This Week in Motorsports: February 10 – 16, 2025
- NCS/NXS/NCTS/ARCA: Daytona International Speedway – Feb. 12-16
PLANO, Texas (Feb. 11, 2025) – The 2025 NASCAR season officially kicks off this weekend at Daytona International Speedway with the three NASCAR national series, plus the ARCA Menards Series, taking on the ‘World Center of Racing.’ The weekend culminates with the 67th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday.
NASCAR National Series – NCS/NXS/NCTS
GAZOO Racing officially makes full NASCAR debut … The season opening weekend in Daytona officially kicks off Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR)’s tenure in NASCAR with Toyota Motor North America (TMNA)’s motorsports division now competing under the global TGR banner. In this change, Toyota’s NASCAR Cup Series entries will continue to carry the Camry XSE nameplate and its NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Toyota Tundras with the TRD Pro badge, while its Xfinity Series entries continue in GR Supras this season.
Hamlin seeks history this Sunday … Three-time Daytona 500 winner, Denny Hamlin, seeks his fourth victory at the ‘Great American Race’ on Sunday which would make history. Should Hamlin cross the start/finish line first after 500 miles, a fourth Daytona 500 victory would tie him with Cale Yarborough for second in all-time Daytona 500 victories, trailing only Richard Petty who has seven wins. Sunday also marks Hamlin’s 20th Daytona 500 start.
Johnson, Truex must qualify to make Daytona 500 field … Jimmie Johnson is back in the No. 84 Camry XSE with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, seeking to qualify for the Daytona 500 as an open entry once again. The seven-time Cup Series champ aims to make his 22nd Daytona 500, and his third career win in the ‘Great American Race’ to join his 2006 and 2013 victories. Also looking to qualify in an open entry is Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 56 TRICON Garage Camry XSE entry. Truex, who retired from full-time racing after last season, goes for his 21st Daytona 500 appearance and first career win.
Full-time GR Supra lineup for 2025 debuts … Toyota’s full-time 2025 Xfinity Series lineup will debut in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race. For Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), Toyota Development drivers William Sawalich and Taylor Gray will pilot the No. 18 and No. 54 GR Supras this season. Sawalich, the two-time defending ARCA Menards Series East champion, makes his full-time debut in the Xfinity Series after three starts last season and a pole at Phoenix Raceway. Gray, who made 13 starts in 2024 with JGR, also makes his full-time debut. Brandon Jones is back with JGR and Team Toyota, piloting the No. 20 GR Supra this season. Jones last raced a GR Supra in 2022 and has five career victories with JGR and Team Toyota from 2018-2022. For Sam Hunt Racing, Dean Thompson steps into the No. 26 GR Supra in 2025. Thompson, who raced the last two seasons with TRICON Garage in the Truck Series, made two Xfinity Series starts with the team last year and now moves into the full-time role.
Truex returns to the Xfinity Series … Xfinity Series veteran Ryan Truex will also take on this Saturday’s race with Sam Hunt Racing in the No. 24 GR Supra. Truex returns to Daytona International Speedway after his victory in the summer race last August, his third career win.
Bonsignore back in a GR Supra … The first of a nine-race schedule this season, Justin Bonsignore will pilot the No. 19 GR Supra for JGR this weekend in Daytona. The three-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion made one start with JGR last season in the Xfinity Series at New Hampshire.
Breidinger, Ruggiero make jump to Trucks … Team Toyota will have some new full-time faces in its Truck Series lineup this season with Toni Breidinger and Gio Ruggiero at TRICON Garage. Breidinger, who has made four previous career Truck Series starts, moves up from the ARCA Menards Series and will pilot the No. 5 Tundra TRD Pro this season. She also makes her second career Trucks start at Daytona International Speedway. Ruggiero, a Toyota Development Driver, also makes the jump from ARCA and will wheel the No. 17 Tundra TRD Pro in 2025. The 18-year-old makes his Truck Series debut on the high banks of Daytona.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series
Robusto, Sawalich aim for ARCA win to begin 2025 … Toyota Development drivers Sawalich and Isabella Robusto will take on the ARCA Menards Series season opener in Daytona this weekend looking to begin the 2025 racing season with a victory. Sawalich is doing double duty on Saturday piloting the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the 80-lap ARCA race Saturday afternoon, followed by his Xfinity Series duties that evening for JGR. He will also run Friday’s Truck Series race for TRICON Garage in a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. For Robusto, she makes her debut at Daytona International Speedway in her first full-time season in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 55 Camry for Venturini Motorsports.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s 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 31 electrified options.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
