FORT WORTH, TEXAS - APRIL 01: Armani Williams, driver of the #46 Blue Sprig/Motivity Toyota, Trey Hutchens, driver of the #14 Quality Roof Seamers Chevrolet, Dean Thompson, driver of the #5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, and Matt Mills, driver of the #20 J.F. Electric Chevrolet, are stopped on the track after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NASCAR Truck series driver Dean Thompson was injured in a hard crash on the front stretch at Texas Motor Speedway during Saturday’s Truck series race.
With 22 laps to go, Thompson’s truck got loose coming out of Turn 4 after tagging the outside wall; as his truck slid sideways the track, several other trucks dove into the grass to avoid it. That kicked up grass and dust that left the trucks behind going into a blind spot. Thompson’s truck was hit broadside by Matt Mills and sent spinning off the ground; after being turned Thompson’s truck was then hit on the opposite side by Trey Hutchens.
All the drivers climbed from their trucks, including Thompson. After climbing out though, Thompson lowered himself to the pavement. The AMR safety crew put Thompson on a backboard and transported him to the infield care center in an ambulance. The other drivers involved were checked and released while Thompson was still being evaluated after the race according to the team but was awake and alert. In a later update the team said Thompson would be transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.
A few hours later Thompson himself took to social media to report that he was doing “good” and said “just getting some scans done then I’m gonna go have a beer when I get home!”
The race was red flagged for just over 15 minutes after the crash. Carson Hocevar went on to win the race on a double overtime finish.
Hey y’all, I actually deleted Twitter to do a detox for about a month but I’m back lol. Just to update y’all I’m doing good, just getting some scans done then I’m gonna go have a beer when I get home!
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: Armani Williams, driver of the #46 Blue Sprig/Motivity Toyota, Trey Hutchens, driver of the #14 Quality Roof Seamers Chevrolet, Dean Thompson, driver of the #5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, and Matt Mills, driver of the #20 J.F. Electric Chevrolet, are stopped on the track after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: Armani Williams, driver of the #46 Blue Sprig/Motivity Toyota, Trey Hutchens, driver of the #14 Quality Roof Seamers Chevrolet, Dean Thompson, driver of the #5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, and Matt Mills, driver of the #20 J.F. Electric Chevrolet, are stopped on the track after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: Armani Williams, driver of the #46 Blue Sprig/Motivity Toyota, Trey Hutchens, driver of the #14 Quality Roof Seamers Chevrolet, Dean Thompson, driver of the #5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, and Matt Mills, driver of the #20 J.F. Electric Chevrolet, are stopped on the track after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: The NASCAR Safety Crew inspect the #5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, driven by Dean Thompson. after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: Trey Hutchens, driver of the #14 Quality Roof Seamers Chevrolet, is assisted by the NASCAR Safety Crew after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: Trey Hutchens, driver of the #14 Quality Roof Seamers Chevrolet, is assisted by the NASCAR Safety Crew after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: Dean Thompson, driver of the #5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, is carried to an ambulance on a stretcher after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: Dean Thompson, driver of the #5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, is carried to an ambulance on a stretcher after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: Dean Thompson, driver of the #5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, is carried to an ambulance on a stretcher after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 01: The NASCAR Safety Crew inspect the #5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, driven by Dean Thompson. after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 01, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
