3-time NASCAR Truck champion Matt Crafton to retire at the end of season

NASCAR: Truck Series Championship - Source: Imagn
Matt Crafton at Phoenix Raceway in 2023 - Source: Imagn

Matt Crafton, the longest-tenured active driver in NASCAR, is set to hang up his hat after over two decades of full-time competition. Defending Craftsman Truck Series champion and ThorSport Racing teammate Ty Majeski will take over Crafton's #88 Ford F-150.

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Crafton started competing in the pickup truck-based series in 2000, a year earlier than Kyle Busch. He drove for ThorSport Racing for his entire career, except in 2004 when he ran one full-time season with Kevin Harvick Incorporated.

Since then, the 49-year-old has secured three Truck Series championships (2013, 2014, and 2019). He was the first and only driver to win back-to-back seasons. He is tied second with Jack Sprague for the number of titles, with Ron Hornaday Jr. leading this category with four.

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NASCAR announced Matt Crafton's retirement plan on X and wrote:

“Three-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion (Matt Crafton) is set to retire after the 2025 season. (Ty Majeski) will drive the No. 88 (ThorSport Racing) truck in 2026.”
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This year, Matt Crafton has only scored three top-10 finishes. These add to his career totals of 15 wins, 135 top fives, and 331 top 10s in 585 starts. He was the only driver to surpass the 500 starts mark ahead of Ron Hornaday Jr. (360) and Rick Crawford (336).

The Californian will return to the No. 88 Ford at Darlington Raceway on August 30, when the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs begin. While Crafton will continue to compete through the remainder of the season, Ty Majeski and Jake Garcia are the only drivers to represent ThorSport Racing in the postseason.

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“He was my favorite”: Fans react to Matt Crafton's retirement

As the longest-tenured active driver in NASCAR, Crafton has garnered fans over the years, and his announcement of retirement has drawn an emotional response. Fans expressed their sentiments over the 49-year-old on X in response to the news shared on Monday.

“He was my favorite,” one fan wrote.
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“Good dude. Going to miss him,” another X user said.
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“Sad,” a fan commented.
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However, some also revisited Matt Crafton's recent on-track clash with teammate Ty Majeski at Richmond Raceway, which opened the door for Corey Heim’s seventh win of the season. The incident happened on lap 200 of 250, where Majeski was leading while Crafton was lapped.

“Thank you, Matt, for all the memories. Watching you race has always been fun! <3 Just try not to wreck your teammate again until the season ends, please,” one fan stated.
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“Damn, did that wreck retire him lol. Nonetheless fantastic career from Crafton,” another said.
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“I’m kind of sad to see him retire this year, but his performance recently was very bad,” an X user argued.

Crafton has been competing since Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s rookie year in the NASCAR Cup Series. Among today’s field, only Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin rival him in longevity, each running at least 20 seasons at the Cup level. Busch, in particular, stands out as the all-time leader in wins across NASCAR’s three national series.

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Edited by Sumeet Kavthale
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