User blog:Ajaxcupseries/The 2024 Craftsman Field May Be the BEST in Series History

The Fallon Corner - February 2024

Multiple former series champions, three former Ajax Cup Series drivers, seven 4 star prospects or above, and eight former race winners all competing in one field.

Add in that six of the eight organizations fielding cars this season have won races in the series this decade, the equipment that these drivers will be in should be relatively equal unless the Ford Development Program figures things out early and runs away from the competition.

This may be a controversial statement, but by the end of this write up I’m sure you’ll be convinced just as much as I am that this 2024 Craftsman Series driver lineup is easily the most competitive we’ve ever seen in the lower leagues.

Lets take a look at some of the already established veterans and names you will get to know very soon that will likely duke it out for this year’s championship:

Title Favorites

 * 1) #9 Colin Ward | Age: 22 | Prospect Rating: *****

ASCA Career Achievements: 2023 Craftsman Series Champion, 3 Craftsman wins

You can’t start this list without bringing up the reigning series champion coming off arguably the greatest rookie season any driver has put together in ASCA history.

Coming from dirt to pavement full time last year, many expected the South Bend native’s transition to stock car racing to be much more rocky than it turned out to be.

Instead, Ward only managed to win three out of the first seven races, finish in the top 10 in all but one race, and score the second least amount of points of any champion in series history.

As he now becomes the first series champion since Randle Woods in 2007 with the opportunity to defend his crown, there’s no doubt Colin Ward will enter this season as the odds on favorite to repeat until proven otherwise.

2. #12 Sean Wooden | Age: 34

ASCA Career Achievements: 2010 Craftsman Series Champion, 2 Ajax Cup wins, 10 Craftsman wins

The most experienced full time entrant in the field, Sean Wooden came oh so close to becoming the first multi time champ in series history with a historic second half of 2023, only to be beaten out by four points in the end.

Now entering his fourth season with the Ford Development Program as well as his mid 30’s, Wooden knows that Father Time likely won’t be on his side for much longer and this may very well be his last real shot at a championship.

In his first three years behind the wheel of the No. 12, Wooden has finished 2nd, 4th, and 2nd in the final standings. You’d be foolish to believe he won’t be right back up there competing for a title in 2024.

3. #98 Graham Daugherty (R) | Age: 18 | Prospect Rating: *****

ASCA Career Achievements: 2023 ASCA Next Class Member, 1 Craftsman win

Being the youngest driver in ASCA history to win a race, you can bet the hype surrounding Graham Daugherty entering his rookie season has been quite enormous, with many already comparing him to Diego Orkedi and Laquon Scransen as the sport’s next young superstar.

When you consider the team he’s stepping into as well, that’s not necessarily a hot take either as the Ford Development Program has been far and away the team to beat since 2016.

With the equipment that he’ll be in and the mentorship from a seasoned veteran like Sean Wooden to boot, its hard not to think Daugherty won’t be a title contender this season.

4. #11 Marcus Edwards | Age: 21 | Prospect Rating: ****

ASCA Career Achievements: 2021 ASCA Next Class Member, 1 Craftsman win

While his stats from last year may not have been the most gaudy, context is important when it comes to evaluating Marcus Edwards’ 2023 campaign.

When you consider the fact that he was in much worse equipment driving the outdated Camaro model compared to his fellow championship contenders, that makes his drive from 12th to victory lane in the season finale at Belltown that much more impressive.

Now on a level playing field with everyone else, Edwards should absolutely be in the mix as a title favorite for this upcoming campaign.

Rising Hotshot Prospects

 * 1) #8 Toby Beckett | Age: 20 | Prospect Rating: ****

ASCA Career Achievements: 2022 ASCA Next Class Member, 1 Craftsman win

While Toby Beckett was nowhere near the level of his title winning rookie teammate performance wise, there’s no taking away his relatively solid maiden campaign along with the free Tinder Plus received courtesy of his win at West Virginia.

The 20 year old is a dark horse championship contender nobody is really talking about, as at Ronnie Woods Motorsports the equipment is always there to go on a title run. Its ultimately up to Beckett to take the next step in his development to get the job done.

2. #02 Danny Bradford (R) | Age: 21 | Prospect Rating: ****

ASCA Career Achievements: 2023 ASCA Next Class Member

In a total last minute effort that still remains up in the air whether or not the No. 02 team will be fully assembled in time for Speedweeks, Jimmy Hood was so desperate to get Danny Bradford into one of his rides this season that he’d pull whatever strings it would take to get the job done.

The Tulsa native is completely unproven in the big leagues with zero career starts to date, but ASCA scouts have given him a four star prospect rating for a reason - there’s a good chance we find out why this season.

3. #18 Dustin Adams (R) | Age: 21 | Prospect Rating: ***

ASCA Career Achievements: 2023 ASCA Next Class Member

Arguably the biggest surprise from a part time prospect last season not named Graham Daugherty was the performance of Dustin Adams in his two starts behind the wheel of the No. 19.

At both Disney and Advocare, Adams ran up inside the top 5 all afternoon long, even quietly bringing home a 3rd place finish in the Body Armor 125 during what was a down year for Michael White Racing.

The 21 year old rookie has proven himself as a worthy successor to Braeden Bennett, and has the potential to turn a lot of heads if he can keep up his performance from last year.

Veteran Stalwarts

 * 1) #08 Adam Petty Jr. | Age: 27

ASCA Career Achievements: 1 Craftsman Series win

Last season was easily Adam Petty Jr’s best in the ASCA to date, reaching victory lane for the first time in the sport’s top two divisions and flashing some of the potential many thought he would show at Snoots Enterprises years ago.

While the Craftsman playing field won’t be so heavily slanted in Hood Motorsports’ favor in 2024 with all the Chevrolet teams having access to the new Camaro, Petty has something that a lot of his competition greatly lacks - experience.

That might very well be the difference for the former Cup driver down the stretch to make a run at a title if Colin Ward and Sean Wooden both happen to take a step back from their historic campaigns a year ago.

2. #0 Nick Painter | Age: 25

ASCA Career Achievements: 2017 ASCA Next Class Member, 1 Craftsman Series win

Who would’ve thought that ASCA team owners would be turning to the Tico Bowden Motorsports cupboard of prospects when it comes to finding their next elite level driver?

With the results that Norm Lester and reigning Cup champion Cameron Atwood have put up in much more competitive equipment, Kirk Autosport thought they’d give Nick Painter his big break to prove it was TBM, not his talent, for why he failed in Cup.

It remains how the three time Cup Series Most Popular Driver will do, but with the No. 0 having Ronnie Woods Motorsports equipment the expectation is that he’ll be right in the mix in the championship fight.

3. #20 Tommy Woods | Age: 24 | Prospect Rating: **

ASCA Career Achievements: 1 Craftsman Series win

Can you believe Tommy Woods is now entering his SEVENTH Craftsman Series campaign in 2024?

He may not be the most savvy veteran on the grid this season and certainly doesn’t have the pedigree of the others, but that doesn’t mean Woods hasn’t been a championship contender when things go his way (2020 and 2022 ring a bell).

Also considering the younger brother of multi time Cup champion Randle Woods is in Michael White Racing equipment, if Woods can have one of his “on” seasons, with his experience he could very well be a dark horse title threat.

With all these incredible talents in the field backed up by being behind the wheel of competitive equipment, its truly a toss up on who will take home the 2024 Craftsman Series championship.

However, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I’ll take Colin Ward to become the first repeat champion in series history.

Either way, don’t be surprised if ANY of the 10 names listed take home the grand prize come June 18th at Belltown Speedpark!