Matt Crafton
2007

11/19

Thorsport Racing Duo Honored At Nascar Craftsman Truck Series Awards Banquet

ThorSport Racing drivers Willie Allen and Matt Crafton were among those honored at the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series awards banquet at The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida on Monday night.

Allen won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year award, joining current Nextel Cup stars Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch among others as winners of the award.

“It’s a dream come true for me to win the Rookie of the Year award,” Allen said. “I’ve learned so much this season, and it’s been a thrill to compete against the incredible competitors in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. I’m thankful to everybody at ThorSport Racing, including my teammate Matt Crafton, for all of his help this year. Matt’s a veteran and he knows what this deal is all about, and he’s been great to me. I’m grateful to The National Pork Board, Nashville Music City and Chevrolet for all of their support this season. I’m just thrilled to be doing what I love for a living.” Allen will also be honored today along with Juan Pablo Montoya (Nextel Cup) and David Ragan (Busch) as the top rookies in each of NASCAR'S top touring series at a Raybestos luncheon at The Speedway Club in Charlotte.

Crafton finished 8th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and was honored as a top-10 driver for the third time in the last four years. Crafton reached double-digit top-10 finishes for the fifth consecutive year, and sixth in the last seven. He equaled his career-best finish with a 3rd place showing at Atlanta, and qualified a season-best 2nd at Martinsville and Phoenix. He has collected 76 top-10 finishes in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career.

“All in all, it was another pretty strong year for us, and I’m thankful to my guys for everything they did for me this season,” Crafton said. “We showed flashes of what we’re capable of, and did a good job of bouncing back whenever we faced adversity. I’ve said all along that I believe we’re on the right track to becoming a top-five team, and I’m excited to get to Daytona in February. I think some special things are in store for this team.”

The success of Allen and Crafton further entrenches ThorSport Racing as one of the premier teams in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The organization has competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since 1996.

11/15

CRAFTON LOOKS TO FINISH ON HIGH NOTE AT HMS

Friday’s Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway may be the final race of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, but don’t expect any letup in Matt Crafton’s competitive drive.

“We have a lot to race for at Homestead,” Crafton said. “We’ve had some flashes of success here in the past, and there’s no reason we can’t be right there at the end with a shot to win, and at least a top-five finish. I love racing at Homestead. You can race anywhere from the top to the bottom. It’s multiple-groove, really fast and wide. It’s always exciting.”

Crafton qualified 2nd for last week’s race at Phoenix, his best qualifying effort of the season. He finished 14th. He is in 8th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and has reached double-digit top-10 finishes for five consecutive seasons, and six of the last seven. He has finished in the top-10 in the final NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings three times in the last four years. Crafton’s best finish at Homestead was 5th in ’04. He was 12th last season.

“We’ve had some strong runs this season, and have shown flashes of what we’re capable of,” said Crafton. “Everybody knows how competitive this series is, so you have to show up each week at your best. Things won’t always go your way, but you have to be focused and always be looking for ways to get better. I’m thankful that I have a great group of guys who believe in me, and we’re all on the same page. They’ve worked their tails off for me this season. I know we’re on the right track, and I really feel like we’re on the verge of breaking thru.”

11/08

CRAFTON RIDING WAVE OF MOMENTUM, MEMORIES IN RETURN TO PIR

Matt Crafton roars into Phoenix International Raceway for Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Casino Arizona 150 for an unofficial West Coast homecoming of sorts. Crafton, riding the momentum of back-to-back 7th place finishes at Atlanta and Texas, respectively, returns to the scene of some of his most-cherished racing memories, including his victory in the final Copper World Classic in the now-defunct Southwest Series in ’06.

“Winning that race meant the world to me, because I’ve been coming to PIR for over twenty years, and it was the last year of the Southwest Series,” Crafton said. “This track has always been special to me. It’s almost like home for me (Crafton hails from Tulare, CA). I’ve run lots of laps here, in late models and tour cars and the Truck Series.” In a nod to Crafton's days as a driver in the Southwest Series, his truck will sport a special fluorescent red paint scheme this weekend.

Crafton’s comfort with PIR has been on display during the heat of battle. He finished 5th in ’06, and had a shot at victory until losing valuable spots while avoiding a wrecked-truck on pit road late in the race. He finished a career-best 3rd in ’04. In 6 career starts at PIR, Crafton owns a pair of top-5 finishes, and has finished in the top-10 four times. “I know this race track really well, and know what it takes to be fast here. It’s a fun racetrack, with lots of side-by-side racing, but it’s also tricky. You have to get your truck to turn well in the middle of the corner here. You have two very distinctive ends of the racetrack. You have a tight corner with turns one and two, and a wide sweeping corner at the other end. It’s a challenge to get your truck handling well at both ends. It’s definitely unique, and that’s what makes it so fun. It’s a driver’s track, and I’ve always loved that. I’m really looking forward to this race, and based on our performances here in the past, I’m confident we can contend for the win.”

Crafton is in 8th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and hopes to put an exclamation point on the finish of the ’07 season at Phoenix and in next week’s season-finale at Homestead. “We’ve had some real good runs the last few weeks, and have put ourselves in position for good things to happen,” he said. “There are things that happen out there that you have no control over, and you just have to focus on doing what you can do as well as you can. And that’s where we are right now. The guys are building me some great trucks, and I’m trying to drive the heck out of them. Our confidence is always high at Phoenix, and I expect us to be right there at the end.”

11/01

CRAFTON SEEKS ANOTHER STRONG FINISH ON FAST-TRACK OF TEXAS

Matt Crafton has heard the questions, and the driver of the No. 88 Menards Silverado hopes to provide an emphatic answer as the ’07 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season enters turn 4.

Crafton, who owns 75 career top-10 finishes, continues the search for his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory in The Silverado 350K at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday. In 13 career starts at TMS, Crafton has finished in the top-10 five times, including a 7th place finish in June. “I love racing at Texas,” Crafton said. “It’s a real fast track, and we always put on a good show for the fans. We’ve had some real good runs here and have given ourselves a chance to win, and I expect that will be the case again this time around.”

Crafton’s outward approach to the idea of a first Truck Series triumph appears matter-of-fact, but the desire to silence skeptics no doubt boils inside. “When it’s time for me to win a race, it’ll happen,” he said. “I’ve always said that to win, you first have to put yourself in position, and for the most part we continue to do that. We’ve been strong the last few weeks (including a 7th place finish at Atlanta last weekend), and we’ve had success at the tracks we’ll see the rest of the season. We keep battling, and that’s what you have to do. If you start to dwell on why something didn’t go your way, you’ll cost yourself the mental preparation you need for the next race, and this series is too competitive for that. There are lots of good teams and drivers, and you just have to prepare the best you can and do what you need to do every time out. You can’t have any missing pieces if you expect to win in this series.”

