Matt Crafton Race Recap:
Matt Crafton, driver of the No. 88 Chi-Chi’s/Menards Toyota Tundra, made his fourth start at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday night in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby. Crafton, who entered the 4th annual event as the only driver to finish in the top-10 in all three of his previous starts, started 22nd, ran as high as fourth, and finished 10th. The top-10 result was the two-time series champion’s fourth top-10 finish in four starts at the “Big E.”
Starting from the 22nd position in the unique, 150-lap, three segment event, Crafton worked his way inside the top-10, running eighth, when the third caution flag was displayed at lap 39 for a multi-truck accident in Turn 3, ending the first 40 lap segment. Crew chief Carl “Junior” Joiner brought the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra to pit road for the only pit stop of the night, for four tires, and fuel. Restarting eighth, for the second segment, at lap 42, Crafton maintained a position inside the top-five, running as high as fourth, when the seventh caution flag was displayed for the competition caution at lap 93, ending the second 50 lap segment. Complaining of a Toyota Tundra that was “super tight,” Crafton lost ground to the leaders on the restart, at lap 94, but maintained a position inside the top-10. Battling for every position on the race track through the ensuing 56 laps, Crafton finished 10th behind race winner Kyle Larson, his fourth top-10 finish in four starts at the half-mile clay oval.
Quote:
“We didn’t get the best starting spot because of the random draw in qualifying – we went out early, and the track just kept getting faster, and faster – but we had a pretty decent Menards Toyota Tundra tonight, a solid top-five truck. I had a lot of fun working the bottom, making my way through traffic. We were two and three-wide all night. I just got super tight there at the end, and lost ground. I had a lot of fun though, this race puts on a great show for the fans.”
Thorsport PR
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