Crafton’s Craving Success at Daytona’s High Banks

Matt Crafton, No. 88 Damp-Rid/Menards Toyota Tundra
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Daytona International Speedway
Race No. 1 of 23

Team Information:
2014 Driver Point Standings: 1st
2014 Owner Point Standings: 2nd
Crew Chief: Carl Joiner

Sandusky, Ohio (February 16, 2015) – It’s not a secret that Matt Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Damp-Rid/Menards Toyota Tundra, has seen success in his 14-year NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) career. The ThorSport Racing driver became the first driver in series history to win back-to-back championships in 2014, has five career wins, seven poles, and has led 918 laps en route to 76 top-five and 192 top-10 finishes. However, when it comes to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, the site of Friday night’s NCWTS NextEra Energy Resources 250, Crafton is hungry for a trip to victory lane. In 14 previous starts since 2001, the Menards driver has one top-five and five top-10 finishes. As the driver with the most experience at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, Crafton hopes his high level of consistency will land him in victory lane on Friday night.

Sounding Off – Matt Crafton:

Are you a victim of circumstance at a place like Daytona?

“Superspeedway racing makes for great racing to watch as a fan, but as a driver it’s very frustrating. You just never know what’s going to happen at any minute – everything is just out of your control. You can’t say to yourself, I’m going to drive it in the corner a little deeper to make up the difference here; you can’t make up the difference. As a driver, you just hope to pick the right lane, do the right thing, and be there at the end. It’s not about your skills as a driver; you are at the mercy of what everyone is doing around you. Daytona was one of those races that got away last year, and I hope we can turn it around this year.”

News & Notes:

• Chassis Chatter… Crafton will pilot chassis No. 40 for the 16th annual NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (DIS). This chassis was last run at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in 2014. Crafton started third and finished 14th while completing all 95 laps.
• Getting Down & Dirty… When the two-time champ is not at DIS with his ThorSport Racing team, he will be participating in the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, which runs from Tuesday, Feb. 10 to Saturday, Feb. 21. Nearly 200 teams are expected to compete during the 12 nights of racing at the high-speed, half-mile oval.
• Matt Crafton – Driven… Crafton will begin filming for a documentary entitled, “Driven” at DIS. The show, which will chronicle his story of perseverance and commitment to becoming a two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, is expected to air on FOX Sports South in June.

Crafton’s Daytona International Speedway Stats:

• 14 starts since 2001
• 0 wins
• One top-five finish
• Five top-10 finishes
• 1307 of 1424 laps completed (91.8%)
• One lap led (2009)
• Best start: 2nd (2009)
• Best finish: 5th (2010)
• Average start: 17.2
• Average finish: 15.6
• Has more starts in the NCWTS at Daytona than any other driver (14)
• Has completed more laps at Daytona in the NCWTS than any other driver(1307)
• Tied for the most top-10 finishes at Daytona (5)
• Most lead lap finishes: 7

Matt Crafton 2014 Highlights:

• Won second consecutive 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:

• 338 starts since 2000
• Five wins
• 76 top-five finishes
• 192 top-10 finishes
• Seven poles
• 52,703 laps completed
• 918 laps led
• Average start:13.3
• Average finish: 11.8 

Race Information:

Date: Friday, Feb. 20, 2015
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1
Track Details: 2.5-mile superspeedway
Distance: 100 laps/200 miles

Team Website: www.ThorSport.com

Social Media: @ThorSportRacing, @Matt_Crafton

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 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 competed in the NCWTS since 1996, will run the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra driven by two-time NCWTS drivers’ champion Matt Crafton, the No. 98 Nextant Aerospace/Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff/Curb Records Toyota Tundra driven by Johnny Sauter, and the No. 13 Cabinets by Hayley Toyota Tundra driven by Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Cameron Hayley in 2015.