“I feel like we have some momentum going our way and we’re just finding ourselves in the right situation and we’re capitalizing on it,” Brown said. “We're doing the right things at the right time, and no matter what blows come our way, as we’ve had some struggles, I see Brian (Corradi, co-crew chief), Mark (Oswald, co-crew chief), Brad (Mason, car chief) and these Matco Tools guys make the car do what they want it to do. And we’re really, really close to where we need to be, but the good part is, we’re working and we’re getting better and we’re in the right spot, in the right time, to capitalize to make the runs we need to make to win the rounds and that’s the main thing. Our guys know how to race and I’m super proud, super blessed to be on this team and to bring these wins home means something, but the work is not done yet. Not at all. We have to keep going until the job’s finished.”
- Antron Brown
Antron Brown won his second consecutive NHRA Top Fuel race in Charlotte and took over the points lead with four races remaining in the season.
NHRA
Antron Brown continued to show strong performance when it counted as the New Jersey native won his second straight race to start the NHRA Countdown. With the win, the three-time champion took over the points lead for the first time this season – with just four races remaining on the schedule.
“The Mobil 1 Toyota Camry was okay – just trying to find the right balance,” said Wallace. “I appreciate them – I appreciate the effort to come up here. I told Bootie (Barker, crew chief) that we are a seventh-to-12th place car, coming in here – and we ended up third. It is still not good enough. We have to go to work to figure out how we can be two spots better, but all-in-all – best in class in multiple categories. Just appreciate the effort. It stings, running this well when you are not in the Playoffs, but it just makes you hungrier for next year.”
- Bubba Wallace
In Funny Car, Ron Capps led Toyota with an opening round win.
NASCAR
Three Toyota drivers advanced to the Round of 12 after racing action at Bristol Motor Speedway – Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin. Bell, who scored two top-five finishes in the three races in the round, clinched after the opening stage, while Reddick and Hamlin earned their spots based on their race-long performance.
Bubba Wallace led Toyota in the Cup Series race with a season-best third place finish.
“He (Cole Custer) got loose on the first restart when he got the lead, and then I did the same thing that he did. Just got free there – I felt like I was pretty good there in the middle of the run, and I could stay with him,” said Creed. “I was just trying to pace with him, and then I pancaked the fence all by myself, and then I hit it four or five more times, and I felt like I never really recovered after that. Just was a little too tight at the end of the run when we got to lap traffic, when I would get close. I just needed to turn a little bit better. We are really consistent with our Toyota team– another second. I’ll take it and we will keep moving forward.”
-Sheldon Creed
Sheldon Creed extended his recent performance surge with another runner-up finish in the Xfinity Series, this time to Cole Custer, at Bristol on Friday. Creed, who leads the series in top-five finishes with 13, will be the ninth seed in the Playoffs – three points out of the top eight. His teammate, Chandler Smith, who finishe third on Friday is the fourth seed, while Ryan Truex’s fifth-place result helped the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team clinch the NXS owner’s regular season title.
“Everyone at our TRICON camp did such a good job,” said Heim. “They gave me a great Tundra. They had great pit stops – they did their job to keep me out front, just didn’t quite have it when the groove started to move around there. Every time we got a heat cycle on the tires, it felt like it got tighter and tighter. Just didn’t quite have it, but solid points day in the Playoffs – that’s what you need, so I will keep moving forward with TRICON Garage, Toyota Racing, Safelite – huge thank you to all of those guys. I’m looking forward to my favorite place next week.”
- Corey Heim
Corey Heim continued his stellar Truck Series season with a runner-up finish on Thursday evening to lead Toyota in NASCAR Truck Series action at Bristol Motor Speedway. With the finish, Heim clinched his spot in the Round of 8 regardless of what happens next weekend at Kansas Speedway. His TRICON Garage teammate Taylor Gray finished 12th and sits 23 points above the Playoff cutline.
ARCA
William Sawalich came from behind to win his second straight ARCA East championship on Thursday at Bristol. The 17-year-old led over half of the race and had a great overtime restart to score the race victory and the overall championship.
USAC
Toyota driver Daison Pursley swept a pair of USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series events at Eldora Speedway this weekend, including the 42nd running of the 4-Crown Nationals Saturday night.
Pursley leads the series in wins with seven in 16 races this season, while also leading the championship standings by nearly 100 points over McIntosh. Overall, Toyota drivers have captured 14 victories in the series in 2024.
What’s Next
It is another busy weekend in NASCAR with four races in three days at Kansas Speedway. On Friday, September 27, the ARCA Menards Series will run at 5:30 p.m. ET on FS1, followed by the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at 8:00 p.m. ET, also on FS1. The NASCAR Xfinity Series begins its Playoffs on Saturday, September 28 at 4:00 p.m. on the CW, while the NASCAR Cup Series closes the weekend on Sunday, September 29 at 3:00 p.m. ET on USA Network.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series continues its Countdown to the Championship at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway – near St. Louis. Final eliminations are on Sunday, September 29 at 3:00 p.m. on FS1.