CRAFTON: Looking to Keep LMS Streak Alive
05-15-2008 10:27 am
Matt Crafton returns to Charlotte for Friday's North Carolina Education Lottery 200 looking to add to his streak of success in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The driver of the No. 88 Menards Silverado has finished in the top-10 in each of his five previous visits to the 1.5 mi fast track, and expects no different this time around. "I'm looking forward to Charlotte," Crafton said. "I've always run well here, and hopefully we'll be strong again and be there at the end of the race with a chance to win it." Crafton will drive the truck he drove at Kansas a few weeks ago, where he appeared headed for a likely top-5 finish. Crafton was blindsided in the race, however, and finished 21st. "It was a real strong truck for us at Kansas, and we were on track for a fine finish if not for a deal that shouldn't have happened," he said. "But you have to move on quickly in this series, and you realize you can't control how other people drive. You have to focus on those things you can control. And our guys have worked their tails off getting this truck ready for Charlotte. The racing is always great here, and it seems that as the track ages following the repaving, we're able to move up into the middle and higher grooves more. I was here last week with Paul Menard when he tested, and we were able to pick up some things." Crafton is 7th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and already has a pair of top-5 finishes to his credit, including a career-best 2nd at Martinsville. As the NCTS heads into the thick of the season schedule, Crafton is confident his 'marathon, not sprint' approach will aid his success. "We're hungry to win races, just like other drivers in this series, but you can't win if you're not in the mix at the end," said Crafton. "We're focused on doing all the little things right, doing things the best way possible, so that we put ourselves in position to achieve consistent top-5 finishes. If we can do that, we'll be where we want to be when it's all said and done."