“I don’t regret it at all” - Dean Thompson looks back on his NASCAR journey so far

NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie Dean Thompson recently reflected on his rise through the junior racing categories, admitting he has no regrets about making the quick jump from Late Models to ARCA to Trucks. The 23-year-old is competing for Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year honors against a competitive field this season.

Thompson started racing at the age of five alongside Cole Custer before taking a long hiatus from motorsports. A visit to Auto Club Speedway reignited his passion for stock car racing, and he began racing Late Models. After racking up championships at Irwindale Speedway, he stepped up to the ARCA West Series in 2021.

The Anaheim, California native made the jump to the NASCAR Truck Series in 2022, driving for Niece Motorsports. He spent the previous two seasons with Tricon Garage before opting to race in the Xfinity Series this year, with Sam Hunt Racing.

In his latest interview, Thompson revealed that he doesn't regret making the quick progression from Late Models to Trucks, as he insists diving into the deep end has accelerated his learning. He also added that he likes to get into the thick of it in the beginning. He told NASCAR.com:

"I would say that I moved up pretty quickly from late models to ARCA to trucks, but looking back on it, I don’t regret it at all. I feel like it’s better to get into it sooner rather than later. Just getting into the thick of it and diving into the deep end has helped me."

Dean Thompson has recorded two top-five results in his 70 starts in the Truck Series, but acknowledged that things never clicked for him in the third-tier series.

"When you’ve been working at Tricon for two years, been with Niece for a year and been in trucks for three years, it was time for a change in scenery. It wasn’t working for me. Sam and I build each other’s needs for this year," he added.

Team owner Sam Hunt expressed confidence in Dean Thompson, suggesting that the primary goals for his young racer are to mature and develop into a well-rounded driver. Thompson, meanwhile, is also keeping his expectations realistic, aiming to finish ahead of his starting position, run consistently in the top 10, and stay competitive in the rookie standings.

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Dean Thompson secures career-best result at Martinsville Speedway

Dean Thompson recorded his career-best Xfinity Series finish in the chaotic race at Martinsville Speedway last week. Despite spinning twice, he navigated the chaos in the final stage and the last-lap melee to secure a sixth-place result in the US Marine Corps 250.

Starting 12th on the grid for the 250-lap race, Thompson finished 10th in Stage 1. He was spun around in an incident midway through Stage 2 but avoided damage. He was spun a second time in the final stage, but charged through the field to finish sixth.

Dean Thompson insisted that the early spin helped him learn the limits of his #26 Toyota, and minimal damage helped him make his way to the front. He told Race Face.TV:

"I’m lucky to have spun – it sounds weird, but I’m lucky to have spun and not hit anything because I learned the limit. I’m pretty lucky to get out of there unscathed and get a good finish out of it."

Seven races into the 2025 season, Dean Thompson occupies 19th place in the overall driver standings. He heads to Darlington Raceway this weekend for the Sports Clips 200, scheduled for Saturday, April 5, at 3:30 p.m. ET.