This Week in Motorsports: June 3 – 10, 2024
· NCS/NXS/ARCA WEST: Sonoma Raceway – June 7-9
· NHRA: Bristol Dragway – June 7-9
PLANO, Texas (June 5, 2024) – NASCAR’s Cup and Xfinity Series are back on the west coast at Sonoma Raceway, with the weekend culminating with the Toyota/Save Mart 350. The two series will be joined at the California circuit by the ARCA Menards Series West, who’s back in action after Portland last weekend. NHRA heads to Bristol Dragway for the eighth race of their 2024 season.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS
Toyota takes over manufacturer’s points lead … After Sunday’s race at Gateway, Toyota is now the Cup Series manufacturer’s points standing leaders going into Sonoma this weekend. This is the first time Toyota has led the standings this season as it seeks its first manufacturer’s championship since 2016.
Hamlin’s top-five streak continues … A second-place finish last weekend in Gateway now makes it five consecutive top-fives for Denny Hamlin. The Cup Series points leader has four career top-fives at Sonoma and is the defending pole-winner as he seeks another high finish to retain and extend his points lead with 11 races remaining in the regular season.
Truex returns to favorable Sonoma … Currently fourth in the Cup Series points standings, Martin Truex Jr. is back at Sonoma Raceway where he’s been ultra-successful of late. The New Jersey native has four wins in the last seven races on the 1.99-mile road course, including a victory last year. Another triumph would be Truex’s first of the 2024 season as he looks to officially lock himself into the Playoffs.
Smith, Creed hold steady in points top-10 … Following a wild race at Portland last weekend, Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith and Sheldon Creed continue inside the top-10 of the Xfinity Series points standings in third and eighth, respectively. Smith has already locked himself into the Xfinity Series Playoffs via his two wins earlier this season and Creed seeks to do the same this weekend at Sonoma with 12 races remaining in the regular season.
Nemechek back in Xfinity Series … For the first time since COTA back in March, John Hunter Nemechek is back in the Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, piloting the No. 20 GR Supra this weekend. Nemechek has made one career Xfinity Series start at Sonoma (last season) and is looking for his second win of 2024 to couple his Las Vegas triumph from March.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA West
Toyota well represented at Sonoma … For this weekend’s ARCA Menards Series West race, Toyota’s driver development program will once again be well represented. Gio Ruggiero, Isabella Robusto and Brent Crews will all be running Toyota Camrys for Venturini Motorsports this weekend, while William Sawalich, coming off his win at Portland, will once again drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. Sawalich looks for his third win in the first four ARCA Menards Series West races this season.
NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car
Top Fuel win streak now at eight … Following Doug Kalitta’s thrilling win at Epping last weekend, Toyota has now won eight consecutive Top Fuel events on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series circuit, including the first seven races of 2024. Toyota’s six Top Fuel racers will have ideal chances to extend the streak to nine this weekend at Bristol Dragway, including category points leader, Justin Ashley, who goes for a personal three-peat at the Tennessee drag strip.
Toyota seeks Bristol Funny Car four-peat … Bristol Dragway has been a favorable spot for Toyota’s Funny Car program with this weekend offering a chance for a fourth consecutive win. Ron Capps enters the weekend as the two-time defending winner of the Thunder Valley Nationals and Alexis DeJoria was victorious in 2021. Another triumph by either would be paramount at this point in the season, as well as for J.R. Todd who’s in the middle of the Funny Car championship fight.
500 career round wins on the table for Torrence … Should he advance to at least the semifinals this weekend at Bristol, Steve Torrence will have 500 round wins in his historic NHRA career. A semifinals appearance, and more, would mean wonders for Torrence who currently sits fourth in the Top Fuel points standings as he looks to close in on his Toyota teammates ahead of him in search of his fourth world championship.
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.
