NASCAR heads back to Bristol Motor Speedway for the second time this season in a jam-packed weekend that features its three national series and the ARCA Menards Series. The weekend kicks off Thursday afternoon with a combo race for the ARCA national and East series. The Truck Series has its second race of the Round of 10 Thursday evening, while the Xfinity Series begins its Playoffs Friday night. The Cup Series wraps up the weekend with its Round of 16 cutoff race on Saturday night. Meanwhile, NHRA begins its Countdown to the Championship at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania.
NASCAR National Series – NCS/NXS/NCTS
Toyota drivers remain in strong position entering cutoff race … After last weekend in St. Louis, Toyota drivers remain above the cutline entering the final race of the Cup Series Round of 16 this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin have both advanced with wins at Darlington and Gateway the last two weekends, while Bubba Wallace sits fourth (+50 points to the cutline), Tyler Reddick (+37 points to the cutline) ranks seventh, and Christopher Bell (+32 points to the cutline) is in the eighth position in the points standings entering this weekend.
Hamlin one shy of milestone victory … After taking the checkered flag last weekend at Gateway, which was Toyota’s 200th Cup Series win and his fifth win of the 2025 season, Hamlin now sits one victory away from additional milestones. Another trip to victory lane would be the 60th of Hamlin’s successful Cup Series career, which would tie him for 10th all-time on the Cup Series wins list with Kevin Harvick. It would also give the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver 57 career victories with Toyota, which would make him the manufacturer’s all-time winningest Cup Series driver. Luckily for Hamlin, Bristol Motor Speedway has historically been one of his most successful tracks, where he’s captured four victories, along with 13 top-fives, 20 top-10s and four pole positions.
Heim returns to No. 67 Camry XSE … Corey Heim will pilot the No. 67 Toyota Camry XSE for 23XI Racing, pulling double duty this weekend at Bristol, along with competing in the Truck Series. The Toyota Development Driver will make his Cup debut at the 0.533-mile concrete oval, where he has found success in his Truck Series career, capturing victory in 2023 and finishing no worse than 10th in five previous starts.
Jones, Gray begin championship push … Friday night begins the Xfinity Series Playoffs where JGR’s Brandon Jones and Taylor Gray