In 2007, he improved to eighth in points and posted ten top-ten finishes for the third consecutive season. With his large number of social media fans, he often posts many personal photos and videos to interact with his huge fan base on social media platforms. And the whipped cream on that cake for Joiner was Crafton's picture with Elladee, which was widely circulated among his teammates shortly after the child's birth. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. After four full-time seasons in the Featherlite Southwest Series, Crafton won the championship in 2000 on the strength of four wins that year. However, Crafton struggled more noticeably with consistency than in the previous two seasons. GettyMatt Crafton watches qualifying at World Wide Technology Raceway. Junior fans get a (non)response from this Kasey Kahne is gay, so says the scribbler of this NASCAR: Can female drivers be competitive in this? 46 entry for the final three races of the season. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. "I told you that was a magic number. Allison Thorson, the Advisor and Spokesperson for ThorSport Racing, made an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and revealed that both Crafton and reigning champion Ben Rhodes will return to the organization in 2022. He will use the race to continue a historic partnership with Menards. 2013 was Crafton's best season in his career to date. Despite crashing out at Dover and Gateway, his first DNFs in over two years, Crafton would ultimately go on to become the first back-to-back champion in the Truck Series. Crafton was born in Tulare, California. Junior Joiner will step away from. Crafton raced in the 2014 and 2015 IWK 250 pro stock races at Riverside International Speedway in support of the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 1. He has been a full-time driver since the 2000 season, and he is the only competitor to top both 400 and 500 career starts. Who Is Matt Crafton's Wife? A three-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion just landed a new partner. 88 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing. In 2009, although he did not win a race that season, Crafton scored two poles (Chicagoland Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway), 11 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes, ultimately finishing second in the point standings behind champion Ron Hornaday. 27.5k Followers, 766 Following, 344 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Matt Crafton (@matt_crafton) Contact your. "I'm proud of Matt and Ashley, and I know they'll raise her to be a good little girl," Joiner said. who moves over to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. Collect, curate and comment on your files. 46 entry for the final three races of the season. He joined the Featherlite Southwest Series as a substitute for his injured father, Danny Crafton, in 1996, filling in as driver of the No. After four full-time seasons in the Featherlite Southwest Series, Crafton won the championship in 2000 on the strength of four wins that year. Driving the PickupTruck.com Chevy for ThorSport Racing, he qualified 17th and finished ninth. 46 to allow his son to take over. "She's already so spoiled," Crafton. Learn How rich is He in [] He clinched his first Truck Series championship with his start in that race, and was able to stay on the lead lap despite late crash damage to become the first driver to complete every lap of the season in the Truck Series. | This is Marisa Miller . 46 full-time in 1997. Including the Charlotte event on May 17 the series has four races in the space of seven weeks. He is a three-time champion of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2013, 2014, 2019), in which he competes full-time, driving the No. At 46 years old, Matt Crafton height 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevy at the Pure Michigan 400 in place of Martin Truex Jr., who was on leave as his girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, underwent cancer treatment. The Craftons' child's birth came six days after Crafton's win in Kansas -- which was shades of Sauter's victory two years ago at Martinsville, which preceded the birth of he and wife Cortney's daugher, Paige, by just days. We have estimated PHONE: 479.636.4838 Matt Crafton is President and Chief Executive Officer of Crafton Tull. "But it's way, way more than I ever, ever thought it could possibly be. He will use the race to continue a historic partnership with Menards. He is from United States. Crafton scored his fifth victory of the season at Martinsville on October 31, marking his second win at Martinsville, and the deepest into the season he had ever won a race to that point. His success in the Featherlite Southwest Series that season led to the invitation to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut for ThorSport Racing. It's indescribable, really". In 2012, after the team had moved from Chevrolet to Toyota, he had a decent season, finishing 6th in points. At Kansas, an emotional Joiner had told of how important the number "26" was in his family's racing history, as Crafton's win came in Joiner's 26th race as his crew chief. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevy at the Pure Michigan 400 in place of Martin Truex Jr., who was on leave as his girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, underwent cancer treatment. + Caption. On July 25, 2020, Crafton broke a 67-race winless streak by winning at Kansas Speedway for the 3rd time in his career. He crashed out at Gateway for the second year in a row after tangling with John Hunter Nemechek, and a few weeks later crashed out at Pocono after getting hit by Brad Keselowski. Majeski and Rhodes both won races while reaching the championship four. 29 at the Brickyard 400, but failed to qualify. 