CRAFTON: A Lot to Race For at Homestead
11-13-2008 8:05 pm

Matt Crafton looks to put a strong finishing touch on his season in Friday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford 200 at Homestead.

Crafton was in the thick of NCTS championship-contention for much of the campaign, and is 6th in the standings heading into the finale at Homestead. He is within seven points of 4th place.

"These guys have worked their tails off all season for me, and I'm thankful," Crafton said of his No. 88 Menards crew. "We've done some good things this season, and I'd like nothing better than to finish at Homestead with a win or a top-5 day."

In 7 starts at Homestead, Crafton has 3 top-10 finishes. His best finish was 5th in '04.

"I love racing at Homestead," he said. "It's fast and wide, and you can run in multiple grooves. I think the track is unique in its own right, because of its high banks and speed. You can run pretty much all the way thru the race around the top side. You'll see guys running up against the wall the whole time, but it's wide enough that you can go to the bottom and pass. They just keep making improvements and making this track better."

If Crafton claims a top-5 finish on Friday, it will mark his first NCTS season with double-digit top-5 finishes. Ever the competitor, he is looking for more.

"We have a lot to race for at Homestead," he said. "We expect a strong day, and to compete for the win. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to put ourselves in contention at the end with a shot to win. That's our mentality, and it never changes. It's important that we finish strong and build on that momentum, because Daytona will be here before we know it. We'll give it our best shot, and hopefully it will be a good night for us."