Dean Thompson (racing driver)

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Dean Thompson
Thompson at Daytona International Speedway in 2023
BornDean K. Thompson
(2001-08-30) August 30, 2001 (age 22)
Anaheim, California, U.S.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
52 races run over 4 years
Truck no., teamNo. 5 (Tricon Garage)
2023 position20th
Best finish20th (2023)
First race2021 Lucas Oil 150 (Phoenix)
Last race2024 SpeedyCash.com 250 (Texas)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 7 0
ARCA Menards Series career
7 races run over 2 years
Best finish56th (2021)
First race2021 General Tire 150 (Phoenix)
Last race2023 Sioux Chief Fast Track 150 (Kansas)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 6 1
ARCA Menards Series West career
9 races run over 2 years
Best finish13th (2021)
First race2021 General Tire 150 (Phoenix)
Last race2022 General Tire 200 (Sonoma)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 2 2

Dean K. Thompson (born August 30, 2001) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 5 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage. He has previously competed in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series West.

Racing career[edit]

Thompson's car at All American Speedway in 2021
Thompson's No. 40 truck at Sonoma Raceway in 2022
Thompson's No. 5 truck at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024.

Thompson began racing at the age of 5, 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 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.[1]

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.[2] 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 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.[3] On November 2, Niece announced that Thompson would drive full-time for the team in the Truck Series in 2022.[1] 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 having been announced to drive the No. 44 full-time in 2022, Thompson would drive the No. 40 truck, replacing Ryan Truex. On December 5, 2022, Tricon Garage announced that Thompson will drive their No. 5 truck full-time in the 2023 season.[4] 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. On November 17, it was announced that Thompson will return to Tricon Garage for the 2024 season.[5]

Motorsports career results[edit]

NASCAR[edit]

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

Craftsman Truck Series[edit]

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 NCTC 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 PHO
21
73rd 16 [6]
2022 40 DAY
36
LVS
11
ATL
34
COA
29
MAR
36
BRD
16
DAR
15
KAN
22
TEX
29
CLT
28
GTW
14
SON
24
KNX
23
NSH
14
MOH
27
POC
24
IRP
29
RCH
35
KAN
23
BRI
32
TAL
34
HOM
23
PHO
21
23rd 279 [7]
2023 Tricon Garage 5 Toyota DAY
36
LVS
16
ATL
30
COA
35
TEX
28
BRD
12
MAR
21
KAN
32
DAR
9
NWS
35
CLT
3
GTW
34
NSH
33
MOH
33
POC
8
RCH
25
IRP
32
MLW
15
KAN
15
BRI
35
TAL
3
HOM
16
PHO
7
20th 370 [8]
2024 DAY
24
ATL
10
LVS
30
BRI
23
COA
9
MAR
33
TEX
16
KAN DAR NWS CLT GTW NSH POC IRP RCH MLW BRI KAN TAL HOM MAR PHO -* -* [9]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

ARCA Menards Series[edit]

(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 AMSC Pts Ref
2021 High Point Racing 51 Ford DAY PHO
15
TAL KAN TOL CLT MOH POC ELK BLN IOW WIN GLN MCH ISF MLW DSF BRI SLM 56th 65 [10]
Niece Motorsports 40 Chevy KAN
8
2023 Venturini Motorsports 25 Toyota DAY PHO TAL KAN
2
KAN
8
BRI SLM TOL 24th 199 [11]
15 CLT
2
BLN ELK POC
4
MCH IRP GLN ISF MLW DSF
55 MOH
10
IOW

ARCA Menards Series West[edit]

ARCA Menards Series West results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 AMSWC Pts Ref
2021 High Point Racing 51 Ford PHO
15
SON
6
IRW
2*
CNS
11
IRW PIR LVS
14
AAS
17
PHO
22
13th 225 [12]
2022 Niece Motorsports 40 Chevy PHO IRW KCR PIR SON
15
IRW EVG PIR AAS LVS PHO 59th 29 [13]
2023 Venturini Motorsports 20 Toyota PHO IRW KCR PIR SON IRW SHA EVG AAS LVS MAD PHO
2
39th 42 [14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Dean Thompson Joins the Niece Motorsports Lineup for a Full Time Effort in 2022". jayski.com. November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  2. ^ Srigley, Joseph (February 2, 2021). "Dean Thompson and High Point Racing Competing for ARCA West Championship in 2021". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  3. ^ "Dean Thompson to run Phoenix Truck race with Niece Motorsports". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. October 18, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  4. ^ Utter, Jim (December 5, 2022). "Dean Thompson joins Tricon Toyota NASCAR Truck program". Motorsport.com. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  5. ^ Srigley, Joseph (October 23, 2023). "Dean Thompson Returning for Second Season at TRICON Garage in 2024". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  6. ^ "Dean Thompson – 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  7. ^ "Dean Thompson – 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  8. ^ "Dean Thompson – 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  9. ^ "Dean Thompson – 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  10. ^ "Dean Thompson – 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  11. ^ "Dean Thompson – 2023 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  12. ^ "Dean Thompson – 2021 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "Dean Thompson – 2022 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  14. ^ "Dean Thompson – 2023 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 4, 2023.

External links[edit]