.com or call (615) 343-4000.
04-23-10
ThorSport Racing Drivers to Visit the Ronald McDonald House in Kansas City
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ThorSport Racing drivers Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter will make an appearance at the Ronald McDonald House in Kansas City on Friday April 30. The NASCAR Foundation is partnering with Sprint and Turner Construction to build a playground in honor of Tom Murphy, the Sprint vice president who passed away in an accident one year ago. ThorSport Racing is assisting with the build by donating over two tons of FunSand colored play sand.
Crafton and Sauter will tour the Ronald McDonald House and the playground site then meet with the children and their families.
“This is a really great cause and we’re happy to be a part of it,” said Johnny Sauter, driver of the No. 13 In Country Television/Curb Records Chevrolet. “Tom was a great guy and he did a lot to help move NASCAR racing forward. We were all shocked when we heard the news last spring about his accident, but this is a great way for the sport to honor his memory and all he did. I’m looking forward to getting there and seeing the kids and meeting their families. I’m sure there will be some NASCAR fans among them so it will be fun to talk racing with them and give them a chance to think about something fun for a while.”
Fun Sand colored play sand can be used both indoors and outdoors, and thanks to the Dust Lock Formula additive provides a clean, dustless play environment. It can be molded into shapes without water and its brilliant blue or purple color will not run or stain. Its lifelike textural experience is ideal for childhood development and it is also perfect for non-traditional uses such as in reptile enclosures.
“We’re honored the NASCAR Foundation thought high enough about us to reach out and ask us to participate,” said Rick Noon, director of research and development for ThorWorks, manufacturer of Fun Sand. “It’s a great product that allows families and businesses the chance to have a traditional sandbox for kids to play in without all of the mess that goes along with it. It will be a great fit on the playground at the Ronald McDonald House and we hope it helps bring a little enjoyment to some families that are going through a rough time.”
Fun Sand is available at stores nationwide. For more information, log on to www.funsand.net.
02-09-10
Easy Transitional Cabinetry’s etc. Brand Cabinets and SouthernCandle.com Join ThorSport Racing for Daytona
ThorSport Racing has joined forces with Easy Transitional Cabinetry and SouthernCandle.com for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ season-opening NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona International Speedway. etc. and it’s EasytoInstall.com website will be the primary sponsor of the No. 98 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill and share co-primary status on the team’s No. 13 truck driven by Johnny Sauter along with Curb Records’ recording artist Tim McGraw and his new album Southern Voice. Southern Candle will be an associate sponsor on both trucks.
“We are really excited to be a part of the ThorSport Racing team heading into Daytona,” said J.D. Brown, CEO of the Expo Holdings, Inc., parent company of Easy Transitional Cabinetry. “We really want to generate some buzz around our new etc. (pronounced “et cetera”) brand cabinets and our EasytoInstall.com website, and when we were presented with this opportunity we jumped at it. NASCAR racing is really new to us, but we know how exciting it is and we can’t wait to see our trucks in action on Friday night. We’ve got a couple of great young drivers in Johnny Sauter and Landon Cassill representing us, and we can’t wait to see them take us to the front.”
etc. cabinets are a do-it-yourself system that allows home owners, apartment managers, businesses, hotels, hospitals, and any other facility that uses wooden cabinetry, to easily update the facing of their cabinets without the need – and expense – of hiring a contractor. The patent-pending etc. system easily allows anyone to slide out the front component of their cabinets, the drawers or the doors, and replace them with new ones.
“We are located in North Wilkesboro and we know all about the heritage of NASCAR racing in the south and we’re excited to be a part of it,” said Randy Whittington, CEO of Southern Candle Inc. “We designed our candles to remind people of southern life through the colors and the scents we have available. We’d like to invite any race fan out there that wants to remember spending days in the kitchen as a kid helping grandma bake an apple pie or walking through the woods with dad to log on to our website southerncandle.com and enjoy.”
“Our hometown, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, is where many believe stock car racing was really created back in the 1940s and 1950s,” said Gary Jordan, president of Southern Candle. “We believe in racing as a way of life and as a marketing platform, and we’re confident ThorSport Racing is going to deliver for us.”
Southern Candle Inc. produces premium hand-made candles in dozens of scents. In all, nearly 500 different products are available on the company’s website, SouthernCandle.com, and in several retail outlets nationwide.
For more information, visit www.EasytoInstall.com or www.SouthernCandle.com.
01-25-10
Stability is Key Word for ThorSport Racing as 2010 Approaches
With major personnel movement throughout most of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams during the off-season making news, one team that has been notably silent on that topic is ThorSport Racing. Fresh off a season that saw Matt Crafton score a career-best second-place finish in the championship standings and teammate Johnny Sauter score his first career series win en route to a sixth-place finish overall and the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award, both drivers return for 2010 with the core of their teams intact.
