MATT CRAFTON
Birth Date: June 11, 1976 Hometown: Tulare, CA
Team: No. 88 Ford F-150 / ThorSport Racing
Matt Crafton’s third Truck Series Championship in seven years is a shining example of the
power of consistency and determination.
Despite a nearly three-year drought, Crafton had an average nish of 7.3 in 2019
which was the best average of his career.
Until the nal race of the season, Crafton took a back seat to
some of the circuit’s hotter names like Austin Hill, Ross Chastain,
or Brett Moftt. However, he proved that wins don’t necessarily
deliver Championships.
Matt Crafton begins his 20th season of full-time competition in
NASCAR’s GANDER RV & OUTDOORS Truck Series riding a
Series-record string of 430 consecutive starts, as one of only
four multi-time Champions in the Series’ history. He’s quietly
become one of the circuit’s legends.
236 THE OFFICIAL NASCAR 2020 PREVIEW & PRESS GUIDE FEATURED DRIVERS
A year following ThorSports Racing’s switch from Toyota to
Ford, the 43-year-old driver is ready to make a customary run
toward another Championship. The only thing left to achieve is
that fourth title like Ron Hornaday Jr.
Sitting at the head table during the NASCAR Awards Banquet
has become so expected, anything less is disappointing.
“It’s one step closer to what Hornaday has done and they called
us the underdog,” Crafton said after securing his third title. “I
nally got out of the wheelchair and got up on the wheel and
got it done.”
The winless streak stretches 58 races -- all the way back to 2017 at
Eldora, but few would doubt that a Championship means far more
than any individual race win.
By Crafton’s standards, the 2018 season was a letdown. He failed
to win for the rst time since 2012 and his No. 88 Ford F-150 only
led 69 laps. And yet, he used all of his skill and guile to qualify for the
NASCAR Playoffs. He made the rst-round cut, but was eliminated ahead
of the Championship 4.