In 2018, ThorSport Racing switched to Ford after spending six years with Toyota, only to return to the latter in 2021. After two seasons, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team has rejoined the Blue Oval for 2023.
“With twenty-eight years in the Truck Series, we look forward to the partnership with Ford Performance in NASCAR,” said team owner Duke Thorson. “Our pursuit of wins and championships remains at the forefront of our objectives.”
Despite only spending three years with Ford, ThorSport won the 2019 championship with Matt Crafton. It was their third of four total titles in the Truck Series, with the other three—most recently in 2021 with Ben Rhodes—coming with Toyota.
ThorSport raced with Chevrolet prior to 2012, meaning they have used all three current manufacturers.
As part of their new alliance, ThorSport also claims dibs on Ford Performance’s driver development programme. As such, Hailie Deegan has joined the team after spending the last three years with David Gilliland Racing. She finished twenty-first in the 2022 standings with two top tens while winning Most Popular Driver.
“I really didn’t know what to expect until I got here and it’s really been more than I could have dreamed of, everything that I’ve wanted,” said Deegan on Thursday. “It’s been more than that, exceeding my expectations. Just to meet everyone here, there are so many great people, just an abundance of quality people working at this place. There are so many people that care and care about your racing, care about your career and your success. They truly care about their driver and I think I just feel that already after being here for twenty-four hours. I feel so comfortable and so accepted, and I think that’s a great feeling to have as a new driver going anywhere.
“I think there’s been so much success in the past with Ford and ThorSport’s relationship that bringing them back together, I feel like it’s a good move. There’s a lot of similar qualities as organisations and companies themselves that are on the same level. They give off the same vibes and you kind of get the same feeling from it, so I think Ford and ThorSport being together is a match made in heaven.”
On the flip side, DGR makes the switch from Ford to Toyota—while also rebranding to TRICON Garage—after previously being with the latter. Ford will have two main teams in 2023 in ThorSport and champion Front Row Motorsports, while AM Racing joins the camp from Chevrolet but is focusing mainly on the Xfinity Series.
“We’re really excited about rejoining with ThorSport,” added Ford Performance racing director Mark Rushbrook. “Racing is part of who we are as a company and to represent us on the track we want to have the best partners, the best teams, the best people and ThorSport has definitely demonstrated that while they were with us and what they’ve done in recent years with the success they’ve had, so we’re excited to be rejoining forces. There are a lot of familiar faces there and we were really happy to have that conversation with Duke to go in this direction and looking forward to what we can do together in 2023.”
Crafton, Rhodes, and Ty Majeski remain with the team in the #88, #98, and #66, respectively. Majeski reached the Championship Round in 2022.
