CWTS: Crafton looks to sweep Texas, close in on crown

Erik Jones must not like what he sees in his rearview window because defending two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton is lurking right behind him.

With three races left in the season, second-place Crafton has closed Jones’ advantage in the standings to 10 points following his win last Saturday at Martinsville. Crafton will attempt to further cut into the deficit in Friday’s WinStar World Casino 350 at Texas Motor Speedway (8:30 p.m. ET on FS1) where he won in June and has earned a top-10 finish in the last eight races held there.

“I’m looking forward to (Texas). I’m looking forward to the next three,” Crafton said. “They’re very good race tracks for us. We won the spring race there this year, we won there last year as well, and we’re bringing back the same truck.”

Crafton is the Truck Series’ de facto 1.5-mile master. He owns 14 top-10 finishes in his last 15 starts at intermediate tracks including five wins. Homestead-Miami Speedway, which hosts the season finale, is also a 1.5-mile track.

“If the cards fall and we have good luck, maybe we’ll have something for them at Homestead,” Crafton said about his championship hopes. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll be. If not, we’ll go on next year.”