TMS notes: Truck champ Matt Crafton not focused on three-peat

Matt Crafton isn’t ready to look at the big picture and what it could mean to become a dynasty of sorts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Crafton already made history by becoming the first driver to win back-to-back championships a year ago, and is in position to make it three straight this year as the early-season points leader.

“No, I honestly haven’t thought about it, looked at it, don’t care to,” said Crafton, who has an 11-point lead on his next closest competitor, Tyler Reddick, through six races.

“When I get to [the season-ending race at] Homestead, if we’re in position to maybe win another one, then great. If we’re not, then we haven’t done our job all year and maybe we didn’t have the right luck on our side. But we don’t sit there and look too far ahead.”

Crafton goes into Friday’s WinStar World Casino and Resort 400 at Texas Motor Speedway feeling good about his chances, though. He has won twice so far, and hasn’t finished worse than eighth.

At Texas, Crafton has one career victory (at this race last year) and nine top-five runs in his last 12 races.

“We just keep knocking off top-fives and more wins will come,” Crafton said.

IndyCar momentum?

Sebastien Bourdais picked up his first win of the season last week at Detroit, and is hoping to carry that momentum into Saturday’s Firestone 600.

Texas hasn’t treated Bourdais too well. He has finished 20th each of the last two years.

“It has been a trying effort for me there the last couple of years,” Bourdais said. “I think we’re heading in the right direction on ovals. Hopefully all the hard work will pay off and we can shoot some guns in victory circle.”

Open tryout

Do you think you’re suited for a pit crew job?

NASCAR is welcoming current and former college athletes to try out Friday and Saturday in a Drive 4 Diversity Pit Crew Combine at TMS, located on the midway area outside the main concourse gates.

NASCAR has already recruited TCU and SMU student-athletes, and others are welcome.

This is an opportunity for athletes to learn about transitioning to another sport, as well as take part in drills, such as a pit stop sequence.

Briefly

▪ Reigning Firestone 600 winner Ed Carpenter on returning to Texas: “I am really looking forward to getting back. The team had a tough month of May, so I am ready to go out and build some momentum to finish the season strong.”

▪ NASCAR Truck Series driver Tyler Young is returning to his “home” track. The Midland native is fresh off a career-best 10th-place finish last weekend at Dover, and is looking to build upon his 15th-place run at TMS last fall.

▪ Truck driver John Wes Townley after finishing fifth at last year’s spring race at TMS: “I expect us to contend for a top-five and, hopefully, the win at Texas.”

This story was originally published June 4, 2015 at 9:15 PM with the headline "TMS notes: Truck champ Matt Crafton not focused on three-peat."