NASCAR Veteran Matt Crafton Reflects on a Challenging 2024 Season
Table of Contents
Three-time NASCAR Truck Series champion Matt Crafton had a season to forget in 2024. His performance, and that of the ThorSport Racing No. 88 team, marked a notable downturn from previous years, a slump Crafton himself described as “terrible” during a recent interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio with Larry McReynolds and Danielle Trotta.
Despite the challenging year, Crafton expressed gratitude for his long-standing relationship with team owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson. “Duke and Rhonda (Thorson) have been amazing owners and I could not ask for anyone better to be honest,” Crafton said.”And when Duke shook my hand and told me he was a man of his word and we’re going to win races and championships, build it as a business, that’s what we went and did — we built it as a business each every year and made it better.”
He acknowledged the team’s journey,highlighting their gradual rise to championship success.”I mean, at the beginning, we definitely were not a winning team right off. We slowly built it and then the wins came, and then the championships came. That’s the hard part to swallow, the last two to three years has been a struggle to our expectations because they were so high for a little while and we got off a little bit but we’re definitely planning on working and getting going in the right direction,” Crafton explained.
comparing Crafton’s Performance to Teammate Ty Majeski
Crafton candidly compared his performance to that of his highly successful teammate,Ty Majeski. “My biggest thing right now is just trying to look at what Ty’s doing. I mean, Ty’s been in a league of his own. I mean, he is been incredible. What they’ve done all year, they’ve had speed (and) at the end of the year, they really put the consistency down,” he admitted.
he further analyzed the team’s overall struggles: “And honestly,the other four teams,we’ve been off. I mean we’ve all been off as a whole. If you look at it, and I went on a streak, I think it was seven races (where) I had no better than a 20-something place finish. it was not always my fault there. I take a couple of them,but then there was just some mechanical issues and getting caught up in people’s crashes and just terrible luck. But ultimately, when you’re running around some of the stuff that you shouldn’t be running around, you get caught up in stuff that you shouldn’t be running around. So that’s part of it. And just like I said, I’m ready to put the year behind us and move forward and make the Menard’s ford F-150 fast again.”
Related: NASCAR Playoff Drivers Debate Format Changes
Crafton’s Viewpoint on the NASCAR Playoff System
Crafton, a champion both before and after the implementation of the current playoff system, shared his thoughts on its effectiveness.”Needs to be changed a lot in my opinion but I’m not an asker. I don’t make the rules. We’re going by too much stick and ball sports and we are not a stick and ball sport. We’re looking at all that and we’re not that,” he stated.
looking ahead, Crafton and his team are focused on improving their performance for the upcoming season. The 2024 season served as a valuable learning experience,highlighting areas for enhancement and reinforcing their determination to return to championship contention.
NASCAR Playoff Overhaul: Crafton Calls for Change
Veteran NASCAR driver Matt Crafton has voiced his concerns about the current playoff format, advocating for a return to a system that prioritizes consistent performance throughout the entire season. his comments, delivered in a recent interview, offer a compelling perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing NASCAR’s championship structure.
Crafton’s critique centers on the perceived lack of incentive to win consistently within the current playoff system. He reminisced about his 2019 championship win, achieved without a single race victory throughout the year.”In 2019 (when he won the playoff without winning a race all year) we kind of got where we were pretty good at the end of the year and we just put it all together and I knew I was racing each and every week and I knew what stage points we had to have. I knew that and that’s all you’re gonna race at that point of the season. And I don’t, from my personal perspective, I don’t think that’s right. NASCAR was based on a full season and that’s what I think it should be and yeah, they probably aren’t gonna go back to that and I get it but there’s definitely some tweaks they could do to it.”
When asked about potential alternatives, Crafton suggested a 10-race Chase format as a compromise if a full-season approach isn’t feasible.”Yeah, I’d do that if we weren’t going to do a full season. I’d go for something like that for sure,” he stated. He further elaborated on the inherent flaws of the current system, highlighting the lack of incentive to win races outside the playoff rounds. “There really isn’t. If they’re gonna do playoffs, that’s the way it’s got to be. And you can point. … I mean, if you lock yourself into the next round, if you win the final race, you lock yourself in.”
Crafton recounted a pivotal moment from 2019, illustrating his point. “I’ll never forget 2019, was leading the (final) race with eight or nine laps to go. Austin Hill (is not in the final four and) we’re racing side by side by side and I’m like, ‘I might be better than him right here. He might be better than me but you know what, I don’t need a yellow and I’m not gonna keep racing like a fool like we were doing for a couple laps.’ I said I’m gonna go win the war. I’m not just going to win this battle. And I finished second that race, but I very well could have won the race and they wouldn’t have had quite as much to gripe about. But that was just part of it. I thought about big picture at that point.” This anecdote underscores his argument for a system that rewards consistent performance over a longer season.
