Matt Crafton takes Dirt Derby at Eldora
Kentucky native’s winless streak ends at Eldora truck race.
The win snapped a streak of 27 races without a victory for Crafton, who had never led a lap in four previous Dirt Derbies.
Matt Crafton had solid runs in the previous four NASCAR Truck races at Eldora Speedway. But to dig out a win in the Eldora Dirt Derby and win —
that coveted golden shovel trophy he modified his approach. —
Crafton, who grew up racing asphalt, bought a used modified race car in Owensboro, Ky., last January and towed it to his dad’s shop in North Carolina. Together they rebuilt the modified and took it racing this season.
“Now here we are,” Crafton said following his Dirt Derby victory in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Eldora Speedway late Wednesday night. The route Crafton took to get
there was a bit unorthodox for the driver of the No. 88 Menard’s Toyota for Ohio’s ThorSport Racing. In four previous starts — all earning him respectable top-10 finishes — Crafton ran the bottom of the track. But more often than not the road to victory lane at Eldora runs right up against the concrete wall.
With 11 laps to go, Crafton started on the outside with pole-sitter and dirt veteran Stewart Friesen on the inside. Crafton rocketed to the lead. He was never challenged as Friesen and third-place Chase Briscoe battled behind him for position.