This Week in Motorsports: July 21 – 27, 2025
· NCS/NXS: Indianapolis Motor Speedway – July 25-27
· NCTS/ARCA: Indianapolis Raceway Park – July 25
· NHRA: Sonoma Raceway – July 25-27
PLANO, Texas (July 23, 2025) – NASCAR and NHRA remain in action this weekend, stretching from coast-to-coast as Team Toyota searches for more victories. The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series take on the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, culminating with the Crown Jewel Brickyard 400, while the Truck and ARCA Menards Series race at nearby Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP). NHRA stays out west and returns to Sonoma Raceway with just three races remaining before the Countdown to the Championship.
NASCAR National Series – NCS/NXS/NCTS
Gibbs with a shot at $1 million … This weekend’s Brickyard 400 marks the finale of NASCAR’s inaugural In-Season Challenge for the Cup Series, where Ty Gibbs is the lone Toyota Camry XSE remaining. The Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver has defeated Justin Haley, AJ Allmendinger, Zane Smith and Tyler Reddick on his road to the finals, and will take on Ty Dillon on Sunday for a chance to win $1 million.
Hamlin now series leader in wins … Another triumph by Denny Hamlin at Dover Motor Speedway last weekend gave the JGR driver four wins in the 2025 Cup Series season, the most in the series through 21 races. Hamlin is now halfway to his career-best mark of eight wins in a season, which he accomplished in 2010, and heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he chases an elusive Brickyard 400 win. Last weekend’s victory also pushed Hamlin up to fourth in the Cup Series points standings, as he now leads the Toyota Camry XSE contingent.
Almirola looks to continue strong 2025 … In eight Xfinity Series starts this season, Aric Almirola has driven the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra to six top-10-or-better finishes, including his win at Phoenix in March. Almirola returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend where he nearly missed out on victory one year ago, coming home in third in a dramatic finish.
Friesen makes 200th career start … Friday night’s Truck Series race at IRP will be the 200th in the career of Stewart Friesen. In his previous 199 starts, the Canadian has accrued four career victories, including last month at Michigan International Speedway, 51 top-fives and 91 top-10s. Friday night will be his fourth career start at IRP, with a career-best finish of fourth in 2022.
Heim with a chance to clinch regular season title … Corey Heim has had a dominant 2025 season in the NASCAR Truck Series with five wins, nine top-fives and 11 top-10s, as well as three pole positions, in 15 races so far this season. The Toyota Development Driver currently holds a 144-point lead in the series points standings and needs 39 points on Friday at IRP to clinch the regular season championship. Friday will also be the 80th career start in the Truck Series for Heim and his fourth at IRP, where he looks to improve upon a career-best result of fifth in 2022.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series National/East
Crews takes on double duty … Toyota Development Driver Brent Crews is set to have a busy Friday at IRP, running both the ARCA Menards Series (No. 18 Toyota Camry with JGR) and Truck Series (No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro with TRICON Garage) races at the 0.686-mile short oval. Crews is making his fifth ARCA start this season with JGR, where he has two victories – Phoenix (National) & Rockingham (East). In Trucks, Friday is his third start of the season after running North Wilkesboro and Lime Rock Park earlier this year.
Corry makes ARCA debut … Chicago-native Sam Corry will pilot the No 70 Toyota Camry for Nitro Motorsports this weekend at IRP, his debut in ARCA competition. The 17-year-old has raced in and been victorious in a variety of motorsport categories already in his young career, including a win in the TransAm TA2 Series with Nitro Motorsports at Lime Rock Park in May.
NHRA – Top Fuel/Funny Car
Toyota aims to continue Top Fuel streak … After Shawn Langdon’s victory in Seattle last weekend, Toyota has now won four consecutive Top Fuel races entering Sonoma Raceway. Langdon’s triumph, which put him in the Top Fuel points lead, follows Steve Torrence’s victory at Bristol and Justin Ashley’s wins at Richmond and Norwalk in June. Toyota also now holds a more than 1,000-point lead in NHRA’s Manufacturer’s Cup, seeking to repeat its maiden title from last season.
Brown looks for Sonoma repeat … Defending Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown is back at Sonoma Raceway where he aims to repeat his victory from a season ago. The victory was the third of six race wins for the four-time champ last season and his fifth career win at Sonoma. Another victory at the California dragstrip will be paramount for Brown to repeat his world championship with the Countdown to the Championship just around the corner.
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 32 electrified options.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
