Matt Crafton wins NCWTS truck race at TMS

[NickHolt]

CRAFTON WINS WINSTAR WORLD CASINO & RESORT 400 TRUCK SERIES RACE

FORT WORTH, Texas (June 5, 2015) - Two-time defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton held off Daniel Suarez in a two-lap shootout after a late caution Friday night to win the WinStar World Casino & Resort 400 for the second consecutive year at Texas Motor Speedway.

Crafton (No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards Toyota) was coasting to a victory with a 4.5-second lead when two late cautions in the final 18 laps allowed Suarez an opportunity to challenge for his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory. Crafton, however, fended him off during both restarts and went on to a 0.569 of a second margin of victory and his third win of the season.

Crafton became just the third NCWTS driver in speedway history to repeat as champion of the annual June race that debuted in 1997. He joins Brendan Gaughan (2002-03) and Todd Bodine, who accomplished the feat twice (2006-07, '09-10) among his speedway-record six victories.

Crafton took advantage of the misfortune of polesitter Erik Jones (No. 4 Special Olympics World Games Toyota), who had a dominant truck from the outset and led 68 of the first 84 laps. Then trouble struck as Jones had a voltage issue that led to a prolonged pit stop and going a lap down in 16th for a restart on Lap 87.

Crafton inherited the lead on Lap 85 from Jones during the caution period and quickly exhibited that he was now the truck to beat in the 167-lap race. He went on to lead a race-high 77 laps of the final 93 and didn't encounter any major challenges until the two final restarts. After holding off Suarez in the first restart with 14 to go, the two lined up side by side up front again after a caution caused by a spin by rookie Daniel Hemric (No. 14 California Clean Power Chevrolet) forced a restart with two laps to go. Suarez fought for the lead underneath Crafton, but could not overtake him on the opening lap and Crafton quickly gained control and pulled away for the win on the final lap.

The second-place finish for Suarez matched his career-best effort in the NASCAR Camping World Series that occurred last week at Dover. John Wes Townley (No. 05 Zaxby's Chevrolet) established a career-best performance with a third-place finish. Johnny Sauter (No. 98 Nextant/Curb Records Toyota) and rookie Austin Theriault (No. 29 Cooper Standard Ford) rounded out the top five, respectively.