GRAY BATTLES FOR ANOTHER WIN AT ROCKINGHAM
Dean Thompson earns first career stage win for himself and Sam Hunt Racing
ROCKINGHAM, NC (April 19, 2025) – Taylor Gray was on the front row on the final restart before finishing sixth to lead Toyota at the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ return to Rockingham Speedway on Saturday evening. Gray’s finish moved him to 14th in the Playoff standings – just 21 points out of the top 12.
Dean Thompson also had a memorable afternoon as he earned the first career stage win for himself and Sam Hunt Racing. Thompson finished 12th – his fifth top-15 finish in the last six races – to close to within 23 points of a Playoff berth.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Rockingham Speedway
Race 10 of 33 – 235 miles, 250 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Jesse Love*
2nd, Sammy Smith*
3rd, Parker Retzlaff*
4th, Harrison Burton*
5th, Brennan Poole*
6th, TAYLOR GRAY
12th, DEAN THOMPSON
13th, BRANDON JONES
26th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
36th, JUSTIN BONSIGNORE
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
TAYLOR GRAY, No. 54 Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 6th
What more did you need there at the end?
“I feel like we had a really good Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra. I just needed the 4 (Parker Retzlaff) to not try to restart for me. I don’t know what he was doing. He just got me off sequence, jacked up the rear tires up off the ground and caused me to get a bad launch. Ultimately, that’s what got the 8 (Sammy Smith) to get clear of me on the restart. I don’t know if the 2 (Jesse Love) got him on entry or used up the race track trying to aero block – I’m not sure. I’m really proud of all of these Joe Gibbs Racing guys. It was a good rebound after all of these five or six races we’ve had. We’ve had speed everywhere we’ve gone – just crappy luck. Proud of everyone and good to get back on track.”
DEAN THOMPSON, No. 26 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing
Finishing Position: 12th
Got the team their first ever stage win, and scored another strong run. How was racing at the Rock?
“I didn’t know that was their first stage win – that was my first stage win too, so that was cool to share that experience with them. It’s what I’m here for. I feel like we are building each other up, and we are both getting better together and showing flashes of speed that no one thought we could achieve. Glad to be with on this Thompson Pipe Group Toyota team. We will keep building and keep getting faster.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 31 electrified options.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
