Corey Heim led the way for Toyota in New Hampshire, earning his ninth NASCAR Truck Series win of the season, while Justin Ashley earned the NHRA Top Fuel win in Charlotte.
NASCAR
Heim won both stages and led a race-high 124 laps on his way to a series record-tying ninth win of the season, while also setting a record for the most stage victories in series history with 19.
“It means the world to me (to get win No. 9),” said Heim. “Looking back five years ago in my career if I could’ve ever imagined that I was first of all even in the Truck Series but nonetheless being able to compete or tie a record. It just says so much about all the hard work this TRICON organization puts in with their partnership with Toyota and Safelite. Just so honored to be a part of it. So much preparation on my side as well to live up to the equipment that’s given to me. Just had a little bit of an upper leg on these guys coming to New Hampshire last year (for the Xfinity Series race) and having a Cup test a couple weeks ago but knew that we’re going to have a good shot at it and wanted to live up so that’s what we did.”
- Corey Heim
Kaden Honeycutt finished seventh to advance to the Round of 8 in the Truck Series Playoffs along with Heim. Gio Ruggerio also finished strong with a fourth-place result on Saturday.
Christopher Bell was the highest-finishing Toyota driver with a sixth-place finish in Sunday’s Cup Series race.
“I feel good about our performance at the next two (races), but with that being said I felt good about our performance coming into here and it didn’t turn out,” said Bell following the race. “Yeah, Kansas is very similar to what we had at Darlington so hopefully we do good. I think we can. And, then surely the Roval is a road course we’re definitely strong at. Optimistic – you never know until you get through them. But today was a good day and off to a good start in the Round of 12.”
- Christopher Bell
Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe also earned a top-10 result with a 10th-place finish after leading 19 laps. Bell leads Toyota in the Playoff standings, sitting in fourth place, while Denny Hamlin (fifth), Briscoe (eighth), Tyler Reddick (11th) and Bubba Wallace (12th) round out the Top 12.
NHRA
Justin Ashley claimed his fourth Top Fuel win of the season on Sunday at zMAX Dragway. Doug Kalitta and Shawn Langdon joined Ashley in the four-wide final round, as Kalitta maintained his points lead.
“Yeah, for sure (it puts us in contention for the championship),” said Ashley. “It’s a long Countdown – plenty to go. There’s a bunch of really good cars out there. Right now, we can only control what we can control which is taking it one lap and one race at a time. I know that’s cliché, but fact of the matter is, it’s true. We have to take care of business and let the points take care of themselves. Great job to Mike Green (co-crew chief), Tommy DeLago (co-crew chief) and our whole SCAG Power Equipment Toyota team. The car has been so straight (this weekend), so smooth and they did an awesome job. Thanks to all our SCAG dealers and distributors here with us this weekend, everyone at Toyota, Mac Tools, Mobil 1. It takes a team, and everyone did it as a team (today). Four-wide (Nationals) win; Countdown win. Doesn’t get any better than this!”
- Justin Ashley
In Funny Car, Ron Capps made the semifinals but experienced a body explosion towards the finish line that ended his chance at victory. Austin Prock was the winner.
ARCA
Leland Honeyman (third) and Toyota Development Driver Isabella Robusto (fifth) earned top-five finishes for Toyota in Saturday night’s ARCA Menards Series race at Salem Speedway. Max Reaves started from the pole and led laps before an incident took him out of the race early.
GT3
Ben Barnicoat and Aaron Telitz took their No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 from the 10th starting position to a fifth-place finish in GTD PRO on Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. The No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 of Jack Hawksworth, Parker Thompson and Frankie Montecalvo came home ninth in GTD after a late flat tire derailed their shot at a top-five as well.
GT4
Ford Koch and Jaxon Bell led the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2s on Saturday with a 13th-place finish for Copeland Motorsports in the Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Indianapolis.
TRANS-AM
Carson Brown earned his first career TA2 Series win in just his fourth start in the No. 2 Toyota Camry at VIRginia International Raceway on Saturday.
USAC
Daison Pursley won the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series’ 4-Crowns Nationals at Eldora Speedway Saturday night. With the victory, Pursley became the seventh different Toyota-powered driver to win in USAC this season. Cannon McIntosh holds a slim 12-point lead over Grant in the championship standings with seven races remaining.
WHAT’S NEXT
NASCAR is back to America’s heartland for its second visit of the season to Kansas Speedway. The ARCA Menards Series kicks off the weekend on Friday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. EST on FS1. The Xfinity Series continues its Playoff opening round on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 4 p.m. EST on the CW. Finally, the Cup Series holds the second race of the Round of 12 on Sunday, Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. EST on the USA Network.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series continues its Countdown to the Championship at World Wide Technology Raceway outside of St. Louis, with finals coverage on Sunday, September 28, at 3 p.m. EST on FS1.