This Week in Motorsports: October 23 – 29, 2023
· NCS/NXS: Martinsville Speedway – October 28-29
· NHRA: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – October 27-29
PLANO, Texas (October 25, 2023) – NASCAR’s Cup and Xfinity Series hold their penultimate races at Martinsville, the cutoff race for the Championship 4. NHRA heads to Las Vegas with two races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS
Championship 4 will be set by Sunday’s end … After his thrilling victory at Homestead, Christopher Bell clinched his second consecutive Championship 4 appearance, continuing Toyota’s streak as the only manufacturer to appear in every Championship 4. His Team Toyota companions, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr, are below the cutline heading into the cutoff race this weekend. Reddick sits fifth, just 10 points out, while Hamlin and Truex are tied for sixth and need to make up 17 points this weekend.
Toyota’s makes history, continues pole dominance … Truex’s pole last weekend marked the milestone 500th for Toyota in NASCAR competition, continuing the lead Toyota has had on Cup Series poles in 2023. Toyota has claimed seven of the eight poles in the Cup Series Playoffs, 10 of the last 13 poles overall and holds 15 in total on the year leading all manufacturers by a sizable margin.
Gibbs makes 50th start … When he fires the engine of his Toyota Camry TRD this weekend, Ty Gibbs will make his 50th career Cup Series start. The 21-year-old has started every race in 2023 for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and made 15 starts for 23XI Racing last season.
Toyota Xfinity drivers in the hunt for the Championship 4 … Going into this weekend’s Xfinity Series cutoff race at Martinsville, John Hunter Nemechek is 44 points above the cutline, closing in on a Championship 4 berth. His JGR teammate, Sammy Smith, needs a win to advance to the championship race at Phoenix.
Nemechek looking for Martinsville sweep … Not only would a win officially secure a spot for Nemechek in the Championship 4, but it’d also give him the season sweep at Martinsville. The JGR driver took victory at the Virginia track in the spring, his second of seven wins this season.
Smith looking to continue short track success … In a must-win scenario, Smith will find comfort with the cutoff race at a short track. In the six short track races so far in 2023, he’s finished in the top-10 in five of them, including his victory at Phoenix and a second place at Martinsville in the spring.
NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car
Tight points battle with two races remaining … With championship weekend at Pomona in sight, the top three in the Top Fuel points standings are separated by just 13 points. Doug Kalitta and Steve Torrence sit second and third in the standings, eager for a big weekend in Las Vegas in hopes of claiming the points lead. Justin Ashley and Antron Brown come into the weekend fourth and fifth, respectively. In Funny Car, Ron Capps currently sits in fourth position.
Final event appearance streak at 21 … Going to Las Vegas this weekend, Toyota has appeared in 21 consecutive Top Fuel or Funny Car final rounds. Adding a 22nd consecutive final run will be paramount as multiple Toyota racers are amid championship battles.
Toyota looking to keep Top Fuel form in Las Vegas … Toyota’s Top Fuel drivers will look to claim a third victory in four Nevada Nationals. Before joining Team Toyota, Torrence claimed victory in 2021 while Brown stood atop the podium in 2020. Brown will also be looking for a season sweep at Las Vegas as he took victory at the Four Wide Nationals in April.
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.