Beyond the Playoffs: A Call for a Longer Truck Series Season
Crafton also advocated for a longer schedule for the NASCAR Truck Series, suggesting a minimum of 25 races. He argued that reducing the number of races to the current 20-23 range has negatively impacted teams’ financial stability. “It hurt the teams that actually pay people to go to the race track by the sponsors,” Crafton said. “If the sponsor is then paying you less to be at the track less, you’re losing money to have people and the equipment. There’s definitely two ways of looking at it but I’m definitely team 25 or more. if the teams can get the funding, it’s definitely going to help them.”
Furthermore, Crafton expressed his approval of NASCAR’s efforts to diversify the race schedule, praising the success of the Chicago street race and suggesting further expansion into new cities. He contrasted this positive development with the repetition of races at traditional venues like Texas and Charlotte. “I feel we need to have more of that,” he concluded, referencing the excitement generated by events at tracks like Rockingham and Mansfield, Ohio, wich he remembers as being consistently packed with excited fans.
NASCAR Faces Antitrust Fight: Teams Respond to Dismissal Bid
The legal battle between NASCAR and two prominent teams, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, is heating up. Both teams have filed a strong response to NASCAR’s motion to dismiss their antitrust lawsuit, vehemently rejecting the sanctioning body’s claims.
The lawsuit, filed earlier this year, alleges that NASCAR maintains an illegal monopoly over the sport, stifling competition and harming smaller teams. 23XI Racing, co-owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan and driver Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, are seeking significant damages and reforms to the NASCAR structure.
In their response, the teams reiterate their core argument: “NASCAR’s actions have created an unfair and uncompetitive habitat,” the filing reportedly states. The teams argue that NASCAR’s control over key aspects of the sport, including charter agreements and technical regulations, prevents fair competition and limits the opportunities for smaller teams to thrive.
The legal fight has significant implications for the future of NASCAR. A ruling in favor of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports could force NASCAR to make significant changes to its business model, possibly opening the door for greater competition and potentially altering the landscape of the sport for years to come. The outcome could also impact how other professional sports leagues operate and manage their relationships with teams.
This isn’t just about money; it’s about the very structure of NASCAR,” explains a legal expert specializing in sports law.”The teams are arguing that NASCAR’s current system prevents a level playing field, and that has far-reaching consequences for the sport’s long-term health and appeal to fans.”
The case is expected to proceed through the courts, with further legal arguments and potentially a trial in the coming months.The outcome will undoubtedly shape the future of NASCAR and set a precedent for other professional sports leagues facing similar antitrust challenges.
This text provides a grate foundation for a news article detailing Matt Crafton’s opinion on the NASCAR playoff system and Truck Series schedule.Here’s a structured outline and some suggestions for turning it into a polished piece:
I. Introduction
Headline: Crafton calls for NASCAR Playoff Overhaul, Longer Truck Season
Opening Paragraph: Start with Crafton’s most pointed criticism of the current system (e.g., “Veteran NASCAR Truck Series driver Matt Crafton believes the current playoff format fails to reward consistent performance and is calling for a return to a system that prioritizes a full season’s worth of racing.” ).
Brief Background: Mention Crafton’s championship wins (including the 2019 title without a race victory) to establish credibility on the topic.
II. Criticism of the Playoff System
Crafton’s Argument: Summarize his core argument:
2019 example: Detail how his approach in a late-season race reflected his view of prioritizing the championship over individual race wins.
Lack of incentive: Emphasize that the current system doesn’t reward winning regularly outside of the playoffs.
“Stick and Ball” Analogy: Explain Crafton’s frustration that NASCAR is trying to mimic playoffs used in other sports that aren’t directly comparable.
Choice formats:
10-Race Chase:
Explain how this could be a compromise if a full-season format isn’t viable.
III. longer Truck Series Season
Crafton’s Proposal: Highlight his call for at least 25 races in the Truck Series.
Financial Impact: Explain how a shorter schedule negatively affects teams who rely on sponsorship and need more race weekends to generate income.
NASCAR’s Efforts: Briefly acknowledge NASCAR’s mission to diversify the schedule (this point is a bit unclear in the original text, so be sure to clarify what NASCAR is doing).
IV. Conclusion
Crafton’s Message: Summarize his main points: The playoffs need to be reworked to valorize consistent performance, and the Truck Series needs a longer season for economic stability.
Future Implications: Speculate on how NASCAR might respond to Crafton’s views or if other drivers share similar opinions.
Additional Tips:
Quotes: Use direct quotes from Crafton liberally to give his words more impact.
Attribution: Attribute all information and opinions to Crafton to ensure clarity and avoid plagiarism.
Objectivity: Maintain a neutral tone while outlining Crafton’s arguments; avoid editorializing or stating your own opinions.
Editing and Proofreading: Carefully review your article for grammar, spelling, and clarity.
