Oregon State goes NASCAR, sponsors stock car team for Portland race
Published 10:53 am Monday, August 25, 2025
Everyone is ready for Oregon State’s upcoming football season, even NASCAR.
The university and the NASCAR Xfinity Series team Sam Hunt Racing announced a one race partnership Monday. SHR driver Dean Thompson’s No. 26 car is distinctly orange for the upcoming Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway on Saturday. The car features Oregon State’s iconic Beaver logo on its hood and wood grain on it’s doors for the fourth-annual Xfinity Series race in the Pacific Northwest.
Thompson’s trip around Portland International Raceway in the orange ride will be his first ever at the course. The 24-year-old stock car driver is in his second season in the Xfinity Series, the second-highest tier of the NACAR pyramid, and has recorded four top-10s for SHR.
“I’m excited to race at Portland for the first time and to give the hometown crowd someone to root for with the OSU Beavers on the hood of our GR Supra,” said Thompson said.”We’ve really advanced on road courses throughout the year, and I look forward to racing hard for the local fanbase and OSU supporters to bring home a great result. It’ll be a great experience visiting the university on Friday, bringing the NASCAR world to the doorstep of Beaver Nation.”
The partnership marks Oregon State’s on-track debut, joining schools like Liberty, Arkansas and James Madison in the world of motorsport sponsors.
“As Oregon’s statewide university, we’re proud to help welcome NASCAR back to Portland and share our pride with the many Beaver Nation NASCAR fans,” Rob Odom, Oregon State’s Vice President of University Relations & Marketing, said.
The Pacific Office Automation 147 begins at 4:30 p.m. at Portland International Raceway and will be broadcast on The CW.