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One of the biggest questions of the Craftsman Truck Series offseason has focused on Hailie Deegan‘s future and where she will race. Now a new report indicates she will join ThorSport Racing.
Lee Spencer of Racin Boys provided the report on December 6 as part of a larger story. She cited multiple sources who said that ThorSport Racing will return to the Ford Performance family after two seasons at Toyota Racing Development.
According to Spencer and FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, the expectation is that Deegan will take over the fourth entry if ThorSport moves to Ford Performance. She will join a partially-revamped lineup that will feature Ben Rhodes, Matt Crafton, and Ty Majeski all returning to their respective trucks.
ThorSport’s reported return to Ford Performance is a key detail. Deegan is under contract with the manufacturer, so she needed to find a Ford team to keep competing in one of the national NASCAR series.
Another Departure Created Conversations on December 6
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GettyHailie Deegan (front) races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The conversation took an interesting turn early on December 6. News surfaced that Christian Eckes would no longer drive for ThorSport Racing after he won a race in 2021 and reached the playoffs in 2022.
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing held a press conference and announced that Eckes will replace Derek Kraus in the team lineup. The New York native will drive the No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado while NAPA Auto Parts serves as his primary partner.
This change resulted in an open spot in the ThorSport Racing lineup. Deegan should now take over this entry while preparing for her third full-time Craftsman Truck Series season. This time, she will have support from the longest-running organization in the series, one that has multiple championships and 26 Truck Series wins.
ThorSport Racing Has Worked With Multiple Manufacturers
GettyMatt Crafton won a championship with Ford Performance.
ThorSport Racing has been active in the Craftsman Truck Series since the 1996 season when Terry Cook made three starts. A variety of drivers have since suited up for the team while representing multiple manufacturers.
ThorSport Racing was part of the Chevrolet family from 1996 all the way through the end of the 2011 season, which led to three wins. The team switched to Toyota Racing in 2012 and continued to represent the company until the end of the 2017 season.
ThorSport Racing and Toyota Racing achieved success together during this initial run. The team celebrated 13 total wins while Matt Crafton won back-to-back championships.
The 2018 season featured another change. ThorSport Racing switched over to Ford Performance, which kicked off a three-year partnership and led to Crafton’s third Truck Series championship in 2019. ThorSport Racing’s drivers also combined for five more wins.
In 2021, the championship-winning organization made yet another change. ThorSport reunited with Toyota Racing and kicked off another two-year run. Ben Rhodes used this partnership as an opportunity to win three more races and his first championship. Ty Majeski also capitalized and captured his first two career wins.
The expectation is that Deegan will now join the list of drivers that have represented both ThorSport Racing and Ford Performance. Though the team has yet to confirm the multiple reports.
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