MOORPARK, Calif. – Reigning Irwindale Late Model champion and SPEARS Southwest Tour Rookie of the Year Dean Thompson will return to High Point Racing to compete for the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series championship this year.

In addition to the full super late model schedule, Thompson will also compete in select SPEARS SRL Pro Late Model Series events.

“Dean has become one of the most promising young talents on the west coast over the past couple seasons,” said High Point Racing owner Tim Huddleston. “His determination and drive to improve each time he straps into a race car is something that I feel makes him better each race. We could not be more excited to welcome him back to HPR for 2021.”

Following a partial spec late model division season in 2018, Thompson earned a promotion to the Irwindale Speedway late model division for 2019. In two seasons running late models, Thompson would compile seven wins, the 2020 Irwindale Speedway Late Model championship and the 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series California State Championship.

“The entire High Point Racing team, along with myself, worked tirelessly over the course of the 2018 and 2019 seasons. So to have it all culminate in 2020 with two championships, and rookie of the year, really was a dream come true,” said Thompson. “I couldn’t be more excited about returning to HPR and I think the No. 51 Thompson Pipe Group/HPR team is going to be a force to be reckoned with in 2021.”

In addition to his success in the Late Model division, Thompson made his debut in the Super Late ranks last season, running the full season with the SPEARS Southwest Tour. Strong runs at Stockton, Roseville and Kern propelled the young driver to the SPEARS Rookie of the Year Award.