CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Young’s Motorsports continued its infusion of young talent on Wednesday, announcing that Gus Dean will contest the full NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series season with the team.

Dean will pilot the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado, with primary sponsorship from LG Air Conditioning Technologies and Baker Distributing in at least eight races. Jeff Stankewicz will be Dean’s crew chief.

The Bluffton, S.C., native – who raced in the ARCA Racing Series with Win-Tron Racing for the last two years – will embark on his first full year in one of NASCAR’s top-three divisions starting in February at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

Dean joins Spencer Boyd, who confirmed his Truck Series plans on Monday, as part of Young’s Motorsports’ roster this year.

“This is an unbelievable opportunity,” Dean said. “I’m psyched and very honored to represent LG Air Conditioning Technologies and Young’s Motorsports in my move to the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Without them and the longtime support of Baker Distributing – my dream to be a full-time NASCAR driver would not be possible.

“I’m looking forward to the challenges this season will bring, but I feel confident that my relationship with Jeff (Stankiewicz), the support of Tyler (Young), Randy (Young) and the entire Young’s Motorsports team, we will have a successful season.”

Dean’s record over the past two years in ARCA competition features one win, two poles, 12 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes.

Wednesday’s announcement ties together an up-and-coming driver with a driver-turned-owner who both used to race in the old CARS Pro Cup Series.

“I have known Gus Dean for a long time,” noted Young. “We were fellow competitors in the CARS Pro Cup division and I know his passion to succeed is something that fits well within our organization.

“As a team, we are very excited for Gus to climb behind-the-wheel of the No. 12 LG Air Conditioning Technologies Chevrolet Silverado,” Young added. “He has two full seasons of ARCA Racing Series competition under his belt and has done a very good job. We believe he will do very well in the NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series for Young’s Motorsports.”

While Baker Distributing has been with Dean for much of his career, the upcoming season will mark the first foray into NASCAR for LG, which has long been regarded as a top name in their marketplace.

“LG Air Conditioning Technologies is excited to sponsor Gus Dean and the Young’s Motorsports team during the 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series with Baker Distributing,” said Kevin McNamara, senior vice president and general manager, Air Conditioning Technologies, LG Electronics USA. “We wish the team the best of luck and look forward to a successful racing season.”

For Dean, he couldn’t help but be wide-eyed on Wednesday as he stood by his truck and took in the sights and sounds of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, looking on at the cars of some of his childhood heroes.

“My idols as a kid were guys like Junior Johnson, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt – ordinary guys who got to do extraordinary things,” Dean said. “It’s so humbling for me to do what I do at the places that I get to do it at. We’re talking about the Daytona race in passing at the shop now, and I don’t know if I would have been able to breathe if you had told eight-year-old me that I’d be doing that.

“This is a privilege and I never want to lose sight of how fortunate I am to be in this position; it really does mean a lot to me.”