Matt Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Splash-FVP/Menards Toyota Tundra, has a lot to gain from a solid finish in Friday night’s Lucas Oil 225 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. In the last four NCWTS races, the defending series champion has gained five points on the championship point’s leader. As one of only seven drivers to have competed in all five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) events at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval, Crafton is also one of only three drivers with four top-10 finishes. In fact, the ThorSport Racing driver has finished inside the top-five in the last two races in the “Windy City.” With only eight races remaining on the 2014 NCWTS schedule, the ThorSport Racing driver looks to continue his momentum in an effort to become the first driver in series history to capture back-to-back titles.
Sounding off – Matt Crafton:
“Chicagoland’s definitely not boring to go around in the driver’s seat. The track’s got a lot of character because the surface is worn out and it’s a lot of fun to drive because it has multiple grooves. You can run high, low or wherever you have to, to help your truck find speed. It’s a fun, fast track. We’ve had some decent runs here in the past and hopefully that continues there this weekend.”
Crafton’s Windy City Stats:
• Five starts
• Two top-five finishes
• One of three drivers with four top-10 finishes
• One Pole (2009) – one of five drivers to win a pole
• Best finish: 4th (2012 & 2013)
• 753 of 754 laps completed (99.9%)
• 23 laps led (2009)
• Average start: 9.2
• Average finish: 7.2
• One of seven drivers to compete in all five NCWTS races run at Chicagoland Speedway
Crafton’s Chicagoland Speedway Schedule & Results:
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| Date | Start | Finish | Laps | Status | Led |
| 8/28/2009 | 1 | 14 | 149/150 | Running | 23 |
| 8/27/2010 | 18 | 7 | 154/154 | Running | 0 |
| 9/16/2011 | 10 | 7 | 150/150 | Running | 0 |
| 7/21/2012 | 9 | 4 | 150/150 | Running | 0 |
| 9/13/2013 | 8 | 4 | 150/150 | Running | 0 |
Matt Crafton 2014:
• After a sixth-place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, Crafton remains second in the NCWTS driver point standings, seven points behind 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 2014, has posted seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes
• Has led 230 laps
• 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 2031 of 2112 laps attempted (96.2%)
• Has an Average Start of 7.7
• Has an Average Finish of 8.0
• According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Crafton ranks:
º First in Laps in the Top 15: (712)
º Eighth in Average Running Position (8.610)
º Eighth in Driver Rating (100.7)
Crafton’s Career Truck Series Stats:
• 330 starts since 2000
• Five wins
• 70 top-five finishes
• 185 top-10 finishes
• Seven poles
• 51,525 laps completed
• 850 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 FVP:
Our vision is to be a premier brand providing a direct link of OE-quality parts to the aftermarket. FVP products are engineered to provide customers with the quality equal or superior in performance to the major national brands at a competitive price. For more information visit: FVPparts.com
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.