Consistent Crafton Looking For A “Trifecta” Of Firsts At Pocono

Team Information:

2015 Driver Point Standings: 1st (+14)
2015 Owner Point Standings: 1st
Crew Chief: Carl “Junior” Joiner

Sandusky, Ohio (July 28, 2015) – Matt Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Chi Chi’s/Menards Toyota Tundra, enters the 6th Annual Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway with a 14 point lead on the competition after 11 races this season. Although the field is invaded with Sprint Cup Series regulars, Crafton and his ThorSport Racing team are confident they can keep their consistency going in 2015, and bring not only ThorSport Racing, but Toyota and Triad Racing Technologies, their first win at the 2.5-mile “Tricky Triangle.”

With only one finish outside the top-10 in five starts at Pocono Raceway, Crafton leads all active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) drivers with the most top-10 finishes (4). In fact, the ThorSport Racing driver is one of only five drivers to run all five NCWTS races at the Long Pond, Pa. track, has finished on the lead lap in all five races, and has completed 100 percent of the laps attempted (276 of 276), a combination that could make Crafton the sixth different winner on Saturday afternoon at the “Tricky Triangle.”

Sounding off – Matt Crafton:

“Pocono is a lot of fun, and I look forward to going back this year. We’ve made a lot of changes from what we’ve run there in the past. We were a decent truck there last year, but weren’t quite the way we needed to be. We feel like we’ve got a good idea of the direction we need to go, and hopefully we’ve got a good Menards Toyota Tundra for this weekend.”

“Pocono is a pretty short race, and if you’re off at all, you only get one pit stop during the race to make adjustments. Therefore, you need to be pretty close when you start the race.”

News & Notes:

• Chassis Chatter… The No. 88 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 51 for Saturday’s Pocono Mountains 150. This chassis made its debut at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speeway (May), leading three times for 24 laps, and finished third. This chassis was last seen at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta (July), site of Crafton’s fourth win of the season.
• Pocono Possibilites… ThorSport Racing, Toyota, and Triad Racing Technologies are looking for their first wins at Pocono Raceway in the NCWTS.
• 2015 Season Review… In 11 starts this season, Crafton has led 421 laps en route to four wins, eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. The current NCWTS point leader has completed 1811 of 1820 laps attempted (99.5%), and has an Average Start of 9.1 and and Average Finish of 5.1
• Follow the Leader… After 11 races this season, Crafton leads the series in wins (4), top-five finishes (8), and top-10 finishes (10)
• Previous Race Recap… Menards driver, Matt Crafton, started the 3rd Annual 1-800-Car-Cash Mud Summer Classic at Eldora Speedway from the 12th position and finished ninth. The top-10 result was the two-time champion’s third top-10 finish in three starts at the half-mile, high-banked, clay oval.

Crafton’s NCWTS stats at Pocono:

• Five starts since 2010
• 276 of 276 laps completed (100%)
• 1 lap led (2014)
• Two top-five finishes
• Four top-10 finishes
• Best start: 9th (2012, 2013, 2014)
• Best finish: 3rd (2010)
• Average start: 11.6
• Average finish: 7.4
• According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Crafton ranks:
  • Seventh in Average Running Position (8.36)
  • Ninth in Driver Rating (94.7)
  • First in Laps in the Top 15 (262)

Crafton’s Pocono Raceway NCWTS Performance Profile:

Matt Crafton’s 2014 Highlights:

• Won second consecutive NCWTS championship title to become the first driver in series history to win back-to-back titles
• First career multi-win season with victories at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
• 10th consecutive full season in second stint with ThorSport Racing
• Earned a series-leading 7.0 average finish
• Career-best 13 top-five finishes and 298 laps led

Crafton’s Career Truck Series Stats:

• 349 starts since 2000
• Nine wins
• 84 top-five finishes
• 202 top-10 finishes
• Seven poles
• 54,514 laps completed
• 1,339 laps led
• Average start: 13.2
• Average finish: 11.6