Throughout the three decades of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ThorSport Racing has become one of the series’ most successful teams, doing so away from the hustle and bustle of Charlotte, North Carolina, widely considered the hub for NASCAR teams.
This season, ThorSport Racing will have two drivers representing them in the NASCAR Truck Series championship fight, with defending champion Ty Majeski (No. 98) and first-time post-season contender Jake Garcia (No. 98) both earning a spot via their points position.
At 20 years old, Garcia is the youngest of the ten drivers in contention for this season’s ultimate prize, but will have to defeat some strong candidates to hoist the championship trophy on the main stage at Phoenix Raceway come November.
In his third full-time campaign in the NASCAR Truck Series, Garcia has shown some signs of being able to contend for victories, finishing inside the top-five at Martinsville and Rockingham, as well as boasting a career-high average finish of 12.5 throughout the opening 18 events of 2025.
Despite his inexperience (relative to most of the other post-season contenders), Garcia has a great deal of knowledge available at his fingertips, courtesy of his three championship-winning teammates, who between them have combined for six titles and 28 victories in the NASCAR Truck Series.
“There is certainly a championship pedigree at ThorSport. We’ve got a really strong team. I’m the only full-time driver that hasn’t won a championship, so I think there’s some pressure that comes along with that, too, entering the playoffs, and to get a championship. That way, you’re not the odd man out anymore.”
“I think I can rely on my teammates, Matt Crafton and Ben Rhodes, and Ty [Majeski] as well, for some advice going into this deal because they’ve been in this situation before and I haven’t. So, I’ll use a little bit of their help. Some of my guys have been on championship teams as well, so I think that will all play into our advantage entering these playoffs.”
However, aside from the little bit of pressure that comes from trying to continue the ongoing legacy of ThorSport Racing in the NASCAR Truck Series, there isn’t any pressure on him courtesy of making the Playoffs.
“I don’t know that there’s any pressure with being with the 10 best drivers in the Truck Series. I think the pressure is off now because we made it here and now, we don’t have to compete with 30 other guys,” Garcia claimed. “You’re just competing against 10. I think there certainly are some really strong drivers and really strong teams in the playoffs, so I think it will be important to be at the top of our game coming into this because I think any mistakes can cost you moving onto the next round.”
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs are set to kick off this afternoon (Saturday, August 30) at Darlington Raceway, a racetrack where Garcia thinks he and his ThorSport Racing team have a solid shot at running well, considering his past experiences.
“I think the big one for me is going to be Darlington. I feel like that’s a place that I’ve been strong at the last two years, and so I think if there’s one track I had to pick that I think is a good one for us, it would be Darlington,” said Garcia when evaluating tracks in the Playoffs.
Garcia will look to collect his first career victory in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the Sober or Slammer 200 at Darlington, while also looking to advance his bid at becoming the 2025 champion of the NASCAR Truck Series.
Coverage of the event will begin at Noon ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
