Two-time Truck Series’ most popular driver Hailie Deegan announced she will drive the #13 F150 for ThorSport Racing in 2023. ThorSport will also switch manufacturers from Toyota to Ford.
In a video published on Deegan’s YouTube channel, she announces her plans to drive the #13 F150 for Thorsport, and tours the race shop in Sandusky, Ohio.
ThorSport Racing also announced their return to Ford and driver lineup for 2023. Switching to Toyota in 2021, ThorSport has switched between the two manufacturers recurringly. Mark Rushbrook, global director for Ford Performance Motorsports said “Duke [Thorson] has assembled one of the best organizations in the series with a driver lineup that is filled with youth and experience” in a press release published by the team. ThorSport’s driver roster will consist of Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes, Ty Majeski, and Hailie Deegan.
Welcome back @FordPerformance! #FordPerfomance // #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/p28py85uua
— ThorSport Racing (@ThorSportRacing) December 15, 2022
What Now for Toyota?
ThorSport’s manufacturer swap means four fewer Toyota Tundras in the Truck Series. Kyle Busch Motorsports’ move to Chevrolet and now ThorSport’s departure from Toyota, leaves only three teams driving Tundras. Halmar Friesen is at most a two-truck team, with Stewart and Jessica Friesen. TRICON Garage has a single open truck for 2023. Will young Toyota drivers share the single truck throughout the 2023 season? Will they go straight to the Xfinity Series? With the departure of Kyle Busch from Toyota has answered and also created many questions for the future of the manufacturer.
Can Hailie Deegan win in 2023?
Hailie Deegan has never been at a championship-caliber team until now. She is now in race-winning equipment and the pressure has never been higher. With only three top-tens in her entire career, Deegan should be scoring top-tens and being in contention for wins. A win at a superspeedway could be in the cards, as she scored a sixth-place finish at Talladega in October. Her other top-ten of the season came at Mid-Ohio, a road course. She has some road-course experience and has driven for Ford in the IMSA GT Pilot Challenge. She may be able to score a win on one of the many road courses on the schedule in 2023.
The future for ThorSport and Deegan looks very bright. With veteran talent in Crafton and Rhodes, a blossoming talent Majeski, and developing driver Deegan, the team has a solid roster. I look forward to seeing the team’s results in 2023.
