By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Entering this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Matt Crafton has a shot to win his third Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship, joining an elite group to do so a third time.
And the surprise of the 2019 Truck Series Championship 4, if not himself, could be any of Crafton’s competitors. But for Crafton, his No. 88 Menard’s Ford for Thorsport Racing has gone winless through the 2019 campaign, possibly becoming the series’ first winless champion.
Don’t look for an apology by the veteran Crafton if that piece of history is made Friday night.
“That would be great, wouldn’t it? I would love it,” Crafton said of being a winless champion. “I would sleep just fine at night sitting next to that trophy.”
Crafton expanded on the importance of winning a championship at year’s end rather than winning individual races throughout the course of a year.
“I would rather have a championship than a win,” he said. “It’s sweet for everyone to have the excitement at the shop of just knowing we have a shot to win a championship.
“I know those trophies at the end of the year are a lot sweeter. Winning the war as I call it, is definitely sweeter than winning a race. Yes, winning a race is great for that weekend. But in November, I have 2.5 months to be the champion. Usually, we win a race and then we only have five days until you’re just the last winner.”
Now, 2019 has not been a throw-away season for Crafton. Despite no wins, the two-time series champion (2013-2014) has earned six top-five and 17 top-10 finishes along with three poles. Additionally, countless championship fights in his back pocket give him perspective and experience.
“One of the hardest races and championships I’ve ever lost was in 2016,” he said. “Johnny [Sauter] was the one I was racing for the championship that year and I beat him the whole race. The last set of tires we put on, I felt like I was Joey Logano last week. I know the pain. We took off and just got horrendous tight. Johnny ran us down and passed us with seven to go. It was the worst deal.”
Standing as the oldest driver competing for the Truck title this year, he knows it won’t hurt a thing when the green flag flies.
“I’m, 42, 43 years old — I don’t know, I don’t even think about it,” he said. “They call that “old” or “older” and I know Ron Hornaday was whipping our butts when he was 50 years old. I was 24 years old and I’m like, ‘This old dude isn’t going to beat me.’ And lone and behold, he would whip our butts and he was 50 years old.
“I know I’ve got a few years left in me. That’s the plan and that’s what I’m hoping for.”