Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA
Breaking news

Matt Crafton grabs the champions crown, Kyle Busch the owners' title

Matt Crafton is the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion! KBM Toyota takes team title.

Championship victory lane: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2013 champion Matt Crafton celebrates

Championship victory lane: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2013 champion Matt Crafton celebrates

Eric Gilbert

Kyle Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday and claimed the series owner's championship for his No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota team. Meanwhile, Matt Crafton claimed the driver's championship after a 21st-place finish.

Crafton clinched the 2013 Truck Series driver's title when he took the green flag for the 134-lap race, but in addition to a race win, he was also racing for the driver's championship for his No. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota team. He ran inside the top-five for much of the race, leading laps 50 to 61, but a slow pit stop during a caution that came out on lap 93 put him outside the top-10 for the first time in the race.

"I thought we had a shot at winning the race, but we had a bad pit stop," Crafton said.

Race winner Kyle Busch celebrates
Race winner Kyle Busch celebrates

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

Things went from bad to worse when he hit the wall after contact from the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota of Joey Coulter after a green-white-checker restart.

"We wanted to win the owner's championship," Crafton said.

Heading into the race, Crafton only had to finish the race 18th or better to claim the owner's title for the No. 88 team, even if Busch had led the most laps and won the race. That requirement dropped to 20th after the No. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford of Ryan Blaney locked up most-laps-led honors and Crafton led a handful of laps, himself.

With the 21st-place finish, the No. 88 and No. 51 teams actually tied in the owner's standings, with the KBM team winning by tie-breaker -- most wins. The No. 51 team was victorious seven times in 2013, including the final two races of the season. Erik Jones drove the truck to victory lane a week earlier at Phoenix International Raceway. Crafton and his No. 88 team posted a single win in 2013.

"It means a lot to Kyle Busch Motorsports. It means a lot to myself and my wife," Busch said. "I can't say enough about this team."

With a second-place race finish, Blaney sewed up series Rookie of the Year honors.

"Overall, I can't complain about our season," Blarney said.

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Busch wins race, Crafton takes title at Homestead
Next article Tundra driver Crafton takes Truck Series title

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA