This Week in Motorsports: May 13 – 19, 2024
· NCS/NCTS: North Wilkesboro Speedway – May 17-19
· ARCA EAST: Flat Rock Speedway – May 18
· NHRA: Route 66 Raceway – May 17-19
PLANO, Texas (May 15, 2024) – NASCAR is back at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway, where the Truck Series holds its 10th race of 2024, and the Cup Series runs its annual All-Star race. The ARCA Menards Series East is at Flat Rock Speedway for its second consecutive race weekend. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is back in action after a few weeks off, heading to the Midwest and Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NCTS
Four Camry XSEs top 10 in points … With a week between its next points-paying race, half of Toyota’s full-time Cup Series drivers are currently in the top 10 of the points standings. Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing continue to be the lead Camry XSEs in points, sitting in second and third, respectively. The two are joined inside the top 10 by their teammate, Ty Gibbs (seventh) and 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (sixth).
Toyota seeks another All-Star triumph … A win on Sunday for one of the Toyota Camry XSEs would mark the third for Toyota in NASCAR’s All-Star race. The manufacturer captured its first All-Star race victory in 2015 with Hamlin, as well as another event win in 2017 with former Toyota driver Kyle Busch.
Heim, Gray brothers leading Toyota Tundras … After last weekend in Darlington, three Toyota Tundra TRD Pros continue inside the top 10 of the Truck Series points. Corey Heim sits in second position, only 14 points behind of the top spot. His TRICON Garage teammates, Taylor and Tanner Gray, join him in the top 10 in fifth and ninth positions.
Butterbean makes Trucks debut … In the opportunity of a lifetime, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen will pilot the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage this Saturday in his Truck Series debut. The Virginia native and CARS Tour racer will look to go back-to-back at North Wilkesboro as he was victorious in the CARS Tour race last year, one of his four victories on the season en route to a second-place finish in the series standings.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series East
Toyota Camrys take on Flat Rock … The ARCA Menards Series East heads to Flat Rock Speedway in Monroe, Michigan, for its fourth race of 2024. For Team Toyota, Gio Ruggiero and Toni Breidinger will pilot Toyota Camrys for Venturini Motorsports, and William Sawalich will once again run for Joe Gibbs Racing. Sawalich and Ruggiero sit just five and six points behind the series points lead entering the weekend.
NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car
Toyota racers at the top of points standings … After a few weeks off, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is back on track with Team Toyota drivers off to strong starts in 2024. In Top Fuel, Toyota’s six drivers own the top six points standings positions, with Justin Ashley atop the points after his victory at Charlotte three weeks ago. In Funny Car, J.R. Todd remains in second position, with Ron Capps in sixth and Alexis DeJoria in seventh entering the sixth race of the 2024 season.
Toyota’s Top Fuel streak … This weekend in Joliet, Toyota’s Top Fuel dragsters look for their seventh straight victory, a streak that dates back to the 2023 season’s final round at Pomona last November. Team Toyota has six chances at victory across its driver lineup, including Antron Brown who seeks his sixth overall win at Route 66 Raceway in his NHRA career.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th 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 28 electrified options.
Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
