It’s officially championship week for Toyota Racing in all three NASCAR national series and NHRA. While five drivers have chances to win their respective titles, it’s already been a record-breaking season for Toyota.
Already clinched
Going into this weekend, Toyota drivers and teams have clinched four driver titles and three manufacturer championships across multiple racing disciplines.
In dirt racing, it was a storybook season for Jesse Colwell. Colwell, who won his ride with a winning performance in the Keith Kunz Motorsports Giveback Classic last year, drove his way to the POWRi championship on the strength of two victories.
The title winning continued this past weekend at ISM Raceway in Arizona as Derek Kraus finished an outstanding season with his 11th top-five finish in 14 events on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West tour to earn the championship.
NASCAR
While Toyota drivers already have several titles already this season, so much more can be secured this weekend.
It starts on Friday as Toyota holds a nine-point lead in the manufacturer’s standings in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Toyota is guaranteed to clinch its 11th title if a Toyota driver can finish inside the top five.
Although Toyota Playoff drivers Austin Hill and Tyler Ankrum were both eliminated in their runs for the driver’s championship on Friday, Kyle Busch Motorsports can still earn the owner’s championship with the No. 51 team. ARCA Menards Series champion Christian Eckes is scheduled to be behind the wheel as the team looks to add more hardware to an outstanding season.
A Hall of Fame driver, Kalitta hopes to earn his long awaited first championship after over 20 seasons of competing. Kalitta has four runner-up finishes in the championship race and comes into the final race of the season at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California, in third – less than two rounds out of first.
Kalitta looks to follow recent Toyota champions Del Worsham (2015 – Funny Car), Antron Brown (2016 – Top Fuel) and J.R. Todd (2018 – Funny Car).