This Week in Motorsports: March 31 – April 6, 2025
- NCS/NXS: Darlington Raceway – April 5-6
- Formula DRIFT: Long Beach – April 4-5
PLANO, Texas (April 2, 2025) – NASCAR heads to Darlington Raceway for the first of two visits in 2025, featuring the Xfinity and Cup Series during its “throwback” weekend. Formula DRIFT begins its 2025 campaign in Southern California and on the streets of Long Beach.
NASCAR National Series – NCS/NXS
Toyota claims four wins in first seven races … The 2025 Cup Series season has been a strong one to-date for Team Toyota. Camry XSE drivers have claimed victory in four of the first seven races, including Denny Hamlin’s dominant win in Martinsville last weekend to go along with Christopher Bell’s three straight triumphs at Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas and Phoenix earlier this season. A victory this weekend for Team Toyota would be its 11th at Darlington Raceway and first since Hamlin’s win in 2021.
Wallace continues strong 2025 start … Adding to Toyota’s early-season success is Bubba Wallace, who is coming off two consecutive third-place finishes at Homestead and Martinsville and now sits eighth in the Cup Series points standings. The driver of the No. 23 Camry XSE for 23XI Racing makes his 14th career start at Darlington Raceway this weekend, where he’s found success in the past – having four straight top-10 results in a stretch between 2022 and 2024.
Briscoe seeks Darlington repeat … The last time the Cup Series raced at Darlington, Chase Briscoe soared to victory and locked himself into the 2024 Playoffs. He also finished fifth in the spring race last year, adding to his recent Darlington success. The driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Camry XSE aims for another strong performance Sunday, seeking his first win with JGR and Team Toyota and the third Cup Series victory of his career.
Bell does double duty … Along with his full-time duties behind the wheel of the No. 20 Camry XSE for JGR in the Cup Series, Bell will also make his first Xfinity Series start of the season in the No. 19 GR Supra for JGR this weekend. The Oklahoma native returns to the Xfinity Series for the first time since the Darlington fall race last year, where he claimed victory. Bell was also victorious in his only other Xfinity Series start in 2024 at New Hampshire in June. Saturday marks Bell’s 80th career Xfinity Series start as he goes for career win number 20.
Thompson coming off career-best finish … Amid the chaos at the end of last weekend’s Xfinity Series race in Martinsville, Dean Thompson achieved a career-best sixth place finish with his Sam Hunt Racing No. 26 GR Supra. In seven races so far this season, Thompson has two top-10 finishes – Martinsville and at the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. The California native makes his Xfinity Series debut at Darlington Raceway this weekend but has three previous starts there in the Truck Series, with a best finish of ninth in 2023.
Formula DRIFT
2025 season begins … Toyota’s Formula DRIFT racers begin their quest for the series championship on the streets of Long Beach this weekend. Of those ready to be in the thick of the title fight are Fredric Aasbø and Ryan Tuerck, who both finished inside the top-six of the Formula DRIFT PRO standings last season in third and sixth, respectively.
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.