33 car for Richard Childress Racing, since the car was sponsored by Menards (which he drives in the Truck series). Top 3 Results for Matt Crafton. Driving the PickupTruck.com Chevy for ThorSport Racing, he qualified 17th and finished ninth. Get to know Matt Crafton Hometown: Tulare, CA | Birthdate: June 11, 1976 | Residence: Mooresville, NC Wife: Lauren Crafton | Children: Daughter - Elladee, Son - Matthew 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. has a passion for music, NASCAR, the internet & all things pop culture, as well as an insatiable appetite for news and random information. On February 28, 2015, Crafton scored his sixth career Truck victory in the revived Atlanta race. Crafton set the record on October 29, 2011, with a qualifying lap of 19.653 seconds (96.352mph). On November 15, 2019, Crafton claimed his 3rd career Championship despite going winless for the second season in a row. Craftons performance in those races led Danny to hang up his helmet and step out of his familiar No. On May 8, he used fuel strategy to win at Kansas after multiple other top five Trucks ran out in the closing laps, winning a second race at one track for the first time in his career. He is a deacon at First Baptist Church of Rogers, serves on several local nonprofit boards, and retired from the Air Force Reserve at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Matthew Justin Crafton (born June 11, 1976) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He clinched his first Truck Series championship with his start in that race,[1] and was able to stay on the lead lap despite late crash damage to become the first driver to complete every lap of the season in the Truck Series. Menards took over the No. ). And the whipped cream on that cake for Joiner was Crafton's picture with Elladee, which was widely circulated among his teammates shortly after the child's birth. At Kansas, an emotional Joiner had told of how important the number "26" was in his family's racing history, as Crafton's win came in Joiner's 26th race as his crew chief. www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1670572117. She has also done commercials and voice over work and has participated in several modeling and acting workshops. On June 6, he won on fuel strategy at Texas Motor Speedway to win two races in a season for the first time in his career. The veteran Truck Series driver will strive to add to his list of accomplishments during the 2022 season. The win moved him into the top five in points for 2008. His fourth win of the season came at Kentucky after the race was cut short due to damage to the catchfence from Ben Kennedy's crash. Matt Crafton will make his 500th start, making history once again in the process. (Matt Freed/AP) PITTSBURGH After five seasons, Lance White's tenure as the head coach of the women's basketball team at the University of . Eight days later, he scored his second career victory at Charlotte, marking the first back-to-back victories in his career. He finished in the top ten in the first sixteen races of the season, and 19 overall, with a worst finish of 21st in the season finale at Homestead. He will use the race to continue a historic partnership. Crafton was born in Tulare, California. Italics Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. Born on June 11, 1976, the Racecar driver Matt Crafton is arguably the worlds most influential social media star. Las Vegas. In 2001, he piloted the No. He is also the first driver to win two Truck races at Kansas. Crafton scored his fifth victory of the season at Martinsville on October 31, marking his second win at Martinsville, and the deepest into the season he had ever won a race to that point. Matthew Justin Crafton (born June 11, 1976) is an American professional stock car racing driver. The driver of the No. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. He will return to ThorSport Racing and the No. However, four DNFs (Did Not Finish) due to engine failures, mechanical issues and accidents caused by other competitors led to only five top fives and 13 top 10s, ultimately relegating Crafton to eighth in the final standings. 88 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing . Crafton became a fixture in the NCWTS, finishing in the top-10 in the standings in 15 of the last 16 seasons. Crafton scored his fifth victory of the season at Martinsville on October 31, marking his second win at Martinsville, and the deepest into the season he had ever won a race to that point. Matt met Jocelyn Janusiewicz in his hometown of Tulare, Calif., in March of 1999. * Most laps led. Trivia Before turning to NASCAR racing in 2000, he raced go-karts, midgets, and mini sprints. [17] Later in the year, he returned to the Childress Cup paddock, qualifying the No. Crafton's first NASCAR win came at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 16, 2008, in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200. He crashed out at Gateway for the second year in a row after tangling with John Hunter Nemechek, and a few weeks later crashed out at Pocono after getting hit by Brad Keselowski. However, four DNFs (Did Not Finish) due to engine failures, mechanical issues and accidents caused by other competitors led to only five top fives and 13 top 10s, ultimately relegating Crafton to eighth in the final standings. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. He and his wife, Krist, have four children. Matt Crafton Retweeted. Crafton and his wife, Ashley, need to ease their newborn daugher, Elladee Ann, off her first favorite habit catching a few winks on her father's chest. Joiner said last week, shaking his head and smiling -- coincidentally even as his wife walked around the corner of the finish fabrication area carrying their infant son. Crafton earned 11 top 10s before finishing 11th in points in 2003. He would add one more win in the season finale at Homestead-Miami, marking his first career victory from the pole; his season total of six wins are more than in his entire career prior to 2015. However, Crafton struggled more noticeably with consistency than in the previous two seasons. He was born on June 11, 1976, in Tulare, California.Tulare is a beautiful and populous city located in Tulare, California United States of America. He crashed out at Gateway for the second year in a row after tangling with John Hunter Nemechek, and a few weeks later crashed out at Pocono after getting hit by Brad Keselowski. You can scroll down for information about his Social media profiles. Along with the wins, Crafton has celebrated three Truck Series championships with Menards. Jocelyn Crafton is the wife of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Matt Crafton, who returns to the Kevin Harvick, Inc. #6 truck in 2006. His success in the Featherlite Southwest Series that season led to the invitation to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut for SealMaster Racing. He said he and Ashley have the exchanges between feeding (her) and changing (him) down to a smooth routine. The 2023 season will. In 2012, after the team had moved from Chevrolet to Toyota, he had a decent season, finishing 6th in points. Crafton has no shortage of success in the Craftsman Truck Series. 