ThorSport Racing Overview
ThorSport Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio, the team is owned by Duke Thorson, his wife Rhonda Thorson, and partner Mike Curb. ThorSport fields four trucks, numbered 13, 88, 98, and 99, and builds its race vehicles through a manufacturer partnership with Ford.
ThorSport Racing is the longest-running team in the Truck Series, with at least one truck entered in every season since the series began. Across its history, the organization has earned seven Drivers’ Championships, including six in the Truck Series and one in the ARCA Racing Series. The team is recognized for steady operations, long-tenured owner leadership, and a consistent record of competing for wins and titles each year.
Founding and Organizational Origins
ThorSport Racing was founded in 1996 under the name SealMaster Racing by Duke Thorson and Rhonda Thorson. The team began as a family-owned operation based in Sandusky, Ohio, where it has remained for the duration of its existence. From the start, the organization focused on competing in the NASCAR Truck Series, then an emerging national stock car series, and gradually built a reputation for durable racing programs.
Early operations centered on the SealMaster business connection, which funded the team’s first entries and helped establish a stable foundation. As the team grew, additional sponsorship partners joined, including Menards, which became a long-term primary backer on the flagship No. 88 truck. The shop in Sandusky expanded alongside the team, adding personnel, fabrication equipment, and engineering capacity to support multiple full-time entries. Ownership was later extended to include music and motorsports businessman Mike Curb, who joined as a partner and helped broaden the team’s commercial reach.
Growth Into NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Competition
ThorSport Racing made its Truck Series debut in 1996 at the Sears Auto Center 200 at the Milwaukee Mile with Terry Cook driving the No. 88 truck. The team competed part-time at first before expanding into a full-time effort by 1998, when Cook earned the team’s first career victory at Flemington Speedway. Throughout the early 2000s, ThorSport added additional trucks to its stable and began cycling through emerging drivers, including Matt Crafton, who took over the No. 88 in 2000 and became a cornerstone of the program.
The team continued to expand its Truck Series footprint, adding trucks numbered 8, 13, 22, 27, 41, 66, 87, 89, and 98 across various seasons. Drivers such as Tracy Hines, Johnny Sauter, Cameron Hayley, Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, and Ty Majeski all developed within the ThorSport system. Strategic alliances with manufacturers and key sponsors allowed the team to grow into a four-truck operation by the early 2020s, firmly establishing ThorSport as a perennial contender in the Truck Series.
ThorSport Racing Competitive Journey
ThorSport Racing has progressed from a single-truck regional effort in 1996 into one of the most successful multi-truck organizations in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Across 729 documented starts, the team has recorded 54 race victories, 48 pole positions, and seven Drivers’ Championships, while maintaining continuous participation in the series for nearly three decades.
Early Seasons and Development (1996–2008)
ThorSport Racing’s first Truck Series seasons were spent establishing its identity under the SealMaster banner. The team ran the No. 88 truck with Terry Cook through the late 1990s, securing its first win at Flemington in 1998. Through this period, ThorSport began expanding its engineering base and adding supporting trucks to compete at more events each year.
By the early 2000s, Matt Crafton became the team’s flagship driver. In 2008, Crafton delivered the team’s first major single-season breakthrough with a win at Charlotte and a fifth-place points finish. The era also included short stints for drivers such as Kerry Earnhardt, Willie Allen, and Shelby Howard, who helped the team refine its driver development pipeline. Sponsor support from Menards, Safelite AutoGlass, and Alpha Energy Solutions provided financial stability heading into the championship era.
Breakthrough in the Truck Series (2009–2024)
ThorSport Racing’s first sustained championship push began in 2009 when Johnny Sauter returned to the team, secured the organization’s third career win at Las Vegas, and delivered ThorSport’s first-ever 1-2 finish with Matt Crafton. The team followed with wins in 2010 at Kansas and in 2011 at Martinsville and Homestead, establishing itself as a weekly threat. In 2013, Matt Crafton won his first Truck Series championship and became the first driver in series history to complete every lap of a season. He repeated as champion in 2014, becoming the first back-to-back title winner in the series.
The team added a third Drivers’ Championship in 2019, again with Matt Crafton. Ben Rhodes then captured titles in 2021 and 2023, marking ThorSport’s fourth and fifth championships. Ty Majeski delivered the organization’s sixth Truck Series championship in 2024 by winning the season finale at Phoenix. The 2020 Richmond Raceway event also produced a historic moment, with Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, and Matt Crafton recording the first 1-2-3 finish by a single team in Truck Series history. Across this run, ThorSport developed an in-house engineering culture emphasizing fuel strategy, consistent execution, and playoff resilience.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025–Present)
Heading into the 2025 season, ThorSport Racing fields four full-time trucks in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The lineup includes the No. 13 driven by Cole Butcher, the No. 88 driven by Ty Majeski, the No. 98 driven by Jake Garcia, and the No. 99 driven by Ben Rhodes. The team continues to operate from its Sandusky, Ohio, shop, where recent infrastructure investments have expanded fabrication capacity and simulation tools.
In August 2025, ThorSport announced that Matt Crafton would retire from full-time racing following the 2025 season, with Ty Majeski moving from the No. 98 to take over the No. 88 beginning in 2026. The transition signals a generational shift in the team’s driver lineup while preserving its championship core. With manufacturer support from Ford and ownership continuity from the Thorson family and Mike Curb, ThorSport has publicly committed to remaining a four-truck operation with sustained title aspirations.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
ThorSport Racing is built on a philosophy of consistency, race-craft, and mechanical preparation. The team is recognized for disciplined fuel and tire strategy, dependable pit work, and the ability to develop drivers over multi-year programs. Its strengths are most visible on intermediate ovals, short tracks, and superspeedways, where long-running setups and playoff-style execution reward experienced teams.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key milestones include the team’s first Truck Series win at Flemington in 1998, Matt Crafton’s 2013 championship and lap-perfect season, Crafton’s back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014, the first 1-2-3 team finish in Truck Series history at Richmond in 2020, Ben Rhodes’ championships in 2021 and 2023, and Ty Majeski’s first title at Phoenix in 2024. These moments define ThorSport Racing as one of the most accomplished organizations in Truck Series history.
ThorSport Racing Achievements and Results
ThorSport Racing has accumulated 54 total race victories, 48 pole positions, and seven Drivers’ Championships across its NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and ARCA Racing Series programs. The organization has produced championship-caliber drivers, recorded historic team finishes, and consistently operated at the front of the Truck Series field.
Craftsman Truck Series Achievements
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ThorSport Racing has recorded 48 victories, 47 pole positions, and six Drivers’ Championships, earned in 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024. Matt Crafton was the team’s first multi-time champion, and Ben Rhodes became the second with back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2023. Ty Majeski added the most recent championship in 2024.
Conference Achievements
Conference-level data for ThorSport Racing is not separately tracked within the team’s verified records. The organization competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as a single, series-wide operation rather than within a defined conference structure.
Divisional Achievements
Divisional breakdowns are not formally maintained for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. ThorSport Racing’s results are recorded at the series and team level, and divisional championship records are not part of the team’s official historical data.
Series Achievements
Beyond its six Truck Series titles, ThorSport Racing earned one ARCA Racing Series championship in 2013, with Frank Kimmel contributing to the team’s broader stock car résumé. The team has also recorded six ARCA victories and one ARCA pole position. Across all series combined, ThorSport has logged 729 starts, 54 wins, 48 poles, and seven championships, placing it among the most decorated independent operations in American stock car racing.