Small team, big results: Matt Crafton and ThorSport Racing are challenging the standout organizations in the truck series

Go ahead. Call Matt Crafton an underdog. He doesn't mind.

"We're running competitively with only eight full-time employees," he said.

After getting dumped last season by Kevin Harvick Inc. in favor of former Craftsman Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday, Crafton rejoined ThorSport Racing to drive the No. 88 Chevrolet.

He's currently seventh in points and has finished 99.5 percent of the possible laps. He finished 13th last Saturday at Nashville.

Not bad for a team based in Sandusky, Ohio, and competing without factory backing in an age in which the Big Three American manufacturers have stepped up their truck programs to compete with Toyota's.

"You don't have the group of people to pick from up here, but we have a small group of dedicated people at the core," says Crafton, who's 29 and was the 2000 NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series champion. "They work very hard, and no one complains about the hours. I think we're doing well for the lack of resources we have. These guys have a lot of heart."

The same eight men who rebuilt the entire fleet of trucks in the offseason at ThorSport are the men who pit the truck on race day. Crafton, who also drove full time for ThorSport from 2001-03, says that one disadvantage for the team is not enough hours for both fabricating trucks and pit crew practice.

This is Crafton's fifth full year in the truck series. He has received offers to drive in the Busch Series.

After finishing fifth in points last season, Crafton says, "I'll be happy finishing in the top 10 in points, but I won't be satisfied. We just need to go out and get our first win, and then the doors will open."

TSN's POWER POLL

1. Dennis Setzer Miracles happen, but it's time to engrave the Craftsman Truck Series trophy. Since taking over the points lead, the Morgan-Dollar team has been a potent front-runner.

2. Ted Musgrave

3. Bobby Hamilton

4. Ron Hornaday

[up arrow] 5. David Reutimann

[down arrow] 6. Jimmy Spencer

7. Terry Cook

8. Matt Crafton

9. Mike Skinner

10. Todd Bodine

INSIDE DISH

Keep an eye on Aric Almirola, 21, a second-year driver in Joe Gibbs Racing's diversity program who has been getting seat time in the No. 47 truck. In his second Craftsman Truck Series start, Almirola finished 10th at Indianapolis Raceway Park. He has benefited from the guidance of crew chief Randy Goss, who led Greg Biffle to titles in the truck and the Busch series. Don't be surprised if Almirola jumps into JGR's Busch program in the near future. * There has been no sophomore slump for David Reutimann, 35. Driving the No. 17 Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Tundra, Reutimann's victory last Saturday pushed him to sixth in the points standings, leading all Toyota drivers. In the past five races, Reutimann has an average finish of 3.6. Reutimann has a new teammate. Mike Wallace replaced Robert Huffman in the No. 12 truck. * Since crew chief Eric Phillips joined Dennis Setzer at the start of the season, the No. 46 team has been on a fast track to the title. Setzer has the most victories this season, four, and he leads second-place Ted Musgrave by 178 points. * Roush Racing did not expect the lukewarm results it has received since June from the No. 99 and Ricky Craven, who is ninth in points. Roush replaced crew chief John Monsam with shock specialist John Quinn last week. Quinn is the team's third chief this season. * Another recent change: Rick Ren replaced Greg Ely as crew chief for Johnny Benson, who drives the No. 23 Bill Davis Toyota. Ren started as crew chief for the No. 90 Robert Yates Racing Busch car, a job Todd Parrott has inherited.

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