CREWS, THOMPSON SET NEW CAREER-BESTS AT TALLADEGA
Three top-10s in a strong showing for Team Toyota
TALLADEGA, Ala. (April 25, 2026) – Brent Crews and Dean Thompson both set new career-bests at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series race on Saturday evening.
Crews, who finished a career-best second, has three consecutive top-five finishes, while Thompson (sixth) delivered a career-best points total as the California-native earned 44 points today due to strong stage finishes. Brandon Jones (eighth) added a third Toyota GR Supra inside the top-10 as the highest-ranking Toyota driver in points scored his third top-10 in the last four races.
TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS)
Talladega Superspeedway
Race 11 of 33 – 300.58 miles, 113 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Corey Day*
2nd, BRENT CREWS
3rd, Sheldon Creed*
4th, Sammy Smith*
5th, Jeremy Clements*
6th, DEAN THOMPSON
8th, BRANDON JONES
27th, HARRISON BURTON
28th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
29th, TAYLOR GRAY
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
BRENT CREWS, No. 19 Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 2nd
What did you learn today, and how excited are you to go to Daytona?
“I don’t know. It was a lot of fun, and not driving with my eyes closed was easy, but trying to pick a lane – it’s impossible out there, but it is a lot of fun. The whole 19 team – the 19 Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra was fast it could be. I learned a lot there at the end. We had damage and was able to go up there and build runs and to wind up second was super cool. Happy to be here, thanking the Good Lord for keeping us safe today. It was pretty hectic out there, but I had a lot of fun.”
The Toyotas have had some struggles here at Talladega. Where did you feel like your car had some strengths today?
“Honestly, everywhere. It had great power everywhere. I felt like I could suck up when I wanted to. I think my only critique was when I had a little damage – I could hear the air. I could feel it, I could see it, but other than that, it was really good.”
DEAN THOMPSON, No. 26 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing
Finishing Position: 6th
Stellar day at Talladega. Top-10 in both stages, and another top-10 finish. How was your race?
“Yeah, just really proud of my guys. I feel like I’m just the lucky guy holding the steering wheel. This is a testament to the work that Kris Bowen (crew chief) and this 26 team have put into this race car, and I’m just blessed to be driving this Thompson Pipe Group, One TPG Toyota GR Supra. It was just wicked fast. From two years ago, when I first raced with them, it felt like a top-15 was a big day for us, and now we are bummed out that we didn’t get a win. I think it’s a huge testament to the work these guys have put into this race car.”
BRANDON JONES, No. 20 Menards/Charbroil Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 8th
Clean day and you finished inside the top-10. Can you talk about your finish?
“Top-10 is kind of borderline a win at these tracks. It is so hard to get to the end of them. I have seen this race, this first race specifically, do this a few times, where in that last stage – the energy picks back up, and you can see it go green at the end like it did. A couple of guys at the end had a couple of wrecks – but nothing to take a lot of cars out with it. Just tried to be smooth all day with it – it is so hard at this race track. It stalls all three lanes out, especially when you have certain cars moving around and blocking each lane, so I was like, I don’t think there is any way I can get up there for stage points. I was trying to use my knowledge of this track and try to use some discipline – if I can’t get my points, then let’s just bail and go to the back. I’ve watched some really good cars do that. I’ve watched Denny Hamlin and some smart racers in the Cup Series make that decision, and it is kind of hard. You don’t want to give up track position, but you know at the right time, if you get in the right lane, you can surge and get back up to the front too. Just tried to be smart all day with our Menards, Charbroil GR Supra. I just wanted to make it to the end, and sometimes you can get a bunch of wrecks at the end, and it nets out, but it is still nice to get a top-10 and finish, and come out of here with some momentum, especially after Kansas was so strong. That penalty hurt so bad, but it was nice to still know we had winning speed and get a top-10 here, so I’m excited to take it to Texas next week.”
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.
