Dean Kenneth Thompson (born August 30, 2001) is an American professional

stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...

driver. He competes full-time in the

NASCAR Xfinity Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level NASCAR Cup Series, Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a Undercard, support ...

, driving the No. 26

Toyota GR Supra The Toyota GR Supra (model code J29/DB or A90/A91 for marketing purposes) is a sports car produced by Toyota since 2019. The fifth-generation Toyota Supra, Supra, the GR Supra was sold under and developed by Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) brand in ...

for

Sam Hunt Racing Sam Hunt Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, fielding the No. 26 Toyota Supra full-time for Dean Thompson (racing driver), Dean Thompson and the No. 24 part-time for mul ...

. He has previously competed in the

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock car racing, s ...

ARCA Menards Series The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car racing, stock car series, the premier division of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). It is considered a minor, semi-professional league of stock car racing, used as a feeder series into ...

, and

ARCA Menards Series West The ARCA Menards Series West, formerly the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, NASCAR AutoZone West Series, NASCAR Winston West Series, NASCAR Winston Transcontinental Series and NASCAR Camping World West Series, is a regional stock car racing series ow ...

Racing career

Thompson began racing at the age of 5, racing quarter midgets at

Orange Show Speedway Orange Show Speedway is a race track in San Bernardino, California. It is a in length. Opened in 1947, it is said to be the longest continually running racetrack in the west coast of United States of America The United States of America ...

. After taking a break from racing, he returned in 2018 to race

late models Late Model stock car racing, also known as late model racing and late models, refers to a type of auto racing that involves purpose-built cars simultaneously racing against each other primarily on oval tracks. This type of racing was early-on ...

at the age of 16. In 2019, he ran full-time in late models and got a win at

Irwindale Speedway } Irwindale is a city in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California. The population was 1,472 at the 2020 census, 1,422 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Codes serving the area are 91010, which is shared with Duarte, 91702, which i ...

. In 2020 and 2021, he won the Irwindale Speedway LKQ Pick Your Part Late Model Championship with 6 wins and 14 top 5 finishes in 2020, and one win and 13 top fives in 2021. He also won rookie of the year in the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series. In 2021, Thompson moved up to the

, 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 2nd 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 5, and two top 10 finishes. On October 18, 2021, it was announced that Thompson would be driving for

Niece Motorsports Niece Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Owned by Al Niece, it currently fields the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado full-time for Matt Mills (racing driver), Matt ...

in the season-finale for the main

Kansas Speedway Kansas Speedway (formerly known as Kansas International Speedway in initial planning and construction stages) is a tri-oval Oval track racing#Intermediate, intermediate speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. The track, since its inaugural season of ...

as well as the

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock cars. The series i ...

season-finale at

Phoenix Raceway Phoenix Raceway (formerly known as ISM Raceway from 2018–2020, Phoenix International Raceway from 1964–1973 and 1976–2017, and FasTrack International Speedway from 1973–1976) is a Oval track racing#Unique shapes, dogleg oval track in A ...

. On November 2, Niece announced that Thompson would drive full-time for the team in the Truck Series in 2022. Although the team did not announce his number in that announcement, it was expected that he would continue to drive the No. 44, but with

Kris Wright Kristofer Cole Wright (born July 17, 1994) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet SS for Our Motorsports. He has also previously competed in sports car ...

having been announced to drive the No. 44 full-time in 2022, Thompson would drive the No. 40 truck, replacing

Ryan Truex Ryan Matthew Truex (born March 18, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. As a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing in t ...

. On December 5, 2022,

Tricon Garage Tricon Garage, formerly known as David Gilliland Racing, DGR-Crosley, and Team DGR, is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in early 2017 ...

announced that Thompson will drive their No. 5 truck full-time in the 2023 season. On April 1, 2023, Thompson was injured in a scary crash at

Texas Motor Speedway Texas Motor Speedway (formerly known as Texas International Raceway from September to December 1996) is a quad-oval Oval track racing#Intermediate, intermediate speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. It has hosted various major races since its inaugura ...

during the SpeedyCash.com 250. It would result in him being transported by ambulance on a stretcher. On November 17, it was announced that Thompson will return to Tricon Garage for the 2024 season. In 2024, Thompson would make his

debut at Charlotte, driving the No. 26 for

. He made another start at Talladega late in the season, finishing 20th. On January 7, 2025, it was announced that Thompson will run full-time in the Xfinity Series for SHR in the 2025 season, driving the No. 26 car. On April 19 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,

, as a whole.

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.)

Xfinity Series

Craftsman Truck Series

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 East

ARCA Menards Series West

References

External links

*
Official profile at Sam Hunt Racing
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Dean 2001 births Living people Sportspeople from Anaheim, California NASCAR drivers ARCA Menards Series drivers Racing drivers from California 21st-century American sportsmen