Matt Crafton Bio
Matthew Justin Crafton (born June 11, 1976) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver. He last competed full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 88 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing. A three-time champion of the Truck Series, Crafton is regarded as one of the most enduring drivers in NASCAR history, holding the record for most consecutive starts in the series with 591.
Standing 180 cm tall and weighing 73 kg, Crafton spent the bulk of his career as the face of ThorSport Racing and longtime sponsor Menards. He stepped down from full-time competition after the 2025 season, opting to run select races going forward.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Justin Crafton was born on June 11, 1976, in Tulare, California. He grew up around racing through his father, Danny Crafton, who competed in the Featherlite Southwest Series. That family connection later opened the door for Crafton to substitute behind the wheel when his dad was injured.
Crafton began his go-kart career at the age of seven after receiving a kart as a graduation present from kindergarten. He won multiple national and regional karting titles before moving into midgets at fifteen, where he captured twenty main events. Those early years built the foundation for a smooth transition into stock car racing.
Path to NASCAR
Crafton joined the Featherlite Southwest Series in 1996, filling in for his injured father, Danny Crafton, in the No. 46 entry for the final three races of the season. He took over the ride full-time in 1997 and spent four seasons racing across the Southwest, frequently matching tires with future NASCAR stars.
His career went national when he entered the 1998 Winter Heat Series at Tucson Raceway Park, racing against Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, and Ron Hornaday on ESPN. In 2000, Crafton won the Featherlite Southwest Tour championship with four wins, earning an invitation to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut with SealMaster Racing later that year.
Matt Crafton Career
Early Career (2000–2004)
Crafton made his Truck Series debut in 2000 at the season finale at California Speedway, qualifying seventeenth and finishing ninth for ThorSport Racing. He ran the No. 88 full-time in 2001 with sponsorship from Fast Track Delivery Sealer and XE Sighting System, posting eleven top-ten finishes and ending twelfth in points, just behind Rookie of the Year contenders Ricky Hendrick and Travis Kvapil.
Menards joined as an associate sponsor in 2002, and Crafton continued developing consistency inside the top-fifteen in points. In 2004, he signed with Kevin Harvick Incorporated to drive the No. 6 GM Goodwrench Silverado, earning a best finish of third and six top-fives, but was released at season’s end and returned to ThorSport for 2005.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2005–2014)
Back at ThorSport in 2005, Crafton scored his first career pole at New Hampshire International Speedway and added two top-fives with ten top-tens. He built steadily through 2007, posting ten top-ten finishes for the third straight season and climbing to eighth in points. On May 16, 2008, Crafton captured his first NASCAR victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200, ending a then-record 178-start wait for a Truck Series win.
In 2013, Crafton won at Kansas in April and never surrendered the points lead, clinching his first Truck Series championship in the season finale at Homestead. In 2014, he won at Martinsville and Texas on fuel strategy, becoming the first back-to-back champion in Truck Series history and cementing ThorSport’s rise as a championship organization.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Dominance (2015–2019)
The 2015 season was the most prolific of Crafton’s career, as he scored six wins at Atlanta, Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Martinsville, and Homestead, finishing third in points behind Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick. He added a win at Dover in 2016 and another at Eldora in 2017, while also competing in the IWK 250 at Riverside International Speedway in 2014 and 2015.
After going winless in 2018, Crafton made his second Championship 4 appearance in 2019 and finished second at Homestead to Austin Hill, two spots ahead of Ross Chastain, to claim his third Truck Series title. He also made spot starts in the NASCAR Cup Series for Menards-affiliated teams and in the Nationwide Series for Richard Childress Racing during this stretch.
ThorSport Racing Era (2020–2025)
Crafton broke a 67-race winless streak with a victory at Kansas Speedway on July 25, 2020, his third career win at the track. He made the Championship 4 in 2021 with strong late-race pace at Martinsville and continued to anchor ThorSport’s veteran presence through 2022 and 2023, reaching the playoffs multiple times despite fewer wins.
In 2024, Crafton failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the format’s introduction in 2016. On August 18, 2025, he announced his retirement from full-time competition following the season, transitioning to a limited schedule while continuing his association with ThorSport Racing and Menards.
Driving Style and Strengths
Crafton is widely respected for his smooth, mistake-free driving style and ability to extract long-run pace on intermediate tracks. His patience in fuel-mileage races produced memorable wins at Texas and Kansas, while his consistency kept him inside the top ten in points for much of his career.
Notable Races and Milestones
Crafton’s signature venues include Charlotte, Martinsville, Kansas, Texas, and Homestead, where he celebrated his biggest victories. His 591 consecutive Truck Series starts set an all-time record, and his three championships tie him among the most decorated drivers in series history.
Matt Crafton Career Wins
Matt Crafton is a three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion and a multiple race winner across more than two decades of competition. Beyond his Truck Series success, he also captured the 2000 NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour championship.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Crafton has won multiple races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, including victories at Charlotte, Martinsville, Kansas, Texas, Dover, Eldora, Atlanta, Kentucky, and Homestead. His first win came at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 16, 2008, and his most recent victory came at Kansas Speedway on July 25, 2020. He won back-to-back championships in 2013 and 2014, then added a third title in 2019.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the Truck Series, Crafton won the 2000 Featherlite Southwest Tour championship with four victories that season. He also posted top-ten finishes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Richard Childress Racing and made select starts in the NASCAR Cup Series as a substitute driver for Menards-affiliated teams.
Matt Crafton Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Crafton was introduced to racing through his father, Danny Crafton, who competed in the Featherlite Southwest Series. When Danny was injured in 1996, Matt stepped into the No. 46 for the final three races of the season, beginning a family legacy that carried into NASCAR’s national ranks.
Personal Life
Matt Crafton is married to Lauren Crafton. The couple has two children, a daughter named Elladee and a son named Matthew. Crafton resides in the United States and continues to be closely identified with his longtime partners ThorSport Racing and Menards.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season marked the final full-time campaign of Crafton’s storied career. Driving the No. 88 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing with longtime sponsor Menards, he remained a steady veteran presence in a garage filled with younger talent.
On August 18, 2025, Crafton announced that he would step down from full-time competition at the end of the season, opting to run a select schedule in the future. The decision closed the book on a 25-year full-time Truck Series career and cemented his legacy as one of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR history.
With 591 consecutive starts, three championships, and countless top-ten finishes, Crafton’s 2025 farewell season served as a tribute to longevity, loyalty, and durability in a sport defined by constant change.