About Matt Crafton

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. When Danny was injured with three races left in the 1996 season, he selected his son as his substitute. Crafton’s performance in those races led Danny to hang up his helmet and step out of his familiar No. 46 to allow his son to take over. The younger Crafton rewarded his family’s faith in 2000 by winning four races en route to the prestigious NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series championship.

Following Crafton’s championship in the 2000 Featherlite Southwest Series, ThorSport Racing named him the driver of the No. 88 truck for the 2000 season finale at Auto Club Speedway, beginning the series’ longest-running driver-team relationship. Crafton became a fixture in the NASCAR Truck Series, becoming the second Three-Time-Champion of the series.

Hometown: Tulare, CA | Resides in: Mooresville, NC | Birthdate: June 11, 1976 | Family: Elladee & Matthew

  • 2013 Nascar Truck Series Champion

    Entering the finale; all Crafton needed to clinch the title was to start the race. Crafton started the race in the eighth position on the grid, and led 12 laps before finishing 21st after being involved in a wreck on the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish. He recorded a top-10 in the first 16 races of the season.

  • 2014 Nascar Truck Series Champion

    In 2014, Crafton drove his way into the NASCAR history books becoming the first NCWTS back-to-back champion, winning titles in 2013 and 2014. In a season that was characterized by success, 2014 marked the first time in Crafton's 14 full-time seasons in the NCWTS to win more than one race in a season, prevailing at Martinsville Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.

  • 2019 Nascar Truck Series Champion

    At the Homestead-Miami Speedway's oval, Crafton started his "Championship 4" finale in ninth place and had to settle for second after leading nine laps. Crafton became the second person to win three truck series titles, demonstrating the team's strength throughout the season.