Crafton is in 8th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and appears headed for a fifth consecutive season of double-digit top-10 finishes. “We’d all like to win a bunch of races and finish in the top-5 every week, but in reality, you’re gonna have those races where things aren’t going your way and you just have to make the best of the situation,” said Crafton. “I’m proud that we’ve been able to do that most of the time, and we keep getting better. I know we’re on the right track. We’ll maintain our focus, and good things will happen for us.”

10/24

CRAFTON CONFIDENT AT ATLANTA FOLLOWING 3RD PLACE FINISH IN SPRING

Matt Crafton has seen plenty during his years as a driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and has been on both sides of the fence where momentum and good fortune is concerned. Crafton has often said he’d ‘rather be lucky than good’, but the driver of the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado hopes both descriptions will fit his performance in Saturday’s EasyCare 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Crafton has been good in recent races at Talladega, where he ran with the lead pack most of the day until late-race mayhem deposited him in 18th place, and Martinsville, where he was headed for a likely top-3 finish until a last-lap wreck. He hopes luck decides to ride along in Saturday’s race.

“We sure have learned a lot the last couple of races,” Crafton said. “We’ve had really strong trucks and great runs that should’ve resulted in top-5 finishes, but it just didn’t happen. You can’t afford to dwell on it, because it’ll affect what you do the next race. You just have to take the positives from it and move on.”

Crafton qualified 2nd for the race at Martinsville, his best qualifying effort of the season. He approaches Saturday’s race with the optimism borne of previous success at AMS. “"I love Atlanta,” he said. “It's my favorite track. We've had some success here, and we expect to run well.” In six career starts at Atlanta, Crafton has finished in the top-5 twice, and he owns three top-10 finishes at the track. He finished 3rd in the spring race at AMS. “The track is fast, and you can run anywhere from top to bottom,” said Crafton. “There’s lots of side-by-side racing here, and it’s always exciting. We're better for what we’ve gone thru the last couple of weeks. For the most part, we've been putting ourselves in the right position. Now, hopefully we can put an exclamation point on it at Atlanta."

Crafton is in 8th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. He has 8 top-10 finishes this season, and appears headed for his fifth consecutive year, and sixth in the last seven, of double-digit top-10 finishes. Atlanta begins a season-ending run for Crafton at tracks where he’s tasted success. “We had a fine third-place run here in the spring, and are headed to Texas, Phoenix and Miami, all places where we should run well,” Crafton said. “I think we can run well at each of them, and I’m confident we’ll begin that streak at Atlanta.”

10/17

CRAFTON KNOWS TRACK POSITION KEY AT MARTINSVILLE

The adage, "The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same," applies as Matt Crafton enters the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday.

Crafton and his fellow competitors shift gears from last week’s high-banked, bump-drafting frenzy at Talladega to the smaller, tighter confines of Martinsville’s fabled half-mile. Despite the night-and-day physical contrast of the tracks, however, nerves will again be frayed and drivers on the emotional edge at Martinsville as they struggle to create separation from rough and rowdy neighbors in a slam-bang battle of track position.

“Martinsville is all about track position, but the track also demands that you have a good truck,” Crafton said. “You have to have a good truck to have a chance here, and then it’s a matter of pit strategy and the fewest errors and keeping your cool to have a shot at the end.”

Crafton, who is in 9th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, has stayed cool enough to collect four top-ten finishes in 11 career starts at Martinsville, including a career-best 3rd-place finish in the spring race last season. “Martinsville takes a huge toll on the trucks, and it will really test your patience as a driver,” said Crafton. “There’s so much going on around you throughout the race, but you have to stay focused and patient."

Only a handful of races remains this season, but Crafton maintains that the No. 88 Menards team is as focused as ever. “We absolutely believe that we can win a race before the season is over,” he said. “We’ve tasted some success at Martinsville before, and there’s no reason we can’t win this weekend. We’re entering a homestretch of races at some of the tracks where we tend to run strong, like Atlanta and Texas and Phoenix. I believe in our guys, and they keep busting their tails and building great trucks for me. It would be really special to put it all together and break through at Martinsville.”

10/01

CRAFTON READY FOR WILD RIDE AT TALLADEGA

When it comes to Talladega, wild is the operative word, a description that applies to action on and off the track.
Unlike anywhere else in NASCAR, Talladega conjures images in the minds of drivers and race fans alike of a beast almost beyond control, and none would have it any other way. Matt Crafton and his fellow drivers in Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway will face four-wide racing at hair-raising speeds, with only an idea of the high-banked free-for-all that may ensue once the green flag drops.

“Talladega is just awesome, with door-to-door drafting at 190mph,” Crafton said. “I love to go fast, and we’ll be flying on Saturday.”

The scene at Talladega is exhilarating and exhausting, as drivers are on the edge for the duration. “When you’re racing at Talladega, you have to remind yourself to blink sometimes,” Crafton joked. “And when the race is over, it feels like your brain was running at 190mph, also. It’s just absolutely draining.”

Talladega is not solely about speed, however, as Crafton knows well. To succeed, drivers must find friends quickly for drafting purposes on the 2.66 mi monster, and must be able to find the best fit for their trucks on the track.
“During practice, you find out which of the other trucks yours seems to suck up best with in the draft, and you go from there,” said Crafton. “And in the race, you have to find the groove that suits your truck. Last year, the best groove for us was right smack in the middle.”

In the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Talladega in ’06, Crafton finished 18th, a victim of strategy gone awry. “I was running 12th when we came to the white flag, and I pulled out of line and it cost me,” Crafton said. “I could’ve had a top-10 finish easily if I had stayed with the pack. But you live and learn, and I won’t pull out until I see the checkered flag this year.”

Crafton would relish adding his name to the list of winners at Talladega. “There’s just so much history here, so many fine drivers who have found a way to get to Victory Circle. I’d love to be able to add my name to that list."

At Talladega, Crafton also looks forward to the notorious off-track spectacle. “When the sun goes down all the crazies come out, and it’s quite a sight to see,” said Crafton. ‘It’s a blast to just be out in the crowd, watching all the rowdy people. There’s nothing like it.’

