Matt Crafton – 2016 New Hampshire Recap

Sep 24, 2016

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nh4_2081Team Information:
Started: 7th
Finished: 3d
Laps: 175/175
Laps Led: 0
Status: Running
2016 Driver Points: 2nd
2016 Owner Points: 2nd
Unofficial Chase Status: 2nd

Matt Crafton Race Recap:

Matt Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards Toyota Tundra, made his 14th start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 175. Showing speed in both practice sessions on Friday, the two-time champion backed up his speed in qualifying Saturday morning, earning the seventh starting position for the first race in Round 1 of the Chase.

Battling a, “tight on entry, loose center and off” Menards Toyota Tundra, Crafton worked his way inside the top-five by lap 30, and never looked back. Crew chief Carl “Junior” Joiner, brought the No. 88 machine to pit road for scheduled stops, under caution, at lap 53, for two tires and fuel, and lap 104, for four tires and fuel. Running inside the top-three in the final 45 laps of the race, Crafton crossed the stripe in the third position, behind race winner William Byron. The solid run was the ThorSport Racing driver’s fourth top-five finish at the “Magic Mile.”

With only two races remaining in Round 1 of the Chase, Crafton is currently scored second in the standings. The top-six drivers will transfer to Round 2.

Matt Crafton Quote:

What was the first Truck Series Chase race like?

“I honestly raced it just like it was any other race, and I’ve said that all along – you can’t really focus on a Chase race. If you go out there and do your job, and all the ducks line up, you have a shot. You can’t over analyze it, over think it, and make mistakes. That’s what we’re trying to do – just take it one race at a time.”

News & Notes:

  • The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) had two practice sessions on Friday in preparation for Saturday’s UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). Matt Crafton was sixth, and first, respectively, in both sessions.
  • Making his 14th NCWTS start at NHMS, Crafton started seventh, ran as high as second, and finished third in the 175-lap event.
  • In 14 starts at NHMS, Crafton has led the field for 37 laps en route to four top-five, and six top-10 finishes.
  • In 17 starts in 2016, Crafton has one pole (Atlanta), two wins, and has led 421 laps en route to six top-five, and 12 top-10 finishes.
  • In 378 career NCWTS starts, Crafton has earned 12 poles, led 2110 laps en route to 13 wins, 95 top-five and 222 top-10 finishes.
  • Crafton’s ThorSport Racing teammates finished 15th (Rhodes), 17th (Abreu), and 19th (Hayley).
  • Up Next: The DC Solar 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 1, 2016.