Story By: SAM MAHONEY / TOYOTA RACING – PLANO, TX – It’s a busy weekend for Team Toyota with its participating series in action across the nation. NASCAR’s Cup and Trucks Series are back in the Midwest at World Wide Technology Raceway just outside of St. Louis. The Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series West compete at Portland International Raceway in the second road course of 2024. NHRA is back in action, returning to the northeast at New England Dragway for race seven of the season.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS
Toyota Camrys lead Cup Series points … Following Sunday’s Coke 600 in Charlotte, Toyota Camry XSEs now claim the top two spots in the Cup Series points standings with Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin (first) and Martin Truex Jr. (second). Toyota teammates, Tyler Reddick (sixth) and Ty Gibbs (seventh), join them inside the top-10, while Christopher Bell jumped to 11th after his Coke 600 triumph, and Bubba Wallace joined the provisional Playoff field with a solid run. Wallace is currently 13th in the standings.
Hamlin’s top-five streak … Beginning with his win at Dover last month, Hamlin is currently boasting a four-race top-five finishing streak heading into Gateway this weekend. The Virginia-native and current Cup Series points leader looks to push the streak to five this weekend, while also improving upon his second-place finish at the 1.250-mile circuit last season.
Bilicki to pilot Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 … Wisconsin-native, Josh Bilicki, is set to drive the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing this weekend at Portland. This will be Bilicki’s seventh start of the 2024 Xfinity Series season, the 97th of his career, and his first at Portland International Raceway.
Jones and Karam return to Sam Hunt Racing … Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) will field two entries this weekend at Portland with road-course aces, Ed Jones and Sage Karam, who will drive the No. 24 and No. 26 GR Supras. The two also started together with SHR back at COTA in March. This will be Jones’ second career Xfinity Series start after running the No. 24 at COTA. Karam makes his fourth start of the 2024 Xfinity Series season and his fourth overall start with SHR.
Heim seeks Gateway repeat … Corey Heim returns to World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend, where he was victorious in his lone start at the 1.250-mile oval back in 2022. Another triumph for the Georgia native would be his fourth victory of the season, the most of any driver so far in the Truck Series this year.
Friesen goes for another strong Gateway run … Following his second-place finish at Charlotte last weekend, Stewart Friesen is back at World Wide Technology Raceway where he’s always run strong in the Truck Series. The Canadian enters the weekend with five consecutive top-five finishes at Gateway, while only finishing outside the top-five once. Another such finish would be critical in Friesen’s push for a Playoff spot, as he currently sits 11th in points with only five races remaining in the regular season.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA West
Robusto, Ruggiero and Sawalich take on Portland … This weekend’s ARCA Menards Series West race will be well-represented by Toyota Development Drivers with Isabella Robusto, Gio Ruggiero and William Sawalich competing. Robusto and Ruggiero once again pilot Toyota Camrys for Venturini Motorsports, while Sawalich is back again with Joe Gibbs Racing.
NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car
Toyota still leads the way in Top Fuel points … After another Team Toyota victory in Joliet two weekends ago, the Toyota Top Fuel Dragster contingent continues to hold the top six spots in the category points standings. Justin Ashley currently leads Shawn Langdon by 71 points with Doug Kalitta in third, Steve Torrence in fourth, Antron Brown in fifth and Billy Torrence in sixth. In Funny Car, J.R. Todd is the lead GR Supra Funny Car, sitting fourth in the standings with Ron Capps seventh and Alexis DeJoria eighth.
Seeking eight straight wins … Heading to Epping this weekend, Toyota is on a seven-race win streak in Top Fuel following Brown’s victory in Joliet. Each of Toyota’s Top Fuel Dragsters have optimal chances to capture the eighth consecutive victory, including Ashley who is the defending race winner.