He won his third career race at Kansas in April. GettyTruck Series drivers race at World Wide Technology Raceway. On February 28, 2015, Crafton scored his sixth career Truck victory in the revived Atlanta race. Discover Matt Crafton's Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Crafton has celebrated 15 wins in the Craftsman Truck Series, all of which have featured Menards as his primary partner. Explore Matt Crafton Wiki Age, Height, Biography as Wikipedia, Wife, Family relation. Despite strong statistics in 2004, he was released from KHI and returned to ThorSport for the 2005 season, where he won his first career pole at New Hampshire International Speedway, earning two top fives and 10 top 10s and finishing ninth in the standings. 46 full-time in 1997. Matt is related to Stacey Diane Crafton and Mike Shane Crafton as well as 3 additional people. A three-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion just landed a new partner. He won multiple national and regional championships before moving to midgets at the age of 15, winning twenty main events. The veteran driver finished out the 2021 season with 498 total starts in the Truck Series. 46 entry for the final three races of the season. For the first time since 2012, Crafton went winless in 2018 with a season's best finish of 2nd at the fifth race of the season at Dover and went on to finish 6th in the final point standings despite being eliminated after the Round of 6. 6 GM Goodwrench Silverado owned by Kevin Harvick Incorporated. Empire Racing Wishing Team Manager a Speedy Recovery, Trimmer Assist Edging Out the Competition in Partnership with Max Gresham , Victoria's Voice Foundation 200 presented by Westgate results from Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Alsco Uniforms 300 starting lineup at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Just In Time Staffing Partners with ThorSport Racing, Hendrick Motorsports statement - Chase Elliott, Perris Auto Speedway Promoter Don Kazarian on the Radio Sunday. In 2015 Crafton started third and quickly made his way to the front of the pack before retiring from the race with brake failure, ultimately finishing 21st. In 2012, Crafton, supported by Travis Pastrana, competed in the TORC: The Off-Road Championship series' PRO 2WD truck race at Chicagoland, finishing third. Matt Crafton's income source is mostly from being a successful Driver. She will drive the No. 46 full-time in 1997. He is a three-time champion of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He finished 2nd at Homestead to Austin Hill and 2 spots ahead of Ross Chastain to claim his 3rd career Truck Series Championship. He also made his Nationwide debut that year, running the No. [26], In March 2019, Crafton participated in the Michelin Pilot Challenge sports car race at Sebring International Raceway, driving a Ford for Multimatic Motorsports alongside ThorSport Racing teammates Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, and Myatt Snider. "The only thing that would've been cooler would have been if my son was born on December 26th, but that's all right. Katie and Matt Kenseth both come from Cambridge, Wisconsin. Crafton was called in to substitute for Menards No. Jocelyn has also taken her turn behind the wheel, debuting in a hobby stock car for SealMaster's Employee Appreciation Night at Sandusky Speedway on Sept. 7, 2002. He returned to TORC in 2015, running in the Pro 4WD division in a Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit-sponsored truck at Texas. It was also the first time he led more than 100 laps in a race. Crafton was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, landing only 9th place in points with 2 top 5s for the season. His career went national when he became involved in the 1998 Winter Heat Series shown on ESPN at Tucson Raceway Park, during which he raced against other current NASCAR drivers Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, and Ron Hornaday. "The only place she really likes to sleep is on my chest, so we're trying to wean her off that.". "I told you that was a magic number. READ NEXT: Joe Gibbs Racing Can Reach a Major Milestone in 2022, Matt Crafton Will Make History Once Again in 2022, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. "I wish I could tell you when (the routine) might level off," Crafton said. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado for ThorSport Racing, and the fact that he is engaged to be married to Ashley Greer in just a few months, but let me introduce you to Ashley and the love story between her and Matt. 36 of Front Row Motorsports after Matt Tifft was hospitalized with a health problem.[20]. After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy, Matt started his career as a civil engineer in the U.S. Air Force where he managed the design and construction of many projects for Air Force missions around the world, serving in both Operation DESERT STORM and Operation RESTORE HOPE (Somalia). Crafton has three Truck Series championships to his name (2013, 2014, 2019). He won his third career race at Kansas in April. Over four years later, he made his second Cup start in the 2019 First Data 500 at Martinsville in the No. In 2009, although he did not win a race that season, Crafton scored two poles (Chicagoland Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway), 11 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes, ultimately finishing second in the point standings behind champion Ron Hornaday. Matthew Justin Crafton (born June 11, 1976) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He finished in the top ten in the first sixteen races of the season, and 19 overall, with a worst finish of 21st in the season finale at Homestead. Crafton ran his first Cup race in the 2015 Daytona 500, substituting for Kyle Busch in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. Trivia In 2012, after the team had moved from Chevrolet to Toyota, he had a decent season, finishing 6th in points. His wife is Ashley Greer Matt Crafton Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. Crafton took over the No. 88 truck for the 2000 season finale at Auto Club Speedway, beginning the series longest-running driver-team relationship. Despite crashing out at Dover and Gateway, his first DNFs in over two years, Crafton would ultimately go on to become the first back-to-back champion in the Truck Series. