Three-time NASCAR champion makes retirement – Sports News
NASCAR Truck Series stalwart Matt Crafton won’t be competing within the 2026 season, with the star set to take a step back from full-time competitors. It comes after one other Truck Series star was compelled to present up their playoff spot after a latest harm.
Crafton, 49, has been competing for ThorSport Racing since 2000 and at the moment holds the file for many consecutive Truck Series begins with 585. He additionally has been within the Truck Series for the whole lot of his profession, a file that’s set to finish after the conclusion of the 2025 season.
On social media, ThorSport launched a assertion on Crafton’s future and who will change the long-standing driver of the No. 88 truck, because the star appears to life after a very fruitful NASCAR profession which as soon as noticed him concerned in a bloody pit lane brawl with a rival.
“ThorSport Racing announces a new chapter for its storied No. 88 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entry,” the workforce introduced on social media Monday. “Three-time series champion Matt Crafton will complete his full-time role after the 2025 season.
“His 23-year partnership with Menards is the longest-running driver/major sponsor relationship in NASCAR historical past. Teammate and 2024 collection champion, Ty Majeski, will pilot the No. 88 full-time in 2026.”
Crafton is a three-time Truck Series champion, taking home the title in 2013, 2014 and in 2019. And while he might have had a successful career in trucks, the same success has not translated in recent years.
The last time the 49-year-old won a race was in 2020, and he has missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. As of writing, Crafton is 16th in driver points, with Corey Heim running away with the lead as the playoffs inch into view.
In his career, Crafton has earned 15 wins, 135 top-five finishes, 331 top-10s, and 16 Pole Awards. He also appeared sparingly in the Cup Series, with his best finish coming in 2015, when he filled in for Kyle Busch in the Daytona 500 and nabbed an 18th-place finish.
Of note, while Crafton is known for his longevity in the Truck Series, he also was known for a spat he had with youngster Nick Sanchez while at Talladega Superspeedway. During the Love’s RV Stop 250, the veteran got into a scuffle with Sanchez, leaving the latter bloodied after punching him in the face.
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Crafton was fined $25,000 while Sanchez paid $5,000 for his part in the kerfuffle. After the incident, Crafton took to social media to explain his side of the squabble.
“First, let’s handle the ‘sucker punch,’” he bgean. “Before the cameras began rolling, I approached Nick and stated ‘Hey’ when he rotated I stated ‘What the —?!’ to which he seemed proper at me and threatened me. That is when all of it went to hell. I had his consideration, phrases have been exchanged, all earlier than something bodily passed off, so I didn’t ‘sucker punch’ the man. There will not be video, however there have been loads of eyewitnesses.
“What people don’t take into account is that he all but “sucker punched” me at 200 mph [during the race]. The way he pushed my truck gave me no ability to get out of the situation and he was told multiple times during that race the way he was pushing people was going to cause a wreck and going.
“There is a constant sample of sure drivers having a lack of respect on the monitor, and it was time for somebody to say one thing.”
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