A strong finish would go a long way toward turning around Crafton’s fortunes of late. He is 9th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, but has missed on some prime opportunities to improve his position in recent races. “We were really strong in the first part of the season, and we’ve just had some bad things happen during the last several races,” Crafton said. “A lot of the time, the trouble hasn’t been of our making. Hopefully, we can turn our fortune around starting this weekend.”

09/21

CRAFTON HOPES TO TURN TABLES AT LAS VEGAS

In a city where it’s all about the odds and the house holds the advantage, Matt Crafton hopes to turn the tables in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Smith’s 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday.

Crafton hopes to cash in at the reconfigured 1.5 mi. oval with some help from Lady Luck, a finicky passenger at best during his previous visits to Vegas. In ’04, a broken throttle-stop late in the race snatched likely victory from Crafton’s grasp. In 6 career starts at LVMS, Crafton has but one top-10 finish.

“Las Vegas hasn’t been too good to me in past races, but hopefully we can change that this weekend,” Crafton said. “It’s gonna take a lot of luck to win here, especially with the new track design and the hard tire we’re running. The old saying ‘I’d rather be lucky than good’ applies for me at this racetrack. In ’04, we thought we were gonna win the race, and it didn’t happen. Last year, we missed on the setup big-time. Las Vegas is first-class as far as the entertainment and the way we’re treated and everything that goes on here, and I always look forward to coming here. But I hope we can change our fortune on the track this time around.”

Crafton finished 11th at New Hampshire last weekend, and moved to 8th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. “We just weren ’t very good at New Hampshire, and actually probably had about a 30th place truck, so we were happy to come out of there the way we did.”

Crafton treads lightly where the reconfigured LVMS is concerned. “I’ll put it this way…passing on this track is real difficult at best,” he said. “And the track is really rough. We used to be able to run three-wide here, and that’s gone. Now, with the new design and using this harder tire, we’ll be holding on for dear life. We’ll have our hands full. We’ll have to be strong in the pits and with our strategy, and hope that luck is finally on our side here."

09/11

CRAFTON RELISHES RETURN TO NEW HAMPSHIRE

Matt Crafton returns to New Hampshire International Speedway for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series New Hampshire 200 on Saturday looking to continue his move toward the top five in the series standings.

Crafton captured the Bud Pole Award at Loudon in ’05, and has collected three top-10 finishes in 6 career starts at the mile oval. He finished 8th last season. Crafton relishes racing at Loudon. “I always look forward to racing at New Hampshire,” Crafton said. “It’s a unique place. I’m comfortable on flat tracks. It’s fun and challenging. Turns three and four are sweeping, which reminds me of Phoenix, where I’ve typically run well. And turns one and two are tight, and the straights are long and fast. Handling is important, and you have to be on your game in the pits to have a shot. It’s a driver’s track, and I always like that part of the equation.”

Crafton is in 9th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and is separated from 7th place by thirty five points. He finished 9th two weeks ago at Gateway. “We cut a tire early at Gateway, and spent most of the night playing catch up,” said Crafton, who was forced to pit under green flag conditions and lost a lap. “It’s a testament to the work ethic of this team that we kept fighting and finally got back on the lead lap and made the most out of what could have been a rough night. I felt like we had a top-five truck, and we didn’t come out with that kind of finish, but that’s how this deal works sometimes. We keep preparing well and bringing everything we have to the table, and I know it’s gonna pay off for us.”

As the homestretch of the season approaches, Crafton maintains unwavering focus. “I feel like we’re headed in the right direction, and everybody is on the same page as far as knowing what we need to do to take it to the next level,” he said. “I’m real proud of our guys and thankful for what they’ve done for me all year. We all have to keep digging, keep looking for ways to improve. There’s a lot of racing left this season, and we still have a chance to accomplish some special things.”

8/20

CRAFTON EXPECTS SAME FIERCE BATTLE AT BRISTOL

Matt Crafton enters the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O’Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday confident that, where the track’s new surface is concerned, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

While the driver of the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado acknowledges that the surface will add another twist to the grueling test that is Bristol, he says the same set of factors will ultimately determine success on the .533 mile concrete bullring as in previous races.

“Bristol is physically and mentally demanding, and you have to stay focused every lap and not get sidetracked,” Crafton said. “You can get swept up in someone else’s mess pretty easily here, because things happen in a split-second, and if you let your emotions get the best of you, you can ruin what otherwise might be a good evening.”

Crafton believes Wednesday’s race will provide more of the same action and excitement for which Bristol is known. “Bristol is amazing, in terms of the energy from the crowd and the electricity in the air,” said Crafton. “It’s one of the most exciting races we run, and even with the possible headaches, all of us look forward to this race each year. But with everything going on, you have to keep your poise. You have to be aware of everything going on around you out there, because there’s not much room for error. You have to stay patient, to give yourself a shot to be there at the end and contend for a victory.”

In four career starts at Bristol, Crafton has claimed a pair of top-10 finishes, including a 4th place finish in ’04. He finished 12th in ’06.

Crafton is in 9th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and has designs on closing the gap on the top five. “We just need to make sure we do the little things right, and keep the big picture in mind,” Crafton said. “Each guy on this team is committed to getting better, and we continually look for ways to do that. It’s a matter of consistency, of refusing to accept anything other than strong finishes. I’m confident we’re on the right track. I’d like nothing better than to prove that at Bristol.”

8/10

CRAFTON LOOKS TO HIT HIGH NOTE IN NASHVILLE

Matt Crafton hopes the second time is the charm in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Toyota 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday. The race is the second of three stops on the circuit in Tennessee this season, and the first of back-to-back affairs. Bristol awaits the series in two weeks.

Crafton captured a 10th place finish at Nashville last season, and is confident he can give the 1.3 mi. concrete oval a run for its money on Saturday. “I enjoy racing at Nashville, and the race is always exciting for drivers and fans,” Crafton said. “I feel like we have a good chance to improve on our finish from last season (Crafton battled back from a cut tire early in that race). I haven’t exactly set the world on fire here in the past, but I’m confident we can change that on Saturday. The concrete surface always adds an interesting twist to things here. There’s not a whole lot of side by side racing at Nashville, and it’s fun to run by yourself sometimes, but if you’re able to keep your left-side tire on the yellow line thru the corners most of the night, you’ll be in good position. Hopefully that will be the case for us.”

Crafton has finished in the top-10 three times in 6 career starts at Nashville. He is in 9th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and is coming off of a 9th place finish at ORP in Indianapolis two weeks ago.