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Majeski and Rhodes both won races while reaching the championship four. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford while Menard was dealing with neck pain; Crafton practiced the car on Friday. He would add one more win in the season finale at Homestead-Miami, marking his first career victory from the pole; his season total of six wins are more than in his entire career prior to 2015. Driving the PickupTruck.com Chevy for ThorSport Racing, he qualified 17th and finished ninth. He said he and Ashley have the exchanges between feeding (her) and changing (him) down to a smooth routine. 6 GM Goodwrench Silverado owned by Kevin Harvick Incorporated. When Matt called and told me it was 'go time,' I told him it was the 26th -- what else did he expect? Before turning to NASCAR racing in 2000, he raced go-karts, midgets, and mini sprints. He won multiple national and regional championships before moving to midgets at the age of 15, winning twenty main events. [4] On July 19, he scored his fourteenth career victory at Eldora. Please enable JavaScript if you would like to comment on this blog. Junior Joiner will step away from. Crafton was born in Tulare, California. Crafton and his wife, Ashley, need to ease their newborn daugher, Elladee Ann, off her first favorite habit -- catching a few winks on her father's chest. Kyle Busch holds the top spot with 61 total wins while Hornaday is second with 51. On March 30, 2014, Crafton scored his fourth career Truck win at Martinsville. This is now the longest deal between a driver and a sponsor in NASCAR history, which breaks the record set by Richard Petty and STP. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series' championship leader Matt Crafton has some serious work to do between now and May 16, . Get to know Matt Crafton Hometown: Tulare, CA | Birthdate: June 11, 1976 | Residence: Mooresville, NC Wife: Lauren Crafton | Children: Daughter - Elladee, Son - Matthew Crafton began his racing career in go-karts and mini sprints before following his father, Danny Crafton, who had his own legacy on the West Coast, into late models. Because of Craftons sponsorship with Menards, he has made spot duty with Menards Cup teams, including taking over for Paul Menard on occasion. In the third race of the 2013 season, Crafton passed, Crafton currently holds the record for the fastest qualifying lap at Martinsville Speedway in a truck. Italics Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. Matt Crafton born June 11, 1976, is an American professional stock car racing driver. The driver of the No. He will use the race to continue a historic partnership. After four full-time seasons in the Featherlite Southwest Series, Crafton won the championship in 2000 on the strength of four wins that year. In 2007, he improved to eighth in points and posted ten top-ten finishes for the third consecutive season. He is a member of famous Driver with the age 46 years old group. Crafton scored his fifth victory of the season at Martinsville on October 31, marking his second win at Martinsville, and the deepest into the season he had ever won a race to that point. He finished in the top ten in the first sixteen races of the season, and 19 overall, with a worst finish of 21st in the season finale at Homestead. He finished 2nd at Homestead to Austin Hill and 2 spots ahead of Ross Chastain to claim his 3rd career Truck Series Championship. [25] In 2015 Crafton started third and quickly made his way to the front of the pack before retiring from the race with brake failure, ultimately finishing 21st. He is seen as one of the most successful Racecar driver of all times. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota Tundra will have a new crew chief in 2022. 2013 was Craftons best season in his career to date. 88 for ThorSport full-time with sponsorship from Fast Track Delivery Sealer and XE Sighting System. Crafton was born in Tulare, California. Las Vegas. Matt Crafton will kick off the 2023 Craftsman Truck Series season at Daytona International Speedway. Matthew Justin Crafton (born June 11, 1976) is an American professional stock car racing driver. And the whipped cream on that cake for Joiner was Crafton's picture with Elladee, which was widely circulated among his teammates shortly after the child's birth. In 2006, he had four top-five finishes, 10 top-10 finishes and finished fourteenth in points. He is from United States. It was also the first time he led more than 100 laps in a race. When Matt called and told me it was 'go time,' I told him it was the 26th -- what else did he expect? who moves over to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. Picture taken on Nov 14, 2014 in the United States. In March, with Menard on paternity leave, he was on stand-by to relief drive for Paul Menard at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Kobalt 400, due to Menard and his wife expecting their first child. He performed well in all 3 races, finishing 3rd at both Kentucky races and 10th at Chicagoland. [22] During the race, he was forced to operate the truck with a two-wheel drive due to problems with his truck's differential. He would get swept up in a third wreck at Talladega with Stanton Barrett after being penalized for speeding on pit road, and while racing eventual series champion Erik Jones for the win at Phoenix would wreck out one final time, all of which eventually consigned him to third in points behind Jones and Tyler Reddick. He said he and Ashley have the exchanges between feeding (her) and changing (him) down to a smooth routine. "She's already so spoiled," Crafton. Matt Crafton Retweeted. However, Crafton struggled more noticeably with consistency than in the previous two seasons. 88 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series' championship leader Matt Crafton has some serious work to do between now and May 16, the opening day of practice for the next series race, at Charlotte Motor . In 2007, he improved to eighth in points and posted ten top-ten finishes for the third consecutive season. He joined the Featherlite Southwest Series as a substitute for his injured father, Danny Crafton, in 1996, filling in as driver of the No. His success in the Featherlite Southwest Series that season led to the invitation to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut for ThorSport Racing. mitch georgiades parents,