Father Time appears to be focusing its attention on NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Matt Crafton, who at 48 years old, is a three-time champion in his 24th full-time season in competition. His career boasts 15 race victories and three championship titles, making him a likely candidate for the NASCAR Hall of Fame once eligible.
Despite his impressive accolades, Crafton, a native of Tulare, California, faces a pivotal juncture. His performance took a sharp decline in 2024, extending a winless streak since July 2020. This downturn may result in Crafton missing the Truck Series playoffs for the first time since NASCAR implemented its playoff format in 2016.
Following consecutive championship victories in 2013 and 2014, Crafton achieved notable success with six wins in 2015. However, the introduction of the playoff system posed challenges. He reached the Championship Four in 2016 and 2017, yet his journey in 2019 was particularly unconventional. In a playoff format that prioritizes race wins, Crafton secured the 2019 Truck Series championship despite not winning a race, marking him as the first winless champion of the playoff era, capped by a second-place finish in the season finale at Homestead-Miami.
In 2022 and 2023, Crafton appeared to be an aging veteran going through the motions. Despite qualifying for the Truck Series playoffs both years, he was eliminated in the first round on both occasions and remained far from securing a much-needed victory.
The year 2024 has marked a deeper decline for Crafton. He faces the real possibility of missing the playoffs for the first time in his career. Exclusion from the 10-driver playoff field would mean his first finish outside the top nine in points since 2006.
Crafton received praise for his consistency in 2019, boasting an average finish of 8.8. However, his average finish has steadily declined each subsequent year: 10.7 in 2020, 11.5 in 2021, 13.2 in 2022, and 13.9 in 2023. While these figures are respectable, his average finish of 16.1 in the first half of 2024 underscores his current precarious position.