“We keep looking for ways to get better, finding ways to do things that will serve us in the long-term as well as immediately. We’ve been in the thick of things so many times, I really believe our time is about to come. We’ll give it everything we’ve got, and hopefully we can put it all together at Nashville.”

7/26

CRAFTON LOOKS TO END VICTORY DROUGHT AT ORP

Matt Crafton’s quest for his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win has been nearly seven years in the making, and includes attempts at speedways of all sizes in locations from coast to coast. Crafton hopes to end his victory drought in emphatic fashion at one of the circuit’s most-anticipated events in the Power Stroke Diesel 200 presented by Ford and International at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis on Friday.

Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado, has reason to be hopeful as Indy approaches. In six career starts at the .686 mi. track, he has finished in the top-10 five times, including a 4th place finish in ’05. “We’ve had good trucks here most of the time, and I always look forward to racing at ORP,” Crafton said. “We just haven’t been able to get over the hump. Last year, we had what I felt was definitely a top-5 truck, but we were spun out early in the race and spent the rest of the night playing catch up, which is difficult to do here. We feel like we’re doing the right things, and we’re doing our best to try to avoid the little mistakes that can cost you. I’d love nothing more than to get my first win at ORP.”

To do so, Crafton and company will have to be successful in the all-important battle for track position at ORP. “Qualifying has extra importance at most short-tracks because of track position, and that’s the case at ORP,” said Crafton. “If you don’t qualify well, and start in the middle or back of the pack here, it’s difficult to pass that many trucks to put yourself in position to win. You can pass at ORP, but the key is to have a truck that can stick on the bottom.”

According to Crafton, success at ORP also requires a different mode of thinking by driver and crew. “Bud (crew chief Haefele) and I have to always be thinking, be willing to think outside the box here a little more in terms of pit strategy to maximize our track position,” Crafton said.

Crafton is in 9th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and a win at ORP could serve as a catapult to special things for him during the remainder of the season.

“We’re probably out of the championship picture at this point, but if we can put together a string of top-five and top-ten finishes and finish the season in the top-five in points, that’s something we could be proud of,” he said. “There’s a lot of racing left, and we’ll keep our focus and keep trying to get better. It would be special to me to get that first win anywhere, but it would be really cool to do it at a place like ORP. It's always an action-packed race for drivers and fans alike. All we can do is to bring our best possible truck, and I’ll try to drive the heck out of it for the guys and hopefully we’ll be right there at the end with a shot to win.”

7/13

CRAFTON SEEKS ANOTHER STRONG FINISH AT KENTUCKY

Matt Crafton enters the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Built Ford Tough 225 presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday looking to add to a streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes at the 1.5 mi. track. Crafton finished 7th at Kentucky last season and is coming off a top-10 finish at Memphis two weeks ago.

“I always look forward to racing at Kentucky,” Crafton said. “The track is pretty fast and wide, and you can run in multiple grooves. It’s wide enough so you have plenty of room to pass no matter where you are on the track. It’s a place where you can gain ground fairly quickly, and all of that contributes to an exciting race for the fans and drivers alike.”

There’s not been much for the driver of the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado to dislike at Kentucky in recent years. “I just feel comfortable here,” said Crafton. “It’s not a cookie-cutter track. It’s pretty unique. You get high speeds and lots of action here, and that adds extra anticipation for everybody.”

Crafton is in 9th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and knows that consistency will be the key to any possible charge into the top-five in the season’s second half.

“We’ve done some good things this season in terms of overcoming obstacles we’ve faced or making the most out of those times when we may not have had our best truck,” Crafton said. “I’m proud of our guys and the way they continue to try to find ways for us to improve. We’re making strides and everybody is focused on being as competitive as we possibly can every week, and that’s what it takes. You’ve got to bring your best every time out and minimize any mistakes so you can put yourself in position to challenge at the end. I’m confident we’re headed in the right direction, and a strong finish at Kentucky this weekend will help us continue to build momentum.”

SPEED coverage of the Built Ford Tough 225 presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers at Kentucky Speedway begins at 7:30pm on Saturday.

6/25

CRAFTON 9TH AT MILWAUKEE, RELISHES RETURN TO MEMPHIS

Matt Crafton battled to a 9th place finish in the Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200 at The Milwaukee Mile on Friday, his third career top-10 finish there and sixth in 11 races this season.

The driver of the No. 88 Menards/Johns Manville Silverado overcame a loss of valuable practice time on Friday, qualified 11th and was a fixture inside the top-10 for the duration of the race. “We didn’t get to work on handling near as much as we would’ve liked during practice, and it put us behind right out of the gate,” Crafton said. “We had to use a completely different setup than we’ve had here in previous years. We didn’t have a top-5 truck tonight, so all in all, I think we made the most out of our situation. I’m proud of our guys for they way we responded. We made the most out of what we had, and that’s what you have to do.”

One thing Crafton has is a fine track record at Memphis Motorsports Park, site of Saturday’s O’Reilly 200. Crafton finished 3rd at Memphis last season, and was closing fast on the trucks in front of him in the final laps. He has racked up 5 top-10 finishes in 6 career starts at the ¾ mi. oval. Crafton savors short-track racing, and is revved for a return to Memphis. “I love Memphis,’ he said. “It’s one of my favorite tracks. I’ve always felt comfortable there. The track will test you, and it will eat your tires, which makes handling a priority. Handling and driver skill are a big part of the equation there, and that harkens to the roots of racing. It’s tough to pass at Memphis, so track position and pit strategy are important, also. It’s always a good show for the fans.”

Crafton is in 10th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings as the halfway point of the season approaches, and he remains confident that special things await the No. 88 team.

“We’ve run real well at times and we’re competitive, but we have to strive to stay consistent,” said Crafton. “Hopefully, we’ve gotten any bad luck out of the way, and we will keep focusing on the positive and pushing to improve. Nobody is gonna hand you anything in this series. We’ll keep making sure we’re doing everything we possibly can to get better. I’m confident good things are around the corner for us.”

SPEED coverage of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O’Reilly 200 begins at 8:30pm EST on Saturday.

6/13

CRAFTON 7TH AT TEXAS, MIS AWAITS

The resiliency for which Matt Crafton and the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado team is known was on display again at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, as Crafton wheeled to a 7th place finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Sam’s Town 400.

It was Crafton’s fifth top-10 finish in nine races this season and fifth overall in the top-10 at Texas. “All in all, we had a really good truck, probably a top-five truck if we could’ve maintained our track position there toward the end, but (race winner Todd) Bodine stayed out on that last caution, and we ended up a lap down,” Crafton said. “I’m proud of the way we battled all night.”

