Information By: SAM MAHONEY / TOYOTA RACING – PLANO, TX – NASCAR makes its return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) oval with the Cup and Xfinity Series, culminating with the 30th anniversary Brickyard 400 on Sunday.
The Truck Series, along with the ARCA Menards Series, are back at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, just outside of the “Circle City” for short track action Friday night.
NHRA is back on track for the first time in three weeks, traveling to the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Raceways just outside of Seattle, Washington.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS
Hamlin back on favorable IMS oval … The return to the IMS oval is a welcome sight for many, including Denny Hamlin. Coming into the weekend, Hamlin has finished inside the top-10 in six of the last nine Brickyard 400s as he looks for that long-awaited triumph on the yard of bricks.
Reddick’s top-10 streak continues … The sixth-place finish on Sunday in Pocono gave Tyler Reddick his fourth consecutive top-10 finish and seventh in the last eight races. His 14 top-10 finishes are also the most in the Cup Series. The strong finishes from the driver of the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE have put him in prime contention for the regular season championship, as he’s risen to third in the points standings and sits only 15 points back of the top spot. Reddick returns to Indianapolis this weekend as a former winner as well, capturing victory on the road course in 2022.
Johnson back in No. 84 Camry XSE … For the first time since Charlotte back in May, Jimmie Johnson is behind the wheel of the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE this weekend in Indianapolis. Sunday marks Johnson’s 695th career Cup Series start as he nears the milestone, 700. He’ll also make his 19th Brickyard 400 start on Sunday, where he’s captured four wins (2006, 2008, 2009, 2012), second all-time, along with six top-fives and seven top-10s.
Daly debuts in GR Supra … Indianapolis native and long-time IndyCar Series veteran, Conor Daly, will pilot the No. 26 GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing this weekend in Indianapolis. Daly has made two career starts in the Xfinity Series, lastly in 2023 at the Charlotte ROVAL and makes his debut on his home track in a stock car this weekend. Daly has made 10 starts in the Indianapolis 500 around the famed 2.5-mile oval, with a career-best finish of sixth in 2022.
Toyota seeks repeat Xfinity win on IMS oval … With the Xfinity Series also returning to the IMS oval, it allows Toyota to go for a repeat victory after being triumphant in 2019 with former Toyota driver, Kyle Busch. Toyota also seeks four wins in the last seven races around the oval, as Busch won half of the eight previous Xfinity Series races there.
Heim on hot streak … Following his dominant victory at Pocono, Corey Heim has now captured victory in four of the last seven Truck Series races heading to Indianapolis this weekend, seeking his sixth victory of the season. Sweeping the stages last Friday now gives Heim six stage wins on the year, the most in the Truck Series, and he also leads the Playoffs points standings, while sitting second in the regular season standings. This weekend will be Heim’s third start at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park where he has two top-10 finishes.
Sawalich back in Tundra TRD Pro … Toyota Development Driver, William Sawalich, is back behind the wheel of the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro with TRICON Garage this weekend in Indianapolis. This will be the Minnesotan’s ninth career Truck Series start and first since Martinsville in April. His best career finish to-date is sixth in this same race a season ago. He’ll be doing double duty on Friday, also participating in the ARCA Menards Series race Friday afternoon.
Sauter returns to a Tundra TRD Pro … Long-time NASCAR veteran, Johnny Sauter, is back with Team Toyota as he’ll drive the No. 16 Tundra TRD Pro for Hattori Racing Enterprises Friday night. This will be Sauter’s third Trucks start of 2024 and the 323rd of his career. This will be his first run in a Tundra TRD Pro since 2022 at Talladega.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series
Sawalich seeks third straight win … Before he climbs into his Tundra TRD Pro, Sawalich will go for his third straight win in the ARCA Series and fourth of the season at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park Friday evening. Sawalich made his debut in Indianapolis last year, coming home fourth in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry.
NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car
Toyota Top Fuel dragsters control point standings … Heading to Seattle this weekend, Toyota currently owns the top-five of the Top Fuel point standings with four races remaining before the Countdown to the Championship. Defending Top Fuel World Champion, Doug Kalitta, sits atop the standings leading Justin Ashley (second), Shawn Langdon (third), Antron Brown (fourth) and Steve Torrence (fifth), who is going for a repeat win Seattle. In Funny Car, J.R. Todd is in fifth place going into the weekend with Ron Capps sixth and Alexis DeJoria in eighth.
Toyota seeks to continue streaks … The return to NHRA action allows Toyota to extend some incredible streaks with its Top Fuel Dragsters and GR Supra Funny Cars. Should one of Toyota’s six Top Fuel drivers capture victory on Sunday, it will have 11 wins in the last 12 Top Fuel races, dating back to Kalitta’s Pomona win last November. And should one of Toyota’s nine drivers across Top Fuel or Funny Car reach the finals, it will be 34 straight NHRA events with a Toyota racer in the final round.