Dean Thompson will drive the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra full-time for Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025, the team announced Tuesday.
Thompson, 23, raced full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2022 as a member of Niece Motorsports and most recently with Tricon Garage from 2023 to 2024. Thompson has two top fives and 11 top 10s in 70 races with the two organizations. Thompson also recorded two Xfinity starts with SHR in 2024, finishing 34th at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and 20th at Talladega Superspeedway in October.
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“I am very excited to join the Sam Hunt Racing group and continue to pursue my dreams in NASCAR,” Thompson said in a press release. “The team made me feel at home after the two races we shared last year. Everything worked out well for us, and we are both in a place where we could accommodate each other’s needs to contribute to our growth as a race team and driver. I’m lucky to have the opportunity to reach a new milestone that most can only dream of reaching, and I’m grateful to share it with such an amazing group of people.
Thompson, a native of Anaheim, California, began racing at age 5 and made stock car racing his career at age 16. Thompson quickly rose through the racing ranks, winning the Irwindale Late Model Track championship and the California state title in 2020. After being named Southwest Tour Series Rookie of the Year, Thompson took action ARCA Menards Series West in 2021, where he logged nine races and totaled one top five and two top 10s to go along with two pole positions.
Sam Hunt Racing has competed in the rotation of 10 different pilots.
“We are all excited to welcome Dean to the SHR family to grow full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025,” said Sam Hunt, owner of Sam Hunt Racing, in a press release. “He is extremely tough, has a great personality and works hard behind the scenes to make the most of his opportunities. Like any beginner, Dean understands the challenge ahead of him, but he is fully committed to becoming a well-rounded, mature racing driver who can put himself in a position to succeed every week. Our goals are aligned and we are ready to get to work.
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Thompson Pipe Group, MCM Transportation and Assured Partners have partnered with SHR to support Thompson’s 2025 efforts. Additional information on the partnership, in addition to more details on entry #24, will be announced at a later date .
The 2025 Xfinity Series begins Feb. 15 at Daytona International Speedway (5 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
