Matt Crafton – 2017 Loudon Preview

“I always love going to New Hampshire Motor Speedway. You need speed for the long straightaways, but breaking, and getting through, and off the tight paperclip-shaped corners, is where you win or lose – it’s a lot like Phoenix. We just need to get a win there this weekend, especially since it’s the first race of the Playoffs. We’ve been good in the past – third in 2014, second in 2015, and third last year. Winning early in this round of the Playoffs would take some pressure off for the next two races. The Playoffs put an emphasis on winning, especially from this point on.” – Matt Crafton 

• This Week’s No. 88 Great Lakes/Menards Toyota Tundra… The No. 88 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 63 at Loudon. This is the same chassis Crafton piloted to a third-place finish at the 1.058-mile track in 2015. Additionally, Crafton raced this particular chassis at Martinsville Speedway (ninth), and Gateway Motorsports Park (fourth), earlier this season.
• Magic Mile Stats… Crafton has 14 starts at Loudon since 2001. The ThorSport Racing driver’s success includes one pole (2005), 50 laps led, five top-five, and nine top-10 finishes. Crafton’s best finish in 14 starts is second (2015).
• Welcome to the Playoffs… Crafton clinched a berth in the 2017 Playoffs, and enters the championship battle ranked fourth on the Playoff grid.
• Career Stats…In 400 starts, Crafton has earned 13 poles, and led 2332 laps en route to 14 wins, 101 top-five and 236 top-10 finishes.
• Catch Crafton at Loudon… Crafton will join the other seven Playoff drivers for an autograph session on Friday, September 22 at the Trackside Live! Stage (Outside Turn 2) from 5:15 – 6:00 p.m. ET.

Team Stats:
2017 Driver Point Standings: 4th
2017 Owner Point Standings
2017 Playoff Position: 4th