Dean Thompson to join Haas Factory Team as O’Reilly program expands for 2027

Dean Thompson will join Haas Factory Team to compete in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2027 as the team expands to three full-time entries next season, the team announced Saturday at Iowa Speedway. Thompson will move to the Chevrolet-powered program in a departure from Toyota's Sam Hunt Racing, which he joined full-time ahead of the 2025 season. Through 57 career O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races, Thompson has one top five and 10 top-10 finishes, earning a career-best finish of fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2025. Thompson Pipe Group and MCM Transportation will serve as Thompson's primary partners throughout the 2027 season, Haas Factory Team said. MORE: O'Reilly Auto Parts Series standings Ahead of Saturday's race at Iowa Speedway (5 p.m. ET, The CW, ESPN Unlimited, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Thompson sits 18th in the points standings with two top 10s, including a season-best sixth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway in April. "I’m thrilled to join Haas Factory Team as the next step in my NASCAR journey," Thompson said in a team release. "I am looking forward to competing for wins and a championship with support from MCM Transportation and Thompson Pipe Group." Haas Factory Team currently fields the No. 00 Chevrolet for driver Sheldon Creed and the No. 41 Chevrolet for Sam Mayer. Creed earned his first career win in February at EchoPark Speedway and sits fourth in the standings, locked into the 12-driver Chase field with two races remaining in the regular season. Mayer is 10th, 29 points above the cutline entering Iowa, where he has won each of the last two races. The car number, crew chief and additional details for Thompson's 2027 team will be announced at a later date, according to the team. "We're excited to welcome Dean to Haas Factory Team. He has shown strong progression throughout his time in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and we believe he will compete at the highest level," Joe Custer, president of Haas Factory Team, said in a team release. "Along with our growing affiliate program, the addition of a third full-time entry continues to strengthen our organization." In addition to his two O'Reilly Auto Parts Series campaigns, Thompson also competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series full time from 2022 through 2024, driving Chevrolets at Niece Motorsports in 2022 before pivoting to Tricon Garage's Toyotas in 2023.