After starting last, points leader frustrated with giving up lead late
RELATED: Full race results
LOUDON, N.H. — Matt Crafton wasn’t much for silver linings after a roundabout worst-to-first type of day, but a spirited rally from pre-race misfortune was the type of resilient performance that kept his bid for a repeat NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title on track.
Crafton started dead last in the 30-truck field in Saturday’s UNOH 175, but turned in a stirring drive all the way to the lead before the last in a series of late-race restarts shuffled him to a third-place finish. He left with his lead in the series standings intact, adding two points for a seven-point edge over ThorSport Racing teammate Johnny Sauter, but the frustration in falling just short behind history-making 16-year-old race winner Cole Custer was evident in his succinct assessment of the race.
"Started in the back, drove to the front, got beat at the end," Crafton said.
It was a familiar sight to see Crafton playing with his daughter, Elladee, in the moments before the race, the 2-year-old toddler exploring the cockpit of his racer. It was quite unfamiliar to see his No. 88 Toyota so far back on the starting grid, the result of unapproved adjustments during Saturday morning’s Keystone Light Pole Qualifying.
Crafton’s crew detected a loose battery plug and raised the hood during the opening round of knockout-style qualifying. Because of the violation, Crafton did not make a qualifying attempt. Starting at the rear of the field in such a short race loomed as a potentially devastating penalty, but instead wound up being a stroke of good fortune — far better to catch the issue early rather than suffering mechanical gremlins during the 175-lap main event.
"Actually, we were really lucky to find it in qualifying," said Carl "Junior" Joiner, Crafton’s crew chief. "A little bad luck created some good luck."
Said Crafton: "That definitely wasn’t what we wanted, but at the same time it was very good that we found it when we did and not start the race in a dead end. We were very lucky there, but just super disappointed in the finish."
Though Crafton wasn’t able to show his speed in qualifying, he pounced at the drop of the green flag. By the end of the first lap, he had jumped from 30th to 19th place; just 20 laps in, he was up to the top 10.
Crafton eventually found his way to the top five, then advanced over a flurry of late-race cautions to take the lead for the first time on Lap 152. He withstood the challenges for two late-race restarts, but not the final one as Custer — in the lone front-running truck on four fresh tires — and Darrell Wallace Jr. freight-trained past him with four laps left.
"They led the most laps and sat on the pole, so he deserves a win," Joiner said of Custer’s first career victory. "Hats off to those guys. I think our stuff was really good, man. I think we were probably the second-best truck if not the best, so we’ll move on."
While the dejection was clear in the No. 88 camp, the ability to take such a major comeback to nearly full fruition was an inspiring takeaway from a day that could’ve had a far worse outcome. With just 35 points spanning the top four spots in the standings, Crafton and Co. take the series lead to next weekend’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with six more races to try to close out championship No. 2.
"I think if we don’t get a yellow there (at the end), we’re over there in Victory Lane right now, but that didn’t happen and it’s still a good, solid points day," Joiner said. "That’s what these guys need to do. We’ve been strong, and I think we’re about to hit stride. We’ve really stepped on some stuff and we’re picking up our game. Just needed Lady Luck on our side, and I think maybe today, we had it."
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