This Week in Motorsports: August 12 – 18, 2024
· NCS/NXS: Michigan International Speedway – Aug. 17-18
· NHRA: Brainerd International Raceway – Aug. 16-18
· ARCA: Michigan International Speedway – Aug. 16
Illinois State Fairgrounds – Aug. 18
PLANO, Texas (Aug. 14, 2024) – NASCAR is back in the Midwest and Michigan International Speedway where the Cup and Xfinity Series take battle as both regular seasons continue to wind down. The ARCA Menards Series holds two races this weekend, one at Michigan on Friday and the other at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Sunday. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is back in action at Brainerd International Raceway with two races remaining before the Countdown to the Championship.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS
Reddick, Hamlin make up ground on points lead … The fight for the all-important regular season championship is heating up with just three races remaining before the Cup Series Playoffs. After their top-five finishes at Richmond Sunday night, Tyler Reddick (second) and Denny Hamlin (fourth) both made up ground to the points lead heading to Michigan this weekend. Reddick is now just five points behind the championship lead, while Hamlin sits just 21 points back. Christopher Bell jumped a few spots to sixth in the points standings after a Stage 1 win Sunday night and is joined by Martin Truex Jr. (eighth) and Ty Gibbs (11th) inside the provisional playoff field. Bubba Wallace also continued his strong run of late with a fourth-place finish at Richmond and is now inside the playoff field, sitting three points above the cutline.
Reddick continues his top-10 streak … With his strong third-place run at Richmond, Reddick now has six consecutive top-10 finishes and nine in the last 10 races as he’s methodically carved his way up the points standings to second position, which is a career-best. In total, he has 16 on the season, the most in the Cup Series. Another such finish this weekend in Michigan may propel the California-native to the points lead depending on how the race shakes out.
Hamlin seeks another strong Michigan run … Like most tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, they bode well for Hamlin and the No. 11 Camry XSE team, and Michigan is no different. The 43-year-old has six consecutive top-10s at Michigan International Speedway and 11 in the last 16 races heading into the weekend. Like Reddick, another such finish or better would be monumental as Hamlin looks to cement himself as the regular season champion in a few weeks’ time.
Smith, Creed still well within Xfinity Playoffs … As the Xfinity Series returns for the first time since the Olympic break, Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith and Sheldon Creed are both well within the Playoff field with six races remaining in the regular season. Smith is already locked in the Playoffs with his two wins earlier this season and sits fourth in the points standings, while Creed sits in eighth position, 69 points above the cutline.
Earnhardt back in No. 26 GR Supra … For the first time since Talladega Superspeedway, Jeffrey Earnhardt is back behind the wheel of the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. Earnhardt has made two starts so far this season in the No. 26, including an eighth-place finish at Atlanta back in February. Saturday will be Earnhardt’s 171st career Xfinity Series start and his sixth at Michigan International Speedway.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series
Breaking barriers … Across the two ARCA Menards Series races this weekend, Venturini Motorsports will be making NASCAR history with four female drivers piloting their Toyota Camrys, the first time four women drivers have raced for the same team in the same race. Toni Breidinger and Amber Balcaen will partake in both races with their full-time duties, while Isabella Robusto and Taylor Reimer will challenge the Illinois State Fairgrounds race on Sunday. For Reimer, this will be her second career ARCA Menards Series start, making her debut at the fairgrounds last year and finishing eighth. She’s also coming off a late model race win at Hickory Motor Speedway last weekend. Robusto makes her third ARCA Menards Series start on Sunday, looking for her third top-10 finish of the season also.
Sawalich looks to continue winning ways … In his eight ARCA Menards Series starts this season, William Sawalich has five victories, including three-in-a-row heading to the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Sunday. The Minnesotan has also finished inside the top-five in all but one race so far this season. He makes his second start at the fairgrounds this weekend where he finished fifth a season ago.
NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car
Kalitta makes history at Brainerd … This weekend marks a monumental occurrence for Doug Kalitta, Kalitta Motorsports and the NHRA as the defending Top Fuel world champion makes his 600th career start, the first time anyone has reached that number in Top Fuel history. Kalitta seeks to make the milestone weekend another triumphant one, going for his fourth win of the season and to extend his category points lead, which currently stands at 125 over teammate, Shawn Langdon, with just two races before the Countdown to the Championship.
Brown, Capps seek Brainerd repeats … Antron Brown and Ron Capps roll into Brainerd International Raceway with hopes of repeat victories in Top Fuel and Funny Car this weekend. Both former world champions currently sit fifth in their respective points standings, and a win by either or both would be enormous as they look to build momentum heading into the U.S. Nationals and the Countdown to the Championship.
About Toyota
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For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