Crafton returns to the seat of the No. 88 Menard Chevrolet with crew chief Bud Haefele calling the shots for the fifth consecutive season. Together they have scored one win (Charlotte 2008), 25 top-five finishes, 53 top-ten finishes, two poles, and two top-five finishes in the championship standings. Haefele spent many years building cars to race the short tracks in northern Ohio before building an ARCA Series car, earning the pole with driver Rick Groetsch at Flat Rock in 1998 along with three top-five finishes in just five races. Before joining ThorSport, Haefele worked with the Liberty Racing team and with Kevin Harvick, Inc. before making the move to be Crafton’s crew chief in 2006.
“Working with Bud is pretty easy because we have the same type of personality,” Crafton said. “When we’re in the garage after a practice run and I am explaining what I think it’s going to take to make the truck better, we’re on the same page. We think alike, we talk alike, we laugh at the same things and we both want to win more than anything. That’s what makes us a good team – we both know what each other is thinking before we have to say it.”
Sauter teamed up with long-time friend - and sometimes crew chief - Joe Shear, Jr. in the second half of the 2009 season. After watching their respective fathers battle against each other week in and week out on the Wisconsin short tracks, the duo have worked together frequently after moving into the NASCAR ranks. After joining the No. 13 FunSand/Curb Records Chevrolet team for the Chicagoland race in August, Shear led Sauter to his first series win just four races later at Las Vegas, six top-five finishes, eight top-ten finishes, and one pole. He also led the charge from eleventh in the standings after Chicagoland to sixth at the end of the year.
“I think it all comes down to confidence,” Sauter said, referencing his relationship to Shear. “The first time we ever worked together we just hit it off. When I get in the truck with Joe working on it I know it’s going to be right. I think some of that goes to watching his dad race against my dad and knowing he and I have very similar backgrounds.”
Notes: Johnny Sauter and his wife Cortney welcomed their first child, Penn Joseph Sauter, on January 13. Little Penn Joseph weighed in at an impressive 8 pounds, five ounces. Both mother and son are now home resting comfortably … Sauter’s crew chief Joe Shear Jr. and his wife Chrandra were married on January 17 just outside of Greensboro, North Carolina … No. 88 Menards Chevy crew member Kitrick Schrader, who was injured in a snowmobile accident on January 9, is now resting comfortably and in stable condition at Cleveland Metro Hospital. Schrader has undergone numerous surgeries since the accident to repair bone and arterial damage in his left leg.
Next Race: The 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series kicks off with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday February 12. The first practice is a 90-minute session scheduled for 6 P.M. on Wednesday February 10, with the final two-hour session slated for Thursday February 11 at 9 A.M. The 36-truck starting field will be determined in two-lap qualifying runs at 6 P.M. on Thursday evening. The eleventh annual NextEra Energy Resources 250 will go green shortly after 8 P.M. on Friday night; it can be seen live on SPEED and heard live on select affiliates of the Motor Racing Network and on Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 128.
01-13-10
ThorSport Racing Crew Member Kitrick Schrader Injured in Accident
ThorSport Racing crew member Kitrick Schrader was injured in a snowmobile accident Saturday January 9. Schrader was en route to meet friends for a late night snowmobile ride when he collided with a fire hydrant hidden in drifting snow, causing serious injuries to his left leg, hip, and pelvis.
Schrader is a native of Ft. Wayne, Indiana and a current resident of Sandusky, Ohio. He serves as a fabricator and general mechanic in the shop and is the rear tire carrier on Matt Crafton’s pit crew at the track.
After the accident, Schrader was air lifted from Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky to Cleveland Metro, a level one trauma care center.
“We were shocked at the news, and we ask that everyone in the NASCAR community keep Kitrick in their thoughts and prayers,” said ThorSport Racing team manager David Pepper. “We’ve all been out to visit him and have already heard from a lot of our friends in the Truck Series offering their support. We’re behind him 110 percent. We know it’s going to be a long rehab process, probably ten to twelve months. All of us on the ThorSport team want him to know we love him like a brother and he’s still a very important part of the team.”
Pepper said that Schrader’s absence has already had an impact on the team.
“The guys in the shop are a tight bunch,” he said. “Everyone does whatever it takes to get the trucks ready to race. Kitrick is a talented mechanic and fabricator and much more. Whether it was installing a windshield or working on crush panels, it didn’t matter. If it needed to get done, he’d be helping. We’re just now starting to realize just how many different things he would work on.”
Cards and other well wishes can be sent to:
Kitrick Schrader
C/O ThorSport Racing
PO Box 2218
Sandusky, Ohio 44870
09-17-09
Trying To Tame The Trucks?
Written by Lindsey Marks, www.hardcoreracefans.com
There is nothing I enjoy more than sitting down on my couch with some good food and maybe some friends and watching a NASCAR race. Well, other than actually being at the track of course.
