Matt Crafton is a two-time truck series champion and perennial race favorite, but even he concedes 2018 was one of the toughest years of his 19 fulltime seasons in the series. He didn’t win a race for the first time in seven seasons.
This year, Crafton and his ThorSport Motorsports team are motivated to right the ship and through the opening eight races seem to be doing so. Crafton has seven top-10 finishes through the opening eight races – actually he’s only finished worse than eighth place one time. He won the pole positions at the two races leading into Texas (at Kansas and at Charlotte) and he’s ranked fifth in the championship.
He’s won twice at Texas (2014 and 2015) and earned three pole positions. Crafton said, he’s ready to right this ship.
“I was real pissed off last year with the way we ran,’’ Crafton said. “Last year was definitely one of the most frustrating seasons I’ve had in my career. I can honestly say I was angry every week.’’
This year, however, Crafton allowed, “It’s been better. We haven’t been great, but it’s been better.’’
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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