This Week in Motorsports: April 21 – April 27, 2025
- NCS/NXS/ARCA: Talladega Superspeedway – April 25-27
- NHRA: zMAX Dragway – April 25-27
- GR CUP: Circuit of the Americas – April 25-27
PLANO, Texas (April 23, 2025) – NASCAR returns to the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway for the first of two visits in 2025 as the Cup and Xfinity Series are joined by the ARCA Menards Series in the heart of Alabama. NHRA is back on track for the second four-wide nationals of the season at zMAX Dragway outside of Charlotte. The Toyota GR Cup series returns to the track for its second race weekend of the season, taking on the Circuit of Americas (COTA) outside of Austin, Texas.
NASCAR National Series – NCS/NXS
Camry XSE drivers ready for Playoff push after break … With the Easter weekend break behind us, it’s now a 17-race run to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs as six Toyota drivers find themselves within the top-20 of the series points and within a potential Playoff berth. Locked into the Playoffs with wins on the season are Denny Hamlin (two race victories) and Christopher Bell (three race victories) who currently sit second and third, respectively, in the point standings. They’re joined inside the top-10 by 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick (seventh) and Bubba Wallace (eighth). Additionally, Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs are 13th and 20th, respectively, entering this weekend at Talladega.
Reddick eyes Talladega Spring repeat … Reddick returns to Talladega Superspeedway looking for a repeat win after the dramatic triumph in April 2024. That victory by Reddick in his No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE was the sixth of his career and the first of three victories last season that propelled him to the Cup Series regular season championship. Sunday will be the 11th career start for Reddick at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.
Nemechek looking to continue drafting track success … The 2025 Cup Series season has been a solid one so far for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s John Hunter Nemechek, in part to his successful runs at the two drafting tracks to-date. At the Daytona 500 and the following weekend in Atlanta, the driver of the No. 42 Camry XSE posted two top-10 results, finishing in the fifth and 10th positions. Sunday marks Nemechek’s fifth career Cup Series start at Talladega, where he’s accrued two top-10 finishes there as well.
Earnhardt returns to the Xfinity Series, Sam Hunt Racing … For the first time in 2025, Jeffrey Earnhardt is back behind the wheel of a Xfinity Series car, piloting the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing this weekend in Talladega. Saturday is the first Xfinity Series start for Earnhardt since Phoenix last November, his 14th at Talladega Superspeedway and will also be the 175th start of his career.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series
Sawalich taking on double duty … Saturday will be busy for William Sawalich as the Toyota Development Driver is doing double duty efforts this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. The 18-year-old is not only piloting his normal No. 18 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) in the Xfinity Series, but he’ll also drive the No. 18 Toyota Camry for JGR in the ARCA Menards Series race earlier in the afternoon, marking over 500 miles total in the two races. Sawalich has not run Talladega in the ARCA nor Xfinity Series but did compete in the Truck Series race last October where he became the youngest polesitter in the speedway’s history the day after his 18th birthday.
NHRA – Top Fuel/Funny Car
Toyota racers continue towards top of points standings … Now four races into the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, Toyota drivers find themselves in the championship mix in both the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories. In Top Fuel, Shawn Langdon continues as the points leader, holding a 16-point advantage over second place. Antron Brown is third, Doug Kalitta is fourth, Justin Ashley is eighth and Steve Torrence is in 10th heading to Charlotte this weekend. In Funny Car, Ron Capps leads the GR Supra Funny Car contingent in the seventh position with J.R. Todd in 10th and Bobby Bode in 11th.
Ashley seeks Charlotte four-wide repeat … Ashley is back at the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals in search of a repeat win after the thrilling victory at zMAX Dragway one year ago. Another triumph for Ashley would be the 16th of his career as he looks to climb up the Top Fuel points standings with the summer stretch of races on the horizon.
GR Cup
Rutledge Wood makes GR Cup debut … This weekend at COTA, TV personality Rutledge Wood will pilot the No. 18 GR86 car for Precision Racing LA in the GR Cup Series events at COTA. Along with this weekend at COTA, Wood is set to compete in GR Cup race weekends at Road America, Barber Motorsports Park and Indianapolis Motor Speedway this season.
Beginning of the Legends Cup … The race weekend at COTA also kicks off the Legends Cup presented by WWEX Group for the 2025 GR Cup series season, a class of drivers 45 years or older who get the chance to compete for victory at some of the most iconic racing venues in the U.S. The Legends Cup takes place during the COTA, Road America and Indianapolis Motor Speedway race weekends of the 2025 GR Cup series season, totaling out at six races. The winner at each race in the category receives $5,000, while the driver who accumulates the most points in the category by the end of the season will receive an additional $5,000. In total, $75,000 of prize money is available for these drivers to win, along with bragging rights.
Weisenberg, Robusto look for back-to-back weekend victories … Three weeks ago at Sonoma Raceway, Lucas Weisenberg and Will Robusto were victorious in the opening two races of the 2025 GR Cup series season. Weisenberg and his No. 46 Toyota GR86 captured victory in the first race at Sonoma, while Robusto in his No. 2 entry was victorious in the second 45-minute event the following day after coming home fourth in race one. Both drivers head to COTA in search of their second victory on the year as they set their sights on a championship push.
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.
