This Week in Motorsports: February 9 –15, 2026
NASCAR: Daytona International Speedway – Feb. 12 – 15
PLANO, Texas (Feb. 11, 2026) – The 2026 NASCAR season kicks off this weekend on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway (DIS), where all three national series and the ARCA Menards Series will compete at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, culminating with the 68th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday afternoon.
NASCAR National Series – NCS/NORAPS/NCTS
Toyota seeks another win in the ‘Great American Race’ … The Toyota Camry XSE drivers who take the green flag in Sunday’s Daytona 500 will look to give Toyota its fourth visit to victory lane in the ‘Great American Race.’ Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver Denny Hamlin has delivered all three previous Daytona 500 wins for Toyota, scoring victories in 2016, 2019 and 2020. Hamlin is tied for third on the all-time Daytona 500 wins list, and a fourth victory Sunday would move him into a tie with Cale Yarborough for second.
Johnson returns to No. 84 Camry XSE … Jimmie Johnson is back in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB for the Daytona 500, his 23rd start in the Great American Race. Johnson and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB have opted to use NASCAR’s Open Exemption Provisional, which ensures them a starting spot in this Sunday’s race no matter their outcome across traditional qualifying or the Duels this week. The seven-time Cup Series champion won the Daytona 500 in 2006 and 2013 and is coming off a third-place finish in last year’s race.
Heim looks to make first Daytona 500 … In his part-time Cup Series schedule this season with 23XI Racing, Corey Heim will attempt to qualify for his first Daytona 500 in the No. 67 Toyota Camry XSE. The Toyota Development Driver has made seven career Cup Series starts over the last two seasons but has yet to compete on a superspeedway. Heim has been victorious at DIS before, with a win in the Truck Series race last year that kickstarted his record-breaking and championship-winning season.
Burton returns to Toyota; begins with SHR … Harrison Burton is back behind the wheel of a Toyota GR Supra in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, joining Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) in the No. 24 entry this season. Burton has made 75 career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts in a Toyota, including two full-time seasons with JGR from 2020-2021. At DIS, Burton has an O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career-best finish of second in 2020. He’s also a former Cup Series winner at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, capturing a victory in 2024.
Ruggiero takes on Daytona tripleheader … Toyota Development Driver Gio Ruggiero has a busy weekend ahead of him as he will race in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series races this weekend in Daytona. In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Ruggiero will drive the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra for JGR in his series debut, while he’ll race his normal No. 17 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage in the Truck Series and along with the No. 18 Toyota Camry for JGR in the ARCA Menards Series race. Ruggiero has found success at DIS before, finishing second in his Truck Series debut there last season.
Friesen returns to No. 52 Tundra TRD Pro … For the first time since last July, Stewart Friesen will pilot his No. 52 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, as he begins his chase for a Truck Series championship in 2026. Friesen is coming off a 2025 season that included a win at Michigan, three top-fives and six top-10s in 16 races. His team earned a Championship 4 appearance in 2025, after Kaden Honeycutt drove the final eight races in the No. 52 and nearly brought home a title due to an injury Friesen suffered in a dirt racing accident in late July. This weekend marks Friesen’s 10th career Trucks start at DIS.
Honeycutt begins title chase in No. 11 … Taking over for Heim in the stout No. 11 Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage, Honeycutt begins his quest for the Truck Series championship this weekend in Daytona. The Aledo, Texas, native was in the title race last season in his first Playoff appearance, and now steps into one of the best trucks in the entire field for 2026. This weekend marks the 60th start of Honeycutt’s Truck Series career and his second at DIS.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series/Super Late Model Series
Robusto begins second full-time ARCA campaign … After claiming Rookie of the Year honors in the ARCA Menards Series last season, Isabella Robusto is back in the No. 55 Toyota Camry for Nitro Motorsports. The Toyota Development Driver earned nine top-fives and 14 top-10s last season, including two third-place finishes at Talladega and Dover. She makes her second career start on the high banks of DIS this weekend.
Avedisian looks to continue strong 2026 start … Toyota Development Driver Jade Avedisian has started off her 2026 racing season in a powerful way in Super Late Model racing. In two races last weekend at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida, the California native earned a seventh-place finish, and then followed that up with a victory – her first in Super Late Model competition. She finished seventh in last night’s event at New Smyrna, and has two more races ahead this week, eager to rack up more solid finishes and potentially, another win or two.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 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 nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