I am certainly a fan of the Sprint Cup Series but lately my favorite races to watch have been Camping World Truck Series events. The trucks are known to beat and bang on each other like it’s a street stock race at a local short track. They take NASCAR excitement to a level that the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series’ have not seen in quite some time.
Last weekend’s race at Gateway was a huge disappointment for me because of the punishment NASCAR handed down to Matt Crafton after the two late race incidents he was involved in.
With only a handful of laps to go, Crafton tried to go underneath both Todd Bodine and race leader Ron Hornaday on two separate restarts. Both of the drivers came down on him and when their left rear made contact with his right front they both went spinning and ended up wrecking.
It is clear from every angle, including Crafton’s in-car camera, that he did not come up into either driver.
Both Bodine and Hornaday are seasoned veterans of the sport and should have known better than to try to intimidate Crafton by squeezing him down to the bottom of the track. They also should have known that he was racing for a win and the championship against points leader Hornaday and no one would have lifted and given up the spot with those things on the line.
NASCAR penalized Matt Crafton by putting him at the end of the longest line for “rough driving” after the two late race incidents he was involved in. Max Dolder Photo/HardcoreRaceFans.com
NASCAR was completely wrong to penalize Crafton by putting him at the end of the longest line for “rough driving”. Rough driving makes the Truck Series, and local short track racing, so exciting. In my opinion, it would be nice to see the same kind of racing in the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series like you used to.
Plus, Crafton is Hornaday’s closest competitor in this championship hunt. While the Sprint Cup Series points are closer together due to the Chase rules, the Truck Series is pretty spaced out and this year’s championship is quite boring to be honest. It was good to see Crafton gain some gound on him and I’d like to see him get even closer so that it will at least be a decent fight for the title.
Looking ahead to this weekend at New Hampshire, Crafton is still a distant 197 points behind Hornaday in the point standings. Mike Skinner, who won the Gateway race after Crafton was penalized and sent to the rear, is closing in on Crafton for 2nd place. There is only 16 points separating the two drivers so that will end up being a good battle but no one really enjoys a battle for second place. Plus, 4th place driver Brian Scott is over 200 points behind Skinner so there is no hope of that battle getting more exciting by adding more drivers.
NASCAR really should have thought of all of this when they decided to penalize Crafton for something that was not even his fault. If Crafton had won he would have been even closer to Hornaday going into this weekend’s race. With only seven races left in the Truck schedule Crafton is running out of time to challenge for the championship.
Sure it is costly and potentially dangerous for accidents to occur, but NASCAR needs to recognize that there is a need for the sport to have on-track action like it used to have in the earlier years.
With changes like the implementation of the COT and NASCAR’s decision to penalize for “rough driving” that is not all that rough, I am worried about the future of this sport. I do not want to see NASCAR go the way of Formula 1 and IndyCar. This sport was created by moonshiners and that is what makes it so special.
The NASCAR higher-ups need to remember the heritage and remember what made this sport an American favorite because it sure wasn’t bogus penalties and mysterious debris cautions.
I hope that when the trucks take on Loudon this weekend that they live up to their reputation for being the rough-and-tumble NASCAR series because it would be a shame for them to be tame.
09-17-09
McDowell To Make Truck Series Start with ThorSport Racing at New Hampshire
Michael McDowell will make his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of the season for ThorSport Racing in the Heluva! Good 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday.
McDowell has made previous starts at New Hampshire in Cup and Nationwide Series competition. He owns five top-10 finishes in Nationwide Series competition in '09. McDowell will drive the No. 98 Perkins Police Silverado, in an effort to raise awareness of D.A.R.E. and the department's Camp Pride program, designed to promote positive choices among early teenagers. ThorSport Racing is located in Perkins Township in Sandusky, OH.
"I'm really looking forward to racing again at New Hampshire," McDowell said. "I'm thankful to ThorSport Racing for the opportunity. I've always felt comfortable at New Hampshire. I love short-track racing, especially on the flat tracks, and it's always a great show for the fans, with a lot of of beatin' and bangin'. Matt and Johnny (ThorSport Racing teammates Crafton and Sauter, respectively) have run up front all year, and I expect to do
that on Saturday, also."
Joining McDowell for the race on Saturday will be crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., who has guided drivers to numerous Sprint Cup Series wins, including the crown jewel Daytona 500.
"I'm excited to see what we can do on Saturday," Baldwin said. "I love watching truck series racing, and am looking forward to being a part of it. It's great racing. I always enjoy coming back to New Hampshire, and consider it one of my home tracks (Baldwin is a native of Long Island). Hopefully, we can win the race and make this visit extra special."
SPEED TV coverage of the Heluva! Good 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway begins at 2:30pm EST on Saturday.
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