Haas Factory Team is expanding their NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series team to three entries in 2027, the team announced Saturday. Dean Thompson was confirmed as the driver of the new car on a multi-year contract. Thompson’s car number and crew chief have yet to be announced.
“I’m thrilled to join Haas Factory Team as the next step in my NASCAR journey,” Thompson said. “I am looking forward to competing for wins and a championship with support from MCM Transportation and Thompson Pipe Group.”
At 24 years old, Thompson is in his second season of full-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competition. Driving for Sam Hunt Racing, Thompson has one top-five and 10 top-10s in 57 career starts. His best result so far is a fifth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2025.
“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,” added Haas Factory Team President Joe Custer. “Along with our growing affiliate program, the addition of a third full-time entry continues to strengthen our organization.”
Haas Factory Team’s current two full-time teams are the No. 00 Chevrolet of Sheldon Creed and the No. 41 Chevrolet of Sam Mayer. The team’s predecessor, Stewart-Haas Racing, fielded two full-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series teams dating back to 2019. When the organization became Haas Factory Team, they kept that size while transitioning their No. 98 car to the No. 41. Haas switched from Ford to Chevrolet in both the Cup and O’Reilly series prior to the 2026 season.
Present and Future for Haas Factory Team
Since joining Haas Factory Team in 2025, Sheldon Creed has enjoyed some of the strongest results of his racing career. He scored his first win in February at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway, and currently ranks fourth in the hunt for his first career championship.
Sam Mayer, meanwhile, is also in his second season driving for Haas. He has one win with the organization in 2025, and is still searching for the consistency he exhibited during his three years at JR Motorsports.
As of Saturday, team president Joe Custer did not have a definitive answer on whether Creed or Mayer would return to the organization in 2027. Thompson is the only driver confirmed for Haas factory Team’s 2027 NOAPS lineup.
After 22 races, Dean Thompson is 18th in the standings, 178 points behind the 2026 Chase cutoff line. Sheldon Creed is fourth in points having clinched a Chase entry, while Sam Mayer ranks 10th with a 22-point cushion.
