NASCAR announced Friday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway that Craftsman will become the new entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Truck Series, as the brand will return to a role it served in for over a dozen years after the series was first formed. Craftsman first served as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series from its inaugural season in 1995 until 2008.
Craftsman takes over title sponsorship of the Truck Series from Camping World, which replaced Craftsman as the series' entitlement sponsor beginning in 2009. Camping World announced last month it would leave NASCAR at the end of the 2022 season.
In addition to title sponsorship of the Truck Series through the Craftsman brand, NASCAR also announced that Stanley Black & Decker has become the sport's official tool brand.
Back to where it all started.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 26, 2022
The NASCAR @craftsman Truck Series returns in 2023. pic.twitter.com/97lkViFRm2
"We celebrate the return of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with our customers, distribution partners and employees," read a statement by Doug Redpath, Stanley Black & Decker's president of hand tools, accessories and storage. "From proud homeowners and homebuilders to auto enthusiasts and master mechanics, Craftsman has been the brand generations have trusted to get the job done.
"The Truck Series represents authentic, bold and proud drivers and fans, which embody the same characteristics of our Craftsman brand. We look forward to our return in Daytona in 2023 to reunite with our loyal fans as we begin this new chapter in NASCAR history."
Craftsman's sponsorship of the Truck Series was integral to the formation of the series' identity, as taglines such as "Tough Trucks, Tough Racin'" set the tone for a division that quickly became a NASCAR fan favorite. Stars and champions of the Craftsman Truck Series included NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday, Mike Skinner, Jack Sprague, Ted Musgrave and the late Bobby Hamilton, among other cagey veterans and ascending young drivers on their way to Cup alike.
This year's Truck Series is currently two races into its playoffs, with Grant Enfinger and Chandler Smith having won the first two races of the Round of 10 to advance to the next round. Five races remain in the 2022 season, with the series' next race at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 9.