Crafton and crew bounced back from rough weekends at Mansfield and Dover to reestablish all-important momentum heading into Saturday’s Michigan 200 at Michigan International Speedway. “We ran well the last couple of weeks, but unfortunately things happened that were out of our control and didn’t have the good finishes to show for it,” said Crafton. “We all know how that goes sometimes. You have to stay focused, and our guys do a great job of that. I’ve got all the confidence in the world in them.”

Crafton moved to 9th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. A mere nine points separates drivers in the seventh thru tenth positions in the standings entering Michigan.

“I love racing at Michigan,” Crafton said of the two-mile superspeedway. “There’s lots of room to run at MIS, and you can run wide-open for a bit, but the track will wear your tires down fairly quickly. Usually after ten or fifteen laps, your tires will wear and you’ll start slipping around a little. I like that, because it brings the driver’s skill into the equation.” Crafton finished fifth at MIS last season.

As the veteran Crafton knows well, consistency is a huge part of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship equation, and he feels his team is up to the task. “It was important for us to come back strong at Texas after a couple of tough finishes, and we did that,” Crafton said. “It speaks to the determination our team has. We know that there’s slim margin for error in this series, and you’ve got to be at your best each week. We’ll give it all we have at Michigan, and I’m confident it’ll be a good day for us.’

SPEED coverage of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Michigan 200 begins at 2:30pm EST on Saturday.

6/8

CONFIDENT CRAFTON LOOKS FOR TURNAROUND AT TEXAS

Matt Crafton hopes the high banks and fast track of Texas Motor Speedway will serve as a turnaround from recent misfortune in the Sam’s Town 400 on Friday night.

Crafton finished 35th at Mansfield (blown tire) and 26th at Dover (engine) despite running well in both races, and would relish a return to the groove of consistency in which the driver of the No. 88 Menards Silverado has previously operated so effectively.

“It bothers the heck out of you to run well and not have the strong finishes to show for it, which was the case the last couple of weeks,” Crafton said. “We had strong trucks and ran well, but things happened that were out of our control. All you can do is come back strong and committed and eliminate mistakes. I have all the confidence in the world in Bud (crew chief Haefele) and the guys, and we’ll be ready to go on Friday.”

Crafton has finished in the top-10 four times in 12 career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Texas, including a top-5 finish in ’05. “I love racing at Texas,” said Crafton. “It’s one of the fastest tracks we run, and as the asphalt continues to age, it allows for more side by side racing, which is a big plus. Turn 3 is always a little hairy, because it's really flat going into the corner and then the banking grabs you. It can get a little dicey running side by side in there. It’s always an exciting race for the fans, and I’m sure that’ll be the case again on Friday."

Crafton is 10th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. He was 6th two weeks ago. He qualified 27th for Friday's race. “That’s the way it goes in this business,” Crafton said. “We all know that you can go from hero to zero quickly, but it can work the other way, too. You’ve got to keep an even keel, and stay focused and put yourself in the best possible position to succeed each week. We’ll come out swinging for the fences on Friday, and try to pick up a strong finish and get ourselves back on track.”

5/31

POSITIVE CRAFTON FOCUSED ON DOVER

Matt Crafton isn’t one to dwell on negatives, and the driver of the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado was quick to find the silver lining in last week’s disappointing 35th place finish in the rain-soaked Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Park.

“We ran well and fuel-wise, we would’ve made it to the end, but unfortunately we ran over something and blew a tire and hit the wall,” said Crafton, who led the race for several laps and was poised for a possible shot at victory prior to the setback that ended his day prematurely. “That’s the way it goes in this sport. You can be a hero one week and a zero the next, but you always have to stay focused on the positives. If you have a bad day, you have to let it go quickly. We’re excited and ready for Dover.”

Crafton enters the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series AAA Insurance 200 at Dover International Speedway on Friday full of optimism, albeit of the cautious variety. “Dover is a really fast track, and I always love to race there, but it seems the track doesn’t always like me,” Crafton said of the merciless one-mile concrete oval. In six career starts at the ‘Monster Mile’, Crafton owns a pair of top-10 finishes, but has also been a victim of accidents and engine problems at the track. He finished 15th at Dover last season.

“At Dover, the name of the game is survival,” said Crafton. “Because of the way the track is designed, and the banking, what would normally be a one-truck wreck can collect several trucks really quickly, so you’ve got to try that much harder to avoid any trouble.”

According to Crafton, passing at Dover is difficult but not impossible. “It is tough to pass at Dover, but you definitely can do it,” he said. “I think Dover offers the best side-by-side racing of any concrete track we visit.”

Crafton is 8th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and has four top-10 finishes in seven races this season. “We’re looking forward to getting back out there and reestablishing our momentum on Friday,” Crafton said. “We took all the positives we could from last week, and we’re confident we can get the job done. We’ll work our tails off like always, and hopefully things will fall the right way for us and we’ll come out of there with a strong finish.”

SPEED will air tape-delayed coverage of the AAA Insurance 200 at Dover International Speedway at 8pm on Friday.

5/23

CRAFTON 7TH AT CHARLOTTE, HEADS FOR MANSFIELD HOMECOMING

Matt Crafton raced to a 7th place finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Friday, his 4th top-10 finish this season and fifth consecutive at Lowe’s.

Crafton started the race in 16th position, but wasted little time moving the No. 88 Menards/Peak Silverado toward the front. He threaded his way thru traffic to climb inside the top-10, where he spent a good portion of the evening. He appeared headed for a top-5 finish until a tussle on a late-race restart. “On the last restart, I had a good run on Mark (Martin), but he blocked me on the bottom,” Crafton said. “Both of us had to roll out of the gas a little bit so we didn’t wreck, and it cost me a couple of spots. If we’d have been racing for the win, it would’ve been a different story, but it wasn’t worth wrecking for a couple of spots. We’re a little disappointed, because we definitely felt we had a top-5 truck, but that’s the way this sport is. Sometimes, you have an awesome truck and maybe don’t have a strong finish to show for it, and other times you’re fortunate to finish well when you don’t have your best truck. All in all, we’ll take another top-10 finish and run with it.”

Crafton climbed to sixth place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings as he heads ‘home’ for Saturday’s Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Park. The track is located an hour from Sandusky, home of ThorSport Racing.

