This Week in Motorsports: March 22-28, 2021
- NCS/NCWTS: Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt – March 27-28
PLANO, Texas (March 24, 2021) – For the first time in several decades, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the dirt as Bristol Motor Speedway has been converted to a dirt track for this weekend’s race. They will be joined by the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, who will compete in the first of two scheduled events on dirt this season.
NASCAR National Series – NCS| NCWTS
Bell amongst the favorites at Bristol… Christopher Bell looks to be among the favorites this weekend at Bristol. The Oklahoma-native got his start on the dirt and drove to the 2013 USA National Midget Championship and scored his first NASCAR victory in Eldora in 2015. The 26-year-old driver has since added three Chili Bowl victories in consecutive fashion (2017, 2018, 2019). Bell has already driven to victory this season at the Daytona Road Course and is currently in the top-10 in the overall point standings.
Dillon returns… Gaunt Brothers Racing (GBR) and Ty Dillon will make a return to the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. Dillon and GBR last raced at the Daytona Road Course in February, where Dillon drove to an impressive top-20 finish.
Hamlin scores another top-five finish… After another top-five finish in Atlanta, Denny Hamlin extended his Cup Series points lead to 43. Hamlin has recorded five top-five finishes in six races – which is two more than any other driver. Hamlin’s fifth-place average finish is three spots better than the next closest driver.
Double-duty drivers… Martin Truex Jr. and Bubba Wallace will compete in both races on the dirt for Toyota at Bristol. Truex will compete for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in his first Truck Series race since 2006, while former Eldora winner Wallace will run the No. 11 Tundra in a collaboration between Spencer Davis Motorsports and Hattori Racing Enterprises.
Crafton knows how to win in the dirt… Matt Crafton has already shown his skills on the dirt as he goes into the event owning a trophy from Eldora Speedway. Crafton led the final 17 laps at Eldora to score his only race win of the 2017 season.
Friesen family looks for a first… Former Eldora dirt winner Stewart Friesen is looking for a spot in the record books this weekend as the Toyota team will field a second Tundra for Friesen’s wife, Jessica Friesen, who looks to qualify for her Truck Series debut. If Jessica, an accomplished dirt racer, qualifies for the race, they would make history as the first husband and wife duo to qualify for the same Truck Series race.
Toyota looks to score fifth straight… It has been a strong start for Tundra drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with four straight victories to start the 2021 season. John Hunter Nemechek currently leads the overall point standings with Ben Rhodes, Crafton, Stewart Friesen, Austin Hill, Johnny Sauter and Chandler Smith in playoff positions.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.
Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
