This Week in Motorsports: September 25-October 1, 2023
- NCS/NCTS: Talladega Superspeedway – September 29-October 1
- NHRA: World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway – September 29-October 1
PLANO, Texas (September 27, 2023) – NASCAR heads to its final superspeedway of the season at Talladega as the Cup Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs continue. NHRA goes back to the Midwest and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, reaching the halfway point of its Countdown to the Championship.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NCTS
Three drivers above cutline as Round of 12 continues … Heading into the second of three Round of 12 races, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Martin Truex Jr. are above the playoff points cutline – all three 19 points or further in the clear. The other two Toyota playoff drivers, Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, are two and three points under the cutline going into this weekend. Wins by any of the five secure themselves a spot in the Round of 8, with the next cutoff race next weekend in Charlotte.
Toyota pole streak continues to Talladega … With Wallace’s pole at Texas last weekend, Toyota has earned pole position in the last four NASCAR Cup Series races. Leading the charge for the fifth in a row will be Hamlin, who has four of the last six Cup Series poles at Talladega. Toyota has also won more poles among the three manufacturers this season with 12.
Approaching a historic NASCAR milestone … With the pole last weekend, Toyota is now just three away from 500 in NASCAR competition. And if recent weeks have any indication, the mark could be reached sooner rather than later.
Heim’s top-10 streak heads to Talladega … Trucks Series points leader, Corey Heim, comes off his third victory of the season in Bristol. The Toyota development driver locked his spot in the Championship 4 with the win. The victory also continued his impressive streak of consecutive top-10 finishes to 13. That run is pushing toward top-10 all-time in Truck Series history. Heim is making his second career Trucks Series start at the superspeedway.
Toyota seeks 11th Truck Series win at Talladega … Should a Toyota driver take victory at Saturday’s Truck Series race, Toyota would claim its 11th win at the famed superspeedway, continuing its run as the winningest Truck Series manufacturer at Talladega. Todd Bodine captured Toyota’s first Talladega Truck Series win in 2007.
NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car
Toyota Top Fuel drivers continue win streak … Capturing his second consecutive Top Fuel victory on Sunday in the Carolina Nationals, Doug Kalitta made it seven category wins in a row for Toyota. Toyota has also been in 19 straight event finals in Top Fuel and/or Funny Car dating back to October 2022.
Leading the points halfway through the Countdown … Approaching the third of six races in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Kalitta is now the Top Fuel points leader after his tremendous weekend in Charlotte. He is closely followed by fellow Toyota drivers Steve Torrence and Justin Ashley. In Funny Car, Ron Capps currently sits third in the points.
Steve Torrence, Toyota head back to favorable Gateway … World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway has been a consistent favorite for Torrence and Toyota. The 40-year-old is looking for his third straight Top Fuel victory at Gateway (and five of the last seven), and Toyota is seeking its fourth consecutive Top Fuel triumph at the Midwest drag strip.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 24 electrified options.