“Mansfield is real special to me, and to our entire organization,” said Crafton, who owns a pair of top-10 finishes in three career starts at the half-mile oval. “It’s ThorSport Racing’s home track, and it’s always an exciting week for us. I lived up there for a few years, so it’s a second home for me. All of our guys have lots of friends and family in the area. The whole buildup around the Mansfield race is just outstanding. It’s a first-class production. Ohio race fans are as passionate and knowledgeable as you’ll find anywhere. They treat us like rock stars up there.”

Despite the hoopla surrounding Crafton and company at Mansfield (including a rare national television audience on Fox) he says some things remain constant. “We wanna go there and put on a fine show for our families and friends, and it’s awesome that the race is on national television, because we all know how good the racing is in this series,” Crafton said. “It’s tremendous exposure for us. But at the same time, once the race starts, you still have to be smart. It’s important to save your equipment on these short-tracks, so you can be there at the end with a chance to win. You’ve got to put your nose in the right place at the right time. Hopefully, we’ll do that and have a chance to get to Victory Lane at our home track on Saturday. That would be really special for all of us at ThorSport.”
Coverage of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ohio 250 at Mansfield begins at 1pm Saturday on Fox.

5/16

CRAFTON SEEKS TO KEEP STREAK INTACT AT CHARLOTTE

Matt Crafton enters the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Friday looking to build on, and perhaps better, his successful record at the tradition-soaked track.

Crafton has finished in the top-10 in each of his 4 career starts at Lowe’s, including an 8th place finish in ’06. He has yet to crack the top-five, however, and hopes to do so this time around.

“We’ve run well at Lowe’s, and we always look forward to racing here,” Crafton said. “To have a chance to win, you’ve got to be there at the end, and we’ve been able to do that here. We’ve been pretty consistent, and I’d definitely like to keep it going and hopefully get a top-five finish on Friday.”

Crafton will race in a brand-new Silverado at Lowe’s, as his favorite truck was destroyed in a mishap during testing last week. “It was our best truck, the one I drove at Atlanta (where Crafton finished a season-high 3rd),” said Crafton. “We bolted on the stickers, and just got loose and spun out. Bud (crew chief Haefele) and the guys worked like crazy to build a new one for me this week, and I really appreciate their efforts. It speaks to the trust and belief we all have in each other, and we all know we have to bring our best piece to the race.”

Adding to the challenge for Crafton on Friday will be the new, harder tire Goodyear introduced at Lowe’s. “The tires are really hard and slick, and I don’t think anybody’s comfortable about it,” Crafton said. “We may have to tiptoe around a little and wait a few laps for the tires to come in.”

Crafton welcomes the room to race that Lowe’s Motor Speedway provides. “I love it, because you can run in three different grooves here, from the bottom all the way up to the fence,” the driver of the Menards Chevrolet Silverado said. “The key is to not be afraid to run next to the fence. With our brand-new truck and the hard tire, we’ll have our work cut out for us on Friday, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Crafton has collected 3 top-10 finishes in five races this season, and is in 8th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. The season picks up full-throttle at Charlotte, as lengthy breaks yield to full-time racing and the meat of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule. The Quaker Steak & Lube 200 begins a string of seven consecutive races, and eight in nine weeks, for the series. “This is where teams will start to separate themselves as contenders,” Crafton said. “You’ve got to be extremely focused on every detail each week to put yourself in the best position to contend, and there’s no room for error. I really like the focus our guys have, and I’m looking forward to getting it going each week again. Hopefully, we can finish strong this week, and rebuild the momentum we had before the break. I can’t wait to get going.”

4/30

CRAFTON BATTLES TO TOP-10 FINISH AT KANSAS

After struggling for much of Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway, Matt Crafton recalled some advice he received from the late Davey Allison.

“I told Bud (No. 88 crew chief Haefele) on the radio that some days it’s better to be lucky than good,” said Crafton, who rebounded from a 30th place start to finish 10th. “Davey told me that a long time ago, and it sure was true at Kansas. We fought handling issues with the truck all night. We just could never get comfortable with it. It’s the same truck we had at Atlanta and California and ran well, but we missed something with it this time around. We didn’t have a very good truck tonight, so to be able to find a way to finish in the top-10 despite our problems is huge.”

During early practice for the race, the nose of the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado was scraping the racetrack, forcing the team to cut the session short to make adjustments. The second practice session was canceled due to weather. “We stopped early during the first practice to try to make adjustments to have the truck ready for the second practice,” Crafton said. “When it was canceled, we knew we were gonna have to make lots of changes during the race. I’m so thankful to our guys for the work they did in the pits. They changed so much on the truck during pit stops. They crawled under the left side and unbolted the track bar, dropped the trak bar on the left side…just made so many changes to try to get the truck right. The truck was pretty good on fresh tires for the first handful of laps, then would start plowing and it just wouldn’t turn. The guys in the pits worked their rear ends off for me, and I appreciate it.”

Crafton salvaged the finish by staying on the track during a late pit stop, gaining valuable positions on an otherwise off night. “We played our cards right, and the pit strategy fell our way,” said Crafton. “We didn’t have a 10th place truck, but we were fortunate.”

The finish was Crafton’s third in the top-10 this season. He is in 8th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. Crafton and crew head for Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Quaker Steak & Lube 200 presented by Circle K on May 18.

“Charlotte is an awesome place to race,” Crafton said. “There’s just so much history and excitement there. We’ll get a couple of days to test at Lowe’s before the race, which will be valuable. Last year, the track had been repaved and we were working with a different tire, and it was tough to get ahold of the track. Goodyear is bringing a different tire again this year, so we’ll see what we’ve got and be ready to go.”

4/25

Crafton Eager To Get Back On Track At Kansas

Matt Crafton likely sums up the thoughts of all NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers as he gears for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway on Saturday and a resumption of the race season following a lengthy scheduling lull.

“I’m chomping at the bit to get back out there and reestablish the momentum we were building,” Crafton said. “It’s tough to wait around so long, and you think about it constantly, think about what you can do better and ways to keep improving. We all love racing so much, and as a competitor, you want to be out there as often as possible. I can’t wait to get going again at Kansas.”

Strong showings at Daytona (8th) and Atlanta (3rd) highlighted the first four races of the season for Crafton, and he is in 7th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. The driver of the No. 88 Menards/Energizer Chevrolet Silverado is confident the best is yet to come. “I’m excited about the way this team continues to grow and improve at the race track and in the shop, and I really appreciate all of the hard work the guys have done for me,” said Crafton. “We’ve seen how it can pay off, and it just makes us hungrier to overcome challenges. We’re a confident bunch right now, and I believe the pieces are in place for us to do special things.”

