Over the past few seasons, Sam Hunt Racing has grown into one of NASCAR’s fastest-growing O’Reilly Auto Parts Series teams.
Since their first season in 2019, SHR went from a part-time back marker to a multi-car team. Of course, most of the time this was with a rather unconventional roster of rotating drivers, including series regulars, prospects, and Toyota developmental talent.
The team, founded by former racer Sam Hunt, was never the biggest and was often overshadowed by fellow Toyota NASCAR OAP Series team Joe Gibbs Racing. Still, their mixed lineup of drivers and solid runs made them a fan favorite.
In fact, in its years of operation, SHR has only fielded three drivers on a full-time basis across three seasons:
Sam Hunt Racing Full-Time Drivers
Last year, when the team brought Thompson full-time, it seemed like a step for growth, as while he did not have the best track record in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the California native did bring experience and sponsorship to help build off.
This looked to be the case, as this past off-season, SHR took another swing in the right direction, signing former Cup Series winner Harrison Burton, who had just taken the now-defunct AM Racing to its first playoff appearance in team history.
But now this two-car lineup may be falling apart before the summer stretch has even come to an end.
Last year, Thompson was part of an ultra-competitive OAP Series rookie class and managed to come out the other end better than most expected, with a 16th-place points finish and a fifth-place career-best finish at Charlotte.
This made the pairing with SHR a solid one, but Thompson has taken a slight step backward statistically in 2026. While he has still shown flashes of speed, the consistency has not quite matched what he produced during his rookie season.
Though this relationship has worked out, a third year is not on the table for these two, as Thompson announced a jump from SHR to the Haas Factory Team in a new third car for 2027.
This news unfortunately overshadowed an impressive weekend at Iowa for SHR, with both Thompson and Burton bringing home top-ten finishes.
While it may not have been the shocking move some predicted prior to the weekend in Iowa, Thompson now joins a Haas Factory Team organization that has a record of winning races and an alliance with Hendrick Motorsports.
Of course, his departure does not necessarily signal trouble at Sam Hunt Racing, but it does create an important question for a team that only recently reached the milestone of fielding two full-time cars.
Adding another layer of uncertainty, there has also been speculation surrounding Harrison Burton’s plans for 2027, although nothing regarding his future has been confirmed.
While any speculation is (after all) just speculation, Burton’s 2026 season has not produced the same results as his breakout 2025 campaign with AM Racing.
Still, after building its way to a full-time two-car operation, can Sam Hunt Racing maintain that model in 2027, or will the organization need to rethink its look for the new year?
The most straightforward option would be to replace any departing drivers and continue operating two full-time cars. There is no shortage of drivers looking for an opportunity at this level, particularly within Toyota’s development pipeline.
Still, SHR could also consider returning to the type of lineup structure it used in 2025.
While moving back to one full-time entry alongside a rotating second car might initially appear to be a step backward, it could give SHR greater flexibility if Burton also departs at the end of the season.
For example, last season, while Thompson navigated his rookie season, the No. 24 saw solid runs from names like Corey Heim, Kaz Grala, and Patrick Staropoli.
Regardless of which direction SHR ultimately chooses, there is still plenty of time for the organization to shape its 2027 plans.
Burton’s future remains uncertain, and Thompson’s departure does not automatically mean SHR’s growth has stalled.
But after finally reaching the point of fielding two full-time cars, the decisions Sam Hunt Racing makes over the next several months could tell us a lot about what the next stage of the organization looks like.
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