To say Matt Crafton, driver of the No. 88 JELD-WEN/Menards Toyota Tundra, is no stranger to racing at the Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway would be an understatement. The ThorSport Racing driver boasts 13 starts at the 1.5-mile track and leads all active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) drivers in NASCAR’s Loop Data Category Laps in the Top 15 (1103). Additionally, Crafton has amassed five top-five and six top-10 finishes since 2001 at the 1.5-mile oval. As one of only two drivers with the most starts (13), Crafton is betting on a solid run in Saturday night’s 18th annual Rhino Linings 350 – a move that could help the Tulare, Ca. native make history as the first driver to win back-to-back championships in the series 20-year tenure.
Sounding off – Matt Crafton:
“The track is rough, but that’s one of the best things about racing at Las Vegas. It’s got multiple grooves – not everybody’s riding around on the bottom. The asphalt’s not real new, but it’s fairly new, and I think because it’s so rough, you move around quite a bit. I really like racing out there and going out there – it’s on the west coast so I get to see a lot of my friends and family.”
Crafton’S Sin City Stats:
• 13 NCWTS starts since 2001 including five top-five and six top-10 finishes
• According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Crafton ranks:
º First in Laps in the Top 15 (1103)
º Fourth in Laps Led (55)
º Sixth in Average Running Position (9.81)
º Seventh in Driver Rating (96.2)
• One NASCAR Nationwide Series start in 2014
Matt Crafton at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
| Series | Races | wins | Top-5 | Top-10 | Pole | Laps | Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
| NCWTS | 13 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1840/1905 | 63 | 12.4 | 12.8 |
| NNS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 198/200 | 0 | 11.0 | 12.0 |
Crafton’s Las Vegas Motor Speedway NCWTS Performance Profile:
| Date | Start | Finish | Laps | Status | Led |
| 2001 | 15 | 28 | 118/146 | Engine | 0 |
| 2002 | 14 | 25 | 126/146 | Running | 0 |
| 2003 | 16 | 9 | 146/146 | Running | 0 |
| 2004 | 11 | 22 | 145/146 | Running | 8 |
| 2005 | 18 | 11 | 152/152 | Running | 0 |
| 2006 | 27 | 21 | 146/146 | Running | 0 |
| 2007 | 20 | 26 | 130/146 | Engine | 0 |
| 2008 | 14 | 3 | 147/147 | Running | 0 |
| 2009 | 9 | 2 | 146/146 | Running | 10 |
| 2010 | 3 | 5 | 146/146 | Running | 0 |
| 2011 | 5 | 2 | 146/146 | Running | 0 |
| 2012 | 4 | 2 | 146/146 | Running | 15 |
| 2013 | 5 | 11 | 146/146 | Running | 35 |
Matt Crafton 2014:
• After a third-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, Crafton remains first in the NCWTS driver point standings by seven markers over ThorSport Racing teammate Johnny Sauter
• Has been victorious twice – Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
• The first season in 14 years in the NCWTS that the ThorSport Racing driver has won multiple races in one season
• In 16 starts in 2014, has posted two wins, nine top-five and 12 top-10 finishes
• Has led 264 laps, a personal best in one season
• Recorded a season-best second-place start three times; Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Dover (Del.) International Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
• Has completed 2356 of 2437 laps attempted (96.7%)
• Has an Average Start of 9.2
• Has an Average Finish of 7.3
• According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Crafton ranks
º First in Average Running Position (6.68)
º First in Driver Rating (105.0)
º First in Laps in the Top 15 (2297)
º Third in Fastest Laps Run (188)
º Third in Laps Led (264)
• 14th full-time season in the NCWTS
Crafton’s Career Truck Series Stats:
• 332 starts since 2000
• Five wins
• 72 top-five finishes
• 187 top-10 finishes
• Seven poles
• 51,850 laps completed
• 884 laps led
• Average start:13.5
• Average finish: 11.9
ABOUT MENARDS:
With 287 stores in 14 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether just needing a light bulb or can of paint to building a deck or new home. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember. Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.
ABOUT JELD-WEN:
Jeld-Wen, with its headquarters in Klamath Falls, Ore., is a corporation founded in 1960 that currently has manufacturing and distribution locations across the United States and in more than 20 countries, with more than 20,000 employees worldwide. The business manufactures building products including windows, interior and exterior doors and garage doors. For more information go to www.jeld-wen.com or call (800) 535-3936.
ABOUT THORSPORT RACING:
ThorSport Racing, based in a state-of-the-art 100,000-square-foot facility in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest-tenured NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. ThorSport, which has run in the Truck Series since 1996, in 2014 will run the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra driven by 2013 drivers’ champion Matt Crafton, the No. 98 Nextant Aerospace/Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff/Carolina Nut Co./Curb Records Toyota Tundra driven by Johnny Sauter and the No. 13 Carolina Nut Co. Toyota Tundra driven by Jeb Burton in the Truck Series and the No. 13 Toyota Camry in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.