“I love this place,” said Bell. “It is absolutely amazing. This place – I don’t know – it has been special to me since we came here for that late model race back in, I think, 2015. This one was different though. Rain tires, the track was really slippery – it was just so much fun out there in those adverse conditions, the track was changing around so much. That was one a lot of fun, and I’m really happy for our partners – Rheem, Toyota, DEWALT. We have Watts on the car again. I think we we’ve won every time they have been on the car. Just a really cool weekend.”
- Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell continued to show his mastery of New Hampshire Motor Speedway – sweeping the weekend’s NASCAR events.
NASCAR
Christopher Bell was great in the dry – winning the first stage – but showcased his skill set in wet conditions as NASCAR elected to use wet weather tires as he passed his Team Toyota teammate, Tyler Reddick, on lap 241 and led the balance of the race to earn his second Cup Series win at the track and third victory of the season.
That was 100 percent just circumstances there,” said Bell. “I really did not do a very good job on the start and got a terrible launch and that allowed Sheldon (Creed) to get into second, and Sheldon ended up getting Cole (Custer) loose off of (turn) four and I had Sheldon’s left rear, and I was able to get to the bottom of three-wide with our Mobil 1 Toyota. (Turns) One and two I felt really good at the bottom, so I felt like I was in a good spot, but that was a hard one for sure. Cole did a good job getting control of the race and getting the lead and he just drove away the third stage. It is never over till it’s over, though.”
- Christopher Bell
Bell led four Toyotas in the top-10 – Tyler Reddick (sixth), who was leading during the rain delay, John Hunter Nemechek (eighth), who battled back from two laps down, and Martin Truex Jr. (ninth), who recovered from a mid-race incident.
On Saturday, Bell kept the streak alive with his fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series triumph in as many starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Bell, his teammate Sheldon Creed, and Cole Custer battled for the win on a final overtime restart, with Bell coming out on top.
“Yeah, we definitely all work very hard at it. Chad Head (general manager, Kalitta Motorsports), Connie (Kalitta, team owner, Kalitta Motorsports). Yeah, just real proud of what Connie has put together here for us. Bragging rights, I guess at the shop. You know, my Mac Tools, Toyota, Revchem guys, Alan Johnson (crew chief), everybody. Really, heck of a job today, just going rounds. You know, it was so hot, obviously, and we had this rain delay. Great weekend for all of us!”
- Doug Kalitta
For the No. 20 team, it is their fourth win of the season with the fourth different driver (John Hunter Nemechek, Aric Almirola, Ryan Truex and Bell). Creed came home in second – his record-tying 10th runner-up finish in the series, while Toyota Development Driver, Corey Heim (10th), delivered back-to-back top-10’s for the first time in his young career, and the first time for Sam Hunt Racing this season.
NHRA
Doug Kalitta and Shawn Langdon met in the final round in an all Kalitta Motorsports bout, with Doug Kalitta coming out on top in NHRA’s return to Virginia Motorsports Park. With the run to the final, the teammates now hold the top-two spots in points, while Toyota won their ninth Top Fuel race in the last 10 events. It was also a special day for Steve Torrence, who won his 500th round of racing in the first round.
FORMULA DRIFT
Fredric Aasbo and Ken Gushi had a strong outing in Englishtown, New Jersey as each Toyota driver advanced to the final eight. With the strong runs, Aasbo moved up to third in the overall standings, while Gushi sits fifth. Toyota continues to lead the Auto Cup as Formula DRIFT moves on to the second half of its season.
ARCA
William Sawalich made it past fellow Toyota Development Driver, Brent Crews, late and scored the win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Friday. It’s Sawalich’s fourth victory of the season. After her fifth top-10 finish in eight races this season, Toni Breidinger (seventh) is the highest-ranking female driver in the point standings as she sits in fourth heading into racing action this weekend.
In Funny Car, Ron Capps led Toyota with an opening round win. Austin Prock was the race winner.
Toyota victorious at Pikes Peak
In the 102nd Pikes Peak International Climb, Laura Hayes captured the inaugural GT4 race victory in her No. 22 Mobil 1 GR Supra GT4. Hayes also made history by becoming the fastest woman ever in the Climb’s history.
What’s Next
It’s a triple header in Music City for the NASCAR teams as they battle at Nashville Superspeedway. On Friday, June 28, the NASCAR Truck Series teams race on FS1 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The NASCAR Xfinity Series races on Saturday, June 29 at 5:00 p.m. ET on USA Network, and the NASCAR Cup Series closes the weekend on Sunday, June 30 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
The ARCA Menards Series runs at Michigan’s Berlin Speedway on Saturday, June 29 at 8:00 p.m. on FS1.
Finally, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competes at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. Final eliminations are on Sunday, June 30 at 5:00 p.m. ET.