Sam Hunt Racing Overview
Sam Hunt Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The organization fields the No. 26 Toyota Supra full time for Dean Thompson and the No. 24 full time for Harrison Burton. The team is based in Mooresville, North Carolina, and maintains Virginia roots from its original shop in Chester, Virginia. Sam Hunt is listed as owner and Allen Hart serves as technical director.
Founding and Organizational Origins
The team traces its origins to 2013 when it was founded as DRIVE Technology by Sam Hunt and Shayne Lockhart, a former driver turned crew chief. Early operations were built by acquiring assets from Joe Gibbs Racing’s ARCA Menards Series East No. 18 team, which closed after the 2012 season, and by securing sponsorship from the Denny Hamlin Foundation for several events.
Initial goals focused on establishing a regional stock car program and developing young drivers through part-time entries in the K&N Pro Series East. The organizational structure combined Hunt’s ownership with Lockhart’s on-track experience and drew on local Virginia personnel before later relocating primary race operations to North Carolina to access the motorsports infrastructure there.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
After several seasons in the K&N Pro Series East (now ARCA Menards Series East), the organization rebranded to Sam Hunt Racing and prepared for national-level competition. The team made its NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the 2019 season finale at Homestead–Miami Speedway with Colin Garrett driving, using Joe Gibbs Engines in the entry preparation.
To support the move into the Xfinity Series, Sam Hunt Racing expanded technical partnerships, eventually forming a relationship with Toyota Racing Development. The transition included incremental increases in race entries and shop investments to move from regional competition toward a sustained national program.
Sam Hunt Racing Competitive Journey
Sam Hunt Racing’s progression followed a conventional development path from regional series to the national Xfinity Series. The team built experience in the K&N Pro Series East through 2013–2019 and then established a full-time Xfinity presence beginning in 2020, gradually expanding driver rotations and technical collaborations.
Early Seasons and Development (2013–2019)
From its founding in 2013, DRIVE Technology ran the No. 18 in the K&N Pro Series East, often on a part-time schedule. Sam Hunt himself competed in multiple events and the organization enlisted a range of drivers including Sergio Peña, Peyton Sellers, Milka Duno, and Colin Garrett as it adjusted its program from full-season aspirations to selective entries based on sponsorship and resources.
The team operated out of a Virginia base in the early years and scaled back entries across 2014–2016 before stabilizing in later seasons. By 2018 Colin Garrett was running most of the schedule in the series, delivering consistent top-ten finishes and signaling the operation’s capability to move up to larger national series competition.
Breakthrough in NASCAR Xfinity Series (2019–2024)
Sam Hunt Racing took its first Xfinity Series step in 2019 at Homestead–Miami Speedway with Colin Garrett, then announced a broader Xfinity program for 2020. The No. 26 Toyota debuted in earnest with a mix of drivers across its first full Xfinity seasons, backed by a developing technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Engines and later Toyota Racing Development.
Across 2020–2022 the team employed a rotation of drivers in the No. 26 and introduced a second entry, the No. 24, for select events. Drivers such as Brandon Gdovic, John Hunter Nemechek, Kaz Grala, Jeffrey Earnhardt, and others delivered the team’s first top-ten and top-five finishes, with Grala recording multiple top-ten results in 2023 and finishing seventeenth in points that season.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2022–Present)
From 2022 the team consolidated operations near Mooresville, moving into a facility that improved shop space and technical capacity and deepening its partnership with Toyota Racing Development. The program expanded its entry list and pursued a mix of veteran and developing drivers to balance results with seat time for prospects.
By 2025 Sam Hunt Racing operated two full-time Xfinity entries: the No. 26 driven full time by Dean Thompson and the No. 24 driven full time by Harrison Burton, with a slate of part-time drivers and technical support from TRD and 23XI Racing on select programs. The organization lists Sam Hunt as owner and Allen Hart as technical director, and it aims to build toward consistent top-ten performance and occasional contention for marquee races.
Engineering Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
The team’s engineering approach emphasizes collaboration with Toyota Racing Development and utilization of customer engine and chassis support where available. Sam Hunt Racing has prioritized road-course and intermediate-track setups during development years and leans on technical alliances to close performance gaps while improving pit execution and race strategy.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key organizational milestones include the 2013 acquisition of Joe Gibbs Racing ARCA East assets, the Xfinity Series debut at Homestead in 2019, the first Xfinity top-ten at Daytona with Brandon Gdovic, and the first top-five at Richmond in 2021 with John Hunter Nemechek. In 2025 the team scored program-first accomplishments with Dean Thompson, including an eighth-place finish at the season opener at Daytona and the organization’s first-ever stage win at Rockingham.
Sam Hunt Racing Achievements and Results
Across its regional and national seasons, Sam Hunt Racing built experience and collected incremental results while remaining a developing organization. Career totals listed by the team show participation in K&N Pro Series East and expanded Xfinity schedules, with wins and pole positions still appearing as targets rather than recorded statistics.
Xfinity Series Achievements
Sam Hunt Racing entered the NASCAR Xfinity Series on a part-time basis in 2019 and moved to a full-time presence in subsequent years. The team has scored multiple top-ten finishes and several top-five results through varied driver lineups. In 2025 Dean Thompson produced notable early-season results, contributing a first stage win for the organization at Rockingham and multiple top-ten finishes.
Truck Series and Development Program Success
Before focusing on Xfinity competition, the organization developed drivers and personnel in the K&N Pro Series East. That feeder-series experience helped launch drivers to higher levels and provided on-track training for crew members and engineers. Sam Hunt Racing continues to emphasize driver development as part of its competitive model while fielding full-time Xfinity entries.
