Dean Thompson is set to return to the No. 5 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage for the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, the organization announced on Monday.
The Anaheim, California native is approaching the conclusion of his first season with the organization, and his second full-time campaign in the NASCAR Truck Series — the first of which was contested with Niece Motorsports in 2022.
“I’m thrilled to get back with the guys at TRICON next year. We have a chip on our shoulder and are hungry for a playoff run,” said Thompson. “My team has had my back all year and I’m excited to continue this journey with them. We have some unfinished business.”
For the 22-year-old driver, the current season has been hit-or-miss, with Thompson scoring a pair of third-place finishes at Charlotte and Talladega, as well as four top-10 finishes. However, the bright spots have been accompanied by some poor results, with the No. 5 Toyota recording a total of 10 DNFs in 22 starts.
“Dean has taken a huge leap in his development this season. He’s had several strong runs, instilling confidence in us that he will continue to grow as a driver at this level,” said TRICON Partner David Gilliland. “He brings a lot of character and energy to the team, and we’re happy he’ll have a home at TRICON for another year.”
For 2024, Thompson will be reunited with regular-season champion Corey Heim, who was announced last week to be returning to the No. 11 Toyota Tundra for TRICON Garage, the entry in which he has collected three victories this season.
Details surrounding personnel on the No. 5, as well as the remainder of TRICON Garage’s driver lineup for the 2024 NASCAR Truck Series season, will be announced at a later date.
