Matt Crafton Calls It Quits: Three-Time Truck Series Champion Hangs Up His Helmet After 2025

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is about to lose one of its most beloved veterans. Matt Crafton, the three-time champion who has been the heart and soul of ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 truck for over two decades, announced Monday that he’ll hang up his helmet after the 2025 season.

This news hits differently than your typical retirement announcement. We’re talking about a guy who’s been grinding it out in the truck series since 2001, back when some of today’s drivers were still in middle school. Matt Crafton isn’t just retiring from a job. He’s walking away from a legacy that spans 25 years of dedication, grit, and pure racing passion.

Matt Crafton’s Championship Legacy Speaks Volumes

Let’s get one thing straight. Matt Crafton isn’t just some journeyman driver looking for a graceful exit. This California native has three championship trophies sitting on his mantle from 2013, 2014, and 2019, respectively, making him the only driver in the 30-year history of the Craftsman Truck Series to win back-to-back titles.

Think about that for a minute. In a series where young hotshots come and go faster than pit crew members during a bad season, Matt Crafton has been the steady hand that other drivers measure themselves against. Fifteen wins, 135 top-five finishes, and 331 top-10s in 585 starts. Those aren’t just numbers, but they’re a testament to consistency. Crafton won a championship in 2019 without a single victory that season. Let that sink in. While everyone else was chasing checkered flags, Matt Crafton was collecting points and proving that it’s not always about winning the checkered flag.

The Menards Partnership That Rewrote NASCAR History

Now, let’s talk about something that’ll make your head spin. Matt Crafton and Menards have been joined at the hip since 2002. That’s 23 years of partnership, making it the longest-running driver and primary sponsor relationship in NASCAR history.

In a sport where sponsors drop drivers without warning and loyalty is rarer than a caution-free race at Talladega, Crafton and Menards stuck together through thick and thin. That orange and yellow paint scheme became as recognizable as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 or Richard Petty’s No. 43.

It’s the kind of partnership that modern NASCAR executives probably study in business school while wondering where other deals went wrong. Menards saw something special in this kid from Tulare, California, and boy, did that investment pay off. Three championships, countless wins, and brand recognition that money can’t buy, which is not a bad return on investment.

ThorSport Racing: The Perfect Marriage

Here’s something that’ll restore your faith in NASCAR team loyalty. Matt Crafton has driven for ThorSport Racing for 24 of his 25 full-time seasons. The only time he strayed was in 2004 when he took a ride with Kevin Harvick Inc., driving the No. 6 Chevrolet. But like a good country song, he came back home to ThorSport, and the rest is history. Duke and Rhonda Thorson didn’t just give Matt Crafton a ride, but they gave him a platform to build a legacy.

ThorSport isn’t some mega-team with unlimited resources. They’re the kind of blue-collar operation that represents what NASCAR used to be about, before corporate boardrooms started calling all the shots. The fact that Matt Crafton could win three championships with ThorSport Racing proves that sometimes, heart and determination beat deep pockets and fancy equipment. It’s a middle finger to everyone who thinks you need a Cup Series budget to win races.

Ty Majeski Steps into Big Shoes

Now, passing the torch to Ty Majeski isn’t precisely a shocking move. The 31-year-old defending series champion has been tearing up the truck series since joining ThorSport full-time in 2022. Six wins, 33 top-fives, and 54 top-10s in just three seasons? Majeski can drive, no question about it.

However, here’s the thing that gets overlooked. Majeski almost didn’t make it to this point. His NASCAR career could’ve been over in 2021 if the Thorson family hadn’t taken a chance on him. Now he’s defending a championship and stepping into the most iconic ride in truck series history. Talk about a comeback story that Hollywood couldn’t write better.

Matt Crafton himself had to be involved in this decision, and you can bet he’s not handing over those keys lightly when a three-time champion gives his blessing to your replacement, which carries weight. Majeski isn’t just inheriting a truck. He’s inheriting expectations, legacy, and the pressure to keep that No. 88 competitive.

The Current Season Reality Check

Let’s not sugarcoat Matt Crafton’s 2025 season. It’s been rougher than a Richmond short track. Sitting 16th in points and missing the playoffs stings, especially for a driver who made the postseason as recently as 2023. But you know what? Sometimes Father Time is undefeated, and even the most formidable competitors have to face that music.

The fact that Crafton is stepping away on his terms, rather than being pushed out by declining performance or sponsor issues, shows the class that has defined his entire career. He’s not clinging to the past or making excuses. He’s recognizing that it’s time for the next generation to take over, and there’s something refreshingly honest about that approach.

At 49 years old, Matt Crafton has nothing left to prove to anyone. He’s earned the right to go out with dignity, surrounded by the same people who believed in him when he was just another young driver trying to make it in NASCAR.

What Matt Crafton’s Retirement Means for NASCAR

When drivers like Matt Crafton retire, NASCAR loses more than just talent. It loses institutional knowledge, old-school values, and a connection to what this sport used to represent. This is a guy who came up through the ranks the hard way, earned everything he got, and never forgot where he came from.

The truck series won’t be the same without that familiar orange and yellow No. 88 with Matt Crafton behind the wheel. Sure, Majeski will keep the number competitive, but there’s something irreplaceable about watching an actual professional work his craft week after week, year after year.

Matt Crafton embodies the best of NASCAR, representing loyalty, consistency, professionalism, and the ability to maximize limited resources. In a sport that’s constantly changing and chasing the next shiny object, guys like Crafton remind us why we fell in love with racing in the first place.

Final Thoughts

So, here’s to Matt Crafton. Three-time champion, Menards lifer, and proof that sometimes the best stories are written by the guys who keep showing up and doing their job. The truck series is about to lose a legend, and frankly, we’re all a little poorer for it.