33 car for Richard Childress Racing, since the car was sponsored by Menards (which he drives in the Truck series). Getty After four full-time seasons in the Featherlite Southwest Series. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Todd Bodine (22), Dennis Setzer (18), Greg Biffle (17), and Ted Musgrave (17) are the other drivers ahead of Crafton. FUN FACT: In addition to his passion for cycling, Matt also loves baseball. Matt Crafton was born on 11 June, 1976 in Tulare, California, United States, is an American stock car racing driver. In 2006, he had four top-five finishes, 10 top-10 finishes and finished fourteenth in points. Matthew Justin Crafton Net Worth & Basic source of earning is being a successful American Racecar driver. In the third race of the 2013 season, Crafton passed, Crafton currently holds the record for the fastest qualifying lap at Martinsville Speedway in a truck. [13] Menard eventually ran the first stage before Crafton relieved him for the remainder of the race;[14] he was involved in a multi-car wreck on lap 163 but finished 14th. This is Erica Dewey | Chief among them is the return to Ford Performance after multiple seasons featuring a partnership with Toyota Racing Development. And he laughed again when he was asked how he thought things would level-off when the Truck Series gets back to racing. Rhodes, Crafton, and Sauter finished right behind him during the playoff race to cap off a historic night for the organization. In 2001, he piloted the No. But for the driver who assumed the Truck Series' points lead less than two weeks ago after a combination of Crafton's win in the series' last race, at Kansas Speedway and a penalty to his ThorSport Racing teammate Johnny Sauter that reversed their first and second positions in the standings, the reality of having a child is mind-boggling. 88 is only 10th on the all-time wins list, he is second in a more important category. Despite strong statistics in 2004, he was released from KHI and returned to ThorSport for the 2005 season, where he won his first career pole at New Hampshire International Speedway, earning two top fives and 10 top 10s and finishing ninth in the standings. Matt Crafton has joined the Black. Her family moved around a lot and finally settled in Tulare, Calif. An aspiring model and performer from an early age, Jocelyn's first role was as Goldilocks in the fifth grade and in the sixth, she was first runner up in a local "Model of the Year" contest. Grant Enfinger has already left the team to join GMS Racing, but Johnny Sauters future remains in question. He finished in the top ten in the first sixteen races of the season, and 19 overall, with a worst finish of 21st in the season finale at Homestead. During the NC Education Lottery 200, Matt Crafton had a horrible day and finished in the back half of the field. 98 Toyota, and he achieved success on multiple occasions. They have also lived in Cumming, GA and Scott City, MO. "But I never thought I'd see the day that Matt could look that angelic Never -- but I can see he's already in trouble -- days old and she's already got him worked. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series' championship leader Matt Crafton has some serious work to do between now and May 16, the opening day of practice for the next series race, at Charlotte Motor . "The only place she really likes to sleep is on my chest, so we're trying to wean her off that.". He would get swept up in a third wreck at Talladega with Stanton Barrett after being penalized for speeding on pit road, and while racing eventual series champion Erik Jones for the win at Phoenix would wreck out one final time, all of which eventually consigned him to third in points behind Jones and Tyler Reddick. Crafton will now suit up for another full season of Craftsman Truck Series competition, and he will have Menards back as his primary partner. Powered by. He won his third career race at Kansas in April. He would add one more win in the season finale at Homestead-Miami, marking his first career victory from the pole; his season total of six wins are more than in his entire career before 2015. Crafton began his go-kart career at the age of seven after receiving a kart as a present for graduating from kindergarten. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 44 years old? In 2012, after the team had moved from Chevrolet to Toyota, he had a decent season, finishing 6th in points. On June 5, he won at Texas, successfully defending his win from the year before, another career first. When Matt called and told me it was 'go time,' I told him it was the 26th -- what else did he expect? 88 Toyota Tundra for ThorSport Racing. 33 car for Richard Childress Racing, since the car was sponsored by Menards (which he drives in the Truck series). 2011 saw the second win of Crafton's career at Iowa Speedway, in addition to poles at Michigan International Speedway and Martinsville Speedway, where he broke the track qualifying record. His career went national when he became involved in the 1998 Winter Heat Series shown on ESPN at Tucson Raceway Park, during which he raced against other current NASCAR drivers Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, and Ron Hornaday. He would get swept up in a third wreck at Talladega with Stanton Barrett after being penalized for speeding on pit road, and while racing eventual series champion Erik Jones for the win at Phoenix would wreck out one final time, all of which eventually consigned him to third in points behind Jones and Tyler Reddick. Jocelyn has also taken her turn behind the wheel, debuting in a hobby stock car for SealMaster's Employee Appreciation Night at Sandusky Speedway on Sept. 7, 2002. After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy, Matt started his career as a civil engineer in the U.S. Air Force where he managed the design and construction of many projects for Air Force missions around the world, serving in both Operation DESERT STORM and Operation RESTORE HOPE (Somalia). He will also have associate partners in Ideal Door, Mold-Armor, Jack Links, Chi-Chis, Black Label Bacon, Great Lakes Flooring, Generac, Flex Seal, Paslode, Slim Jim, Planters, and Denali Aire.