Dean Thompson

Dean Kenneth Thompson (born August 30, 2001) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. He has previously competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West.

Racing career Early career Thompson began racing at the age of five, racing quarter midgets at Orange Show Speedway. After taking a break from racing, he returned in 2018 to race late models at the age of 16. In 2019, he ran full-time in late models and got a win at Irwindale Speedway. In 2020 and 2021, he won the Irwindale Speedway LKQ Pick Your Part Late Model Championship with six wins and fourteen top-five finishes in 2020, and one win and thirteen top-fives in 2021. He also won rookie of the year in the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series.

ARCA

In 2021, Thompson moved up to the ARCA Menards Series West, driving full-time for High Point Racing, the team he drove for in the Spears Southwest Tour in 2020. HPR also formed an alliance with Sunrise Ford Racing to help their team, as it was their first time fielding a car in the West Series. Thompson's best finish was second at Irwindale Speedway, winning the pole and leading most of the race, only to get passed after a late restart. He finished the year with two poles, one top-five, and two top-ten finishes.

NASCAR Truck Series 2022

On October 18, 2021, it was announced that Thompson would be driving for Niece Motorsports in the season-finale for the main ARCA Menards Series at Kansas Speedway as well as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season-finale at Phoenix Raceway. On November 2, Niece announced that Thompson would drive full-time for the team in the Truck Series in 2022. On April 1, 2023, Thompson was injured in a scary crash at Texas Motor Speedway during the SpeedyCash.com 250. It would result in him being transported by ambulance on a stretcher.

2024 On November 17, it was announced that Thompson will return to Tricon Garage for the 2024 season.

O'Reilly Auto Parts Series 2024

In 2024, Thompson would make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Charlotte, driving the No. 26 for Sam Hunt Racing. He made another start at Talladega late in the season, finishing 20th.

2025 On January 7, 2025, it was announced that Thompson would run full-time in the Xfinity Series for SHR in the 2025 season, driving the No. 26 car. He started the 2025 season with a 8th-place finish at Daytona. At Rockingham, Thompson scored the Stage 2 victory after flipping the stage on the pits, scoring the first career stage win for not only himself, but for his team, Sam Hunt Racing, as a whole. He finished the season 16th in points. He returned to SHR for 2026.

2026 He started his 2026 campaign with a 35th-place DNF at Daytona.

2027 On August 8, 2026, it was announced that Thompson will join Haas Factory Team in their new car.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

O'Reilly Auto Parts Series NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Pts Ref 2024 Sam Hunt Racing 26 Toyota DAY ATL LVS PHO COA RCH MAR TEX TAL DOV DAR CLT34 PIR SON IOW NHA NSH CSC POC IND MCH DAY DAR ATL GLN BRI KAN TAL20 ROV LVS HOM MAR PHO 99th 01 2025 DAY8 ATL35 COA18 PHO38 LVS15 HOM13 MAR6 DAR18 BRI10 CAR11 TAL18 TEX27 CLT5 NSH33 MXC12 POC17 ATL11 CSC14 SON18 DOV16 IND10 IOW31 GLN13 DAY7 PIR32 GTW16 BRI12 KAN10 ROV35 LVS28 TAL29 MAR8 PHO17 16th 690 2026 DAY35 ATL11 COA26 PHO25 LVS31 DAR21 MAR7 CAR28 BRI24 KAN11 TAL6 TEX16 GLN35 DOV20 CLT14 NSH14 POC13 COR28 SON28 CHI17 ATL14 IND21 IOW8 DAY27 DAR GTW BRI LVS CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM -* -*

Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Pts Ref 2021 Niece Motorsports 44 Chevy DAY DRC LVS ATL BRD RCH KAN DAR COA CLT TEX NSH POC KNX GLN GTW DAR BRI LVS TAL MAR PHO21 73rd 16 2022 40 DAY36 LVS11 ATL34 COA29 MAR36 BRD16 DAR15 KAN22 TEX29 CLT28 GTW14 SON24 KNX23 NSH14 MOH27 POC24 IRP29 RCH35 KAN23 BRI32 TAL34 HOM23 PHO21 23rd 279 2023 Tricon Garage 5 Toyota DAY36 LVS16 ATL30 COA35 TEX28 BRD12 MAR21 KAN32 DAR9 NWS35 CLT3 GTW34 NSH33 MOH33 POC8 RCH25 IRP32 MLW15 KAN15 BRI35 TAL3 HOM16 PHO7 20th 370 2024 DAY24 ATL10 LVS30 BRI23 COA9 MAR33 TEX16 KAN8 DAR29 NWS27 CLT9 GTW14 NSH28 POC9 IRP9 RCH32 MLW19 BRI14 KAN13 TAL32 HOM15 MAR17 PHO15 16th 469

Season still in progress Ineligible for series points

ARCA Menards Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA Menards Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pts Ref 2021 High Point Racing 51 Ford DAY PHO15 TAL KAN TOL CLT MOH POC ELK BLN IOW WIN GLN MCH ISF MLW DSF BRI SLM 56th 65 Niece Motorsports 40 Chevy KAN8 2023 Venturini Motorsports 25 Toyota DAY PHO TAL KAN2 KAN8 BRI SLM TOL 24th 199 15 CLT2 BLN ELK POC4 MCH IRP GLN ISF MLW DSF 55 MOH10 IOW 2024 DAY PHO TAL DOV KAN3 IRP9 SLM ELK MCH ISF MLW7 DSF GLN BRI5 KAN TOL 24th 183 20 CLT7 IOW MOH BLN

ARCA Menards Series East ARCA Menards Series East results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pts Ref 2024 Venturini Motorsports 55 Toyota FIF DOV NSV FRS IOW IRP9 MLW7 BRI5 21st 111

ARCA Menards Series West ARCA Menards Series West results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pts Ref 2021 High Point Racing 51 Ford PHO15 SON6 IRW2* CNS11 IRW PIR LVS14 AAS17 PHO22 13th 225 2022 Niece Motorsports 40 Chevy PHO IRW KCR PIR SON15 IRW EVG PIR AAS LVS PHO 59th 29 2023 Venturini Motorsports 20 Toyota PHO IRW KCR PIR SON IRW SHA EVG AAS LVS MAD PHO2 39th 42