The checkered flag waved at Phoenix Raceway, and cheers erupted from the sidelines. After all, Corey Heim had secured the Truck Series championship, with a record 12 wins in the NASCAR Truck Series. But further down the grid, the mood was far from upbeat. A 49-year-old NASCAR veteran, who was competing in his very last race, was fuming. The anger was directed towards the sanctioning body, primarily for the state of racing in the sports’ third tier.

This NASCAR veteran has seen it all, having spent 25 consecutive seasons in the Truck Series. And while he was racing for nothing but pride at the 1-mile oval, it’s fair to say that the emotions were running high for the three-time champ.

ThorSports’ veteran calls out the flaw in the Truck Series

When asked what type of race track he would like to race on, Matt Crafton delivered a bold answer. He said, “I mean, I would say anywhere I use two feet, you actually use. I mean, cause a lot, a lot of these racetracks go to a mile and a half. I mean, in all seriousness, I mean, you put a monkey in them, they can drive them. It’s pathetic what NASCAR’s done to the Truck Series is they got too much downforce, not enough motor, and you try to talk to them about it.”

There’s no doubt that Crafton’s critique centers on the current aero as well as downforce package, track selections, and how the racing style in the truck series has shifted. For a driver who won the 2013, 2014, and 2019 Truck Series, the champion has definitely seen a change, and not for the good.

There have been documented moves in NASCAR to modify aero packages because of issues with too much downforce. For example, in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023, NASCAR confirmed it would reduce downforce at short tracks and road courses with a shorter spoiler and removal of certain diffuser strakes to give the trailing cars a better chance. But that didn’t come through on the veterans’ race today.

Crafton sees the evolution of the series from a driver-led, mechanical-skill-heavy platform to one more about aero, track design, and horsepower. He believes the series used to reward braking, throttle modulation, lifting off corners, and outright driver input, and now he feels that too many tracks and setups have been produced.

The technical and aerodynamic rules have shifted too far toward downforce, and the setups have become mired in ‘drive around’ style racing rather than wheel-to-wheel competition.

The California native couldn’t help but add, “I’ll probably get in trouble for it, but they just, they have their opinions on stuff, and it’s not really fun racing when you run around a mile and 1/2 and most of the time you’re wide open. I want to be able to use two feet where you can lift, and I should use brakes and and the driver makes a difference.”

And as for his race, it was quite decent. Crafton started his final track series raised from 25th place on the grid. Despite the challenging start, he steadily worked his way through the field, but finished outside the top-10 in Stages 1 and 2. By the end of the race, he managed to recover and bring his truck home in 13th place, a respectable finish to close out his long and decorated career, as Heim takes the title. But the 49-year-old isn’t calling it quits just yet.

Matt Crafton provides a big update post-retirement announcement

The three-time truck series champion will certainly step away from full-time competition after this year. Matt Crafton has enjoyed an illustrious career, but the question remains about whether he will completely step away from the sport after his final run in the No. 88 Ford at Phoenix.

As reported by Jayski, Crafton clarified that he’s not calling it a full retirement and plans to make occasional one-off starts. It is reassuring for fans to know that he’ll still have a presence in NASCAR, even if not on a full-time basis. ThorSport Racing, his longtime team, would naturally be the ideal fit for those future part-time appearances.

Crafton said of the Hall of Fame mentions, “Let the cards fall and we‘ll see what happens. Just happy to do what I get to do and happy to do what I’ve done.” But with no concrete schedule in place, the NASCAR fans will have to be patient as the 2026 season rolls off soon enough.