ThorSport Racing back with Toyota, Christian Eckes added to Truck Series lineup

ThorSport Racing, a heavyweight in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series circuit, parted ways with Ford Performance in early January. With the reasons behind the split unknown, ThorSport has now reunited with Toyota for the 2021 season.

One could feel this was on the cards, considering ThorSport Racing's stellar showing with Toyota in the years between 2012-2017. The Ohio-based team will field four Toyota Tundra trucks for the upcoming Truck Series season.

Driving for ThorSport Racing, Matt Crafton registered his first of three Truck Series titles at the end of the 2013 season. That year also saw the then nine-time ARCA Menards Series champion Frank Kimmel race to his tenth and final title in the series behind the wheel of a ThorSport Toyota Camry.

Your 2019 Truck Series Champ! 3x @Matt_Crafton 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/pueGYLJk4S

— Rusty (@Rusty_Walrus) November 16, 2019

Speaking about the reunition and the prospects it holds going forward, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) Group Manager for Motorsports Paul Doleshal said:

"We’re all looking forward to kicking off the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season as we welcome ThorSport Racing back to the Toyota Racing family. This is a great team with an impressive line-up of drivers."

"Our previous relationship yielded success in the form of race wins and two driver championships for Matt Crafton. We’re looking forward to working with the team again and adding to our accolades together as we focus in on contending for Toyota’s 12th Truck Series manufacturer’s title,” Doleshal added.

Toyota already have five full-time teams in NASCAR's third division. They are Clay Greenfield Motorsports, Halmar Friesen Racing, Hattori Racing Enterprises, Kyle Busch Motorsports, and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.

ThorSport Racing's driver lineup and partners for the 2021 season

Matt Crafton will be eyeing a fourth Truck Series title with ThorSport Racing in 2021.

ThorSport Racing will have 2016 Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter behind the wheel of the No. 13 Toyota Tundra. He will have Sakar International and its brand Vivitar as partners and Joe Shear Jr. as his crew chief.

Three-time series champion and known face in the team, Matt Crafton, will take the reigns of the No. 88 Toyota with longtime partner Menards.

He will also have Ideal Door, ZEP, Slim Jim, Flex Seal, Hormel Black Label Bacon, Denali Aire, Mold Armor, Great Lakes Flooring, Jack Links, Chi-Chi’s, and Oklahoma Joes as vendor partners. Carl Joiner Jr. will be atop the box with crew chief duties.

Grant Enfinger will have to share driving duties with Christian Eckes in the No. 98 truck in 2021.

Meanwhile, the No. 98 Toyota will see two drivers splitting driving duties, with 2019 regular series champion Grant Enfinger having to move over for Christian Eckes in select races.

Eckes is scheduled to run around 10 races in the No. 98 with the road-course race at Daytona being his first one. The No. 98 team will be led by crew chief Jeriod Prince.

Ben Rhodes will also make a comeback to take up driving duties in the No. 99 Toyota with new partner Bombardier. Rich Lushes will be his crew chief.

With such a potent lineup, ThorSport Racing certainly has the firepower and the experience to be able to dominate 2021.