Chatting with Matt Crafton…
Who do you think your biggest competition is in the Round of 6?
“Racing for championships in the Truck Series, and even back in the Southwest Tour, and late models, you go out there and take care of yourself. Race your own race, and see how the cards fall at that point. I know I say it all the time, but I truly believe it, if it’s meant to be, it will happen.”
You won the fall race at Martinsville in 2015, and you’ve been competitive at the final four tracks on the 2017 schedule. Which track do you think is your best shot to punch your ticket to the next Round?
“I truly don’t see one as a bad shot, quite honestly. I’ve won at two out of the three tracks in this Round – I’ve got a couple grandfather clocks from Martinsville, and a couple cowboy hats from Texas. One of the tracks I’d really like to win at, and we’ve had some good runs there, is Phoenix. Quite honestly, I don’t want to wait that long, but I’ve always had that track circled on the schedule. It would be really nice to go out west and win one, in front of a lot of friends and family. Honestly, the next four race tracks have been so good to us.”
Team Stats:
2017 Driver Point Standings: 3rd
2017 Owner Point Standings: 4th
2017 Playoff Position: 3rd
Notes:
- This Week’s No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards Toyota Tundra… The No. 88 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 63 for Saturday’s Texas Roadhouse 200 at Martinsville Speedway. This is the same chassis Matt Crafton piloted to a ninth-place finish earlier this season at the .526-mile Martinsville Speedway (April, 2017), a fourth-place finish at Gateway Motorsports Park (June, 2017), and a sixth-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (September, 2017).
- Martinsville Stats… Crafton has 31 starts at Martinsville Speedway. His success includes one pole (October, 2011), and 279 laps led en route to two wins (March, 2014 & October, 2015), eight top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.
- On This Day… On Saturday, October 28, Crafton will celebrate his 17th anniversary in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). On this day in 2000, the two-time champion made his series debut at California Speedway, in Fontana. The ThorSport Racing driver started 17th and finished ninth.
- Round of 6… Crafton transferred to the Round of 6 in the NCWTS Playoffs, which kicks off on Saturday at Martinsville Speedway, following a ninth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway, earlier this month. The Round of 6 includes three tracks – Martinsville Superspeedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Phoenix International Raceway. The top-four drivers, following Phoenix on November 10, will transfer to the Round of 4, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and a chance at the title.
- Season Stats… In 19 starts this season, the ThorSport Racing driver has one win (Eldora), one pole (Michigan), and has led 214 laps en route to four top-five, and 13 top-10 finishes.
- Career Stats…In 403 NCWTS starts, Crafton has earned 13 poles, and led 2349 laps en route to 14 wins, 101 top-five, and 239 top-10 finishes.
- Catch Crafton at Martinsville… Crafton will join his ThorSport Racing teammates for an autograph session on Friday, October 27 from 5:00-5:45pm ET in front of the main ticket office at Martinsville Speedway.