NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers will be celebrating Mother's Day on Sunday in recognition of the support their mothers have put behind their racing careers.

Support, of course, their mothers continue to give whether watching from the grandstand or, in some cases, from pit road.

Several mothers are active as owners including Carol Sutton, who with husband Ed fields the No. 02 Team Copaxone Chevrolet driven by daughter Kelly Sutton.

"My mother, Carol, is a wonderful lady who is not only my mom but also instrumental in managing the business aspects of Sutton Motorsports and Team Copaxone," said Sutton, whose 44 starts are the most in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series by a female driver.

Matt Crafton (No. 88 Menards/Energizer Chevrolet) followed his father, Danny, into NASCAR competition. But Crafton, a Tulare, Calif. native, credits his mother, Jeannie, with providing some special intangibles.

Matt Crafton (Ronda Greer Photo)

"She has been there for me even when I've made the wrong decisions," said Crafton, a former NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series champion. "From my earliest days driving go-karts all the way to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, she's known that racing is all I ever wanted to do and she totally supported that dream."

Crafton's teammate, Kerry Earnhardt (No. 13 ThorSport Chevrolet) agrees.

"She raised me to treat people the right way and to be the person I am," said Earnhardt of mother Latane Key. "She's always been there to support me no matter what, whether it's life issues or racing issues or anything at all."

Kerry Earnhardt (Ronda Greer Photo)

North Carolinian Timothy Peters (No. 4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge), whose mother Cindy is a widow, said, "The hardest thing I ever had to do was move away from my mom when I took the job at Bobby Hamilton Racing (near Nashville). I remember talking to my mom about the opportunity with BHR and she told me I was crazy if I didn't go.

"I took her advice and I think it was one of the best decisions I ever made."

Boston Reid (No. 25 Woodard Racing Dodge) is pleased that his mother, Nikki, is able to attend his races - making up for lost time, as it were.
 
"She didn't get to go to a lot of races when I was growing up," Reid said. "A lot of parents want to be there to push their kids in racing careers.

"The cool thing about my mom being at the track is that she just stands back and lets me do what I need to do but she's there when I need her."

David Starr (Ronda Greer Photo)

Unfortunately for David Starr (No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota), his mother, Ophelia, works day-to-day in the family business near Houston and doesn't get to travel as much as she'd like. She wasn't able to attend his most recent victory at Martinsville Speedway last month.

"She loves it when I race," Starr said. "If she isn't at the track, she's right there in front of the TV cheering me on and I call her when the race is over."

In fact, Ophelia Starr speaks for all NASCAR mothers and their love for sons and daughters. "I'm extremely proud of David," she said. "He is every bit a champion and brings a lot of joy to me."