In six previous visits to Kansas, Crafton has collected a pair of top-10 finishes, including a 5th-place finish in ’04. “Kansas is a fast and smooth track, with multiple grooves,” Crafton said. “You can run on the top or bottom of the racetrack, and there’s plenty of room to move around. Horsepower is important at Kansas, but the truck also has to handle well, because the corners are a little tricky. You’ve got to be able to get a good run down the straightaways at Kansas.”

Crafton and the No. 88 crew look to continue their push toward the top of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings at Kansas. “We realize that consistency is the key to success in this series, and we’re making strides every day,” Crafton said. “It feels really good when you see the hard work pay off in terms of solid finishes, and that’s what we’re looking for again this week. I’m ready to go.”

SPEED Channel coverage of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway begins at 5:30 EST on Saturday.

3/27

Crafton Gears For Heated Battle At Martinsville

Matt Crafton looks to build on the best start of his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career as he prepares for the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday.

Crafton collected his first top-10 finish at Daytona to open the season, narrowly missed another top-10 at California, and stormed to a 3rd place finish at Atlanta two weeks ago. He is in 6th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings.

Crafton professes a fondness for the rough-and-tumble half-mile of Martinsville that recalls short-track racing at its best. “Martinsville is a return to the roots of racing, a symbol of the Saturday night short-tracks so many drivers raced on while trying to get to this level,” Crafton said. “The track has been around for a long, long time, and there aren’t many tracks left with that kind of history.” In 10 career starts at Martinsville, Crafton has finished in the top-10 four times, including a 3rd place finish last spring.

Races at Martinsville are notorious slam-bang affairs that oftentimes push truck performance, and driver tempers, to the limit. “There’s no doubt that Martinsville will test your patience,” Crafton said. “The competition is fierce, and you can get caught up in someone else’s mess real easy. You have to stay patient.” It is a track that harkens to racing staples like setup and handling rather than aero and horsepower. “Set up and track position are important at Martinsville, and sometimes you have to gamble on pit strategy to try to get the track position you want,” said Crafton. “Handling is a key because of the long straightaways and slow, tight corners. The difference from the fastest car to the slowest may be a couple tenths of a second. There’s no margin for error.”

Crafton’s hot start has been fueled in no small part by the performance of the pit crew for the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado. “Those guys have been awesome so far this season, and I’m really thankful to them for everything they’ve done,” Crafton said. “They keep building me outstanding trucks, and I’m doing my best to drive the heck out of ‘em. It’s important for us to be at our best again at Martinsville, because the race can be won or lost here by the smallest differences in the pits. Martinsville takes a tremendous toll on the trucks, and it can really test your patience as a driver because there’s so much going on around you. You just have to stay focused and patient and try to give yourself a chance to be there at the end.”

3/20

Crafton Storms to 3rd Place Finish At Atlanta

Matt Crafton overcame an inauspicious start and roared to a 3 rd place finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, equaling his career-best finish and serving further notice that he  intends to be a factor in the championship race in ’07.

Crafton started 17 th and was punted on the first lap of the race, breaking spoiler braces on the back of the No. 88 Menards/Quaker State truck and necessitating repair work during two early cautions.  Crafton dropped to the back of the field, but found his groove on the top part of the racetrack and stormed toward the front.  He lurked just outside the top-10 at the race’s halfway point, and surged into the top-5 with 50 laps remaining en route to his 2 nd top-10 finish of the young season.

“I’m real happy with our finish, considering that we were run into at the start of the race and dropped to the back,” Crafton said.  “Our guys were awesome in the pits.  The Menards/Quaker State Silverado was incredible on the long runs.  This is the same truck we had at California, and we were really good there until I bounced it off the wall near the end of the race and hurt what had been a good run for us.  Tonight, we didn’t have anything for the top two trucks, but we definitely had a third-place truck.  I could hold it wide-open for 15 or 20 laps, and it’s the first time I’ve been able to do that here.  We passed a lot of trucks tonight.  I’m so thankful for the work our guys did.  I’m glad we could get another top-10 finish, but we won’t be satisfied until we get to Victory Lane.  If we continue to do what we’re doing, keep getting better and finding the most efficient ways to do things, I know we’ll get there.”

Crafton is in 6 th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings as he heads for the fabled half-mile of Martinsville on March 31 st . Crafton has collected 4 top-10 finishes in 10 career starts at Martinsville, including a 3 rd place finish last spring.  

“Martinsville is a return to the roots of racing,” Crafton said.  “I love to race there, and I hope we can run well and keep adding to our momentum.    Our short-track program is strong.  I feel really good about where we are right now, and I’m confident  good things will happen for us."  

3/14

Crafton Looks to Build on Strong Start at Atlanta

Matt Crafton enters the American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday with early-season momentum and hopes of firmly establishing himself as a championship contender in ’07.

Crafton followed his first top-10 finish at Daytona with an 11th place result at California, and the driver of the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado is in 9th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. A couple of races does not a season make, but the veteran driver nonetheless realizes the important role a strong start can play in any championship pursuits.

“We’ve gotten off to a solid start, and it’s nice to be in our groove at the beginning of the season,” Crafton said. “This team continues to grow together and get better, and the guys just keep working their tails off. They’ve been awesome in the pits so far. We keep improving on our setups each week, and we’re making nice strides with the coil-bind stuff. I’m excited about where we’re headed.”

Atlanta is a welcome stop on the schedule to Crafton for multiple reasons. In five career starts at the 1.5mile oval, Crafton has collected a pair of top-10 finishes, including a 5th place finish in ’04. He finished 9th at AMS in last season’s spring race.

“Atlanta is one of my favorite race tracks,” Crafton said. “We can run two and three-wide, and there’s no ‘follow the leader’ type of racing there. It’s really fast, and you can hold it wide-open, but handling is still important because the tires wear out quickly. After about 15 laps, we’re all kind of back on an even playing field. That’s where handing comes into play.”

Crafton believes the No. 88 team may be on the verge of something special. “I think we’ve shown what we’re capable of, and the key is to do it consistently and keep looking for ways to get better, to take it to the next level,” he said. “If we can keep that hunger, that mindset, good things will happen for us.”

SPEED coverage of the American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway begins at 8:30 p.m. EST on Friday.

2/27

CRAFTON NARROWLY MISSES TOP-10 FINISH AT CALIFORNIA

Matt Crafton raced to an 11th place finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series San Bernardino County 200 at California Motor Speedway on Friday, a bittersweet ending to his Golden State homecoming.

Crafton qualified 20th for the race, but the Tulare native quickly rocketed into the top-10 in the No. 88 Menards/Quaker State Chevrolet Silverado. Crafton spent the majority of the evening challenging for the lead and appeared poised for a possible top-5 finish, but his truck scuffed the wall and he yielded some spots during a late-race restart en route to the finish.

“We made contact with the wall with about 11 laps to go, and we kinda had to hang on from there,” Crafton said. “Our guys did a great job in the pits tonight. We just adjusted a bit too much on our last stop, and got a little loose. But it still feels good to follow up our first top-10 finish at Daytona last week with another solid performance tonight.”

Crafton is in 9th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings. Unlike last season, when he got out of the gate slowly with subpar finishes at Daytona and California and spent the rest of the season playing catch up, Crafton and the No. 88 crew are brimming with confidence. “The work our guys have done in the pits has allowed us to pick up valuable spots during the first couple of races,” Crafton said. “They’ve done an outstanding job. Our trucks have been awesome. Everybody has had another year to get comfortable with each other, and we believe in each other and feel like we’re capable of some really special things. The team continues to jell, and that breeds confidence.”

Crafton can’t wait for the American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 16. “I love racing at Atlanta,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite tracks, because we can run two or three-wide. There’s no ‘follow the leader’ racing there.”

2/22

THORSPORT'S CRAFTON LOOKS FOR STRONG CALIFORNIA HOMECOMING

Matt Crafton returns home to The Golden State for Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series San Bernardino County 200 at California Speedway looking to build on the momentum established from his first top-10 finish at Daytona last week.

“We left Daytona with a nice finish for the first time, and it feels good to start the season strong,” said Crafton, who finished 8th at DIS. “But we’ve got to keep it going at California.”

In 7 previous starts at California, the Tulare native has garnered 3 top-10 finishes, including a 6th place finish in ’05. Last season, Crafton fought handling issues on the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado for much of the race and finished 20th. Crafton believes the 2-mile fast track at California suits his driving style.

“I love to race here, because the track is somewhat flat, and that brings the driver’s skill into the equation,” Crafton said. “The track is fast, and you need the horsepower, but it’s also more about driver skill. Our guys have been working real hard on the No. 88 Menards Silverado, and I’m excited to see what we can do.”

Crafton always looks forward to returning to his “backyard track”, where a strong contingent of family and friends can watch him race and he is able to enjoy a little home cooking. “It’s always special to me to come back to California,” he said. “I ran my first Craftsman Truck Series race for ThorSport Racing here. I’m fortunate to have lots of family and friends that will come out to support me. It’s just a special place to me.”

Crafton is confident that the No. 88 team can add another fine finish to last week’s stellar results. “I’m really proud of our guys, and appreciate all of the work they’ve put in to try to take our program to the next level,” he said. “We continue to put the pieces of the championship puzzle together, and I feel like we can add another important piece at California on Friday. There’d be no better place to do it than in front of my family and friends.”

SPEED TV’s coverage of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series San Bernardino County 200 begins at 8:30 p.m. EST on Friday.

2/19

CRAFTON ROARS TO FIRST TOP-10 FINISH AT DAYTONA

Matt Crafton wiped away the frustration of previous visits to Daytona International Speedway as he roared to an 8th place finish in the season-opening NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chevy Silverado HD 250 on Friday.

The finish was Crafton's first in the top-10 in 7 career starts at Daytona, a result he felt was overdue. "We've had good trucks at Daytona before, and we've run well here at times, but never had the finishes to show for it," Crafton said. "It feels really good to finally have some solid results to back up our efforts."

Crafton's No. 88 Menards Chevy Silverado was among a large pack of trucks that screamed thru the tri-oval three-and-four-wide headed for the finish line at DIS. He narrowly avoided a couple of accidents during the race, including one that forced him to drive the No. 88 Menards Chevy Silverado off the track and down pit road to escape, en route to his best finish in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener.

"That was a wild finish," Crafton said. "I finally got to finish a race here at Daytona with the tires headed in the same direction and all the cylinders firing. Bud Haefele and the No. 88 crew did an awesome job to put this truck together, and they did a great job in the pits tonight, which allowed us to gain some spots. They built this truck after we tested poorly down here, and I'm really thankful to them for their hard work. It paid off tonight."

Crafton looks to build on the momentum established at Daytona when the Tulare, CA native returns to his 'backyard' for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series San Bernardino County 200 at California Speedway on Friday. "It's exciting to be heading back home coming off our best finish at Daytona," Crafton said. "It's nice to start the season strong, and hopefully we can finish well at California and keep things rolling."

SPEED Channel coverage of the San Bernardino County 200 begins at 8:30 p.m. EST on Friday.

2/15

THORSPORT'S CRAFTON LOOKS FOR STRONG START AT DAYTONA

Like most drivers, Matt Crafton has always had an affinity for racing at tradition-soaked Daytona International Speedway. According to Crafton, however, the famed 2.5 mi. tri-oval hasn’t exactly rolled out the welcome mat for him during his previous visits. As Friday night’s Silverado HD 250 and the start of the ’07 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season approaches, Crafton is confident that this time around will be different.

“I love Daytona, but based on my previous finishes here, the track doesn’t seem to like me,” Crafton joked. “It's an awesome place to race, with all of the history and excitement, and I’m thrilled to be back here and to get the season started. I’m hopeful we can turn our luck around at Daytona a little, and establish early momentum for the season.” Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Menards/Peak Antifreeze Chevrolet Silverado, has collected 66 career top-10 finishes, but has finished no better than 11th in six career starts at Daytona. He finished 26th last season.

“Speedway racing is a blast, but there’s always the danger of getting caught up in someone else’s mess because we’re racing so close together,” Crafton said. “Things can happen in a hurry, and you can get swept up in a bad situation. The big key at Daytona is to be patient and try to stay out of trouble, so we can give ourselves a chance to be there at the end.”

Crafton is entering his 7th full season in NASCAR Craftsman Truck series competition, and the ThorSport Racing veteran believes the competition in the series has never been stronger. “The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series continues to be super-competitive, and you’ve got to show up each week focused and committed,” he said. “You have to keep working to get better, and continue to find the best ways to do things.”

The Tulare, CA. native believes the No. 88 team is on the right track. “I think we’ve taken the right steps, and we keep improving and continue to put the pieces of the puzzle together,” he said. “We had some real good runs last year, and just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. I feel like we’re in a position to do some special things, and we’re ready to go.”

SPEED Channel coverage of the Silverado HD 250 at Daytona International Speedway begins at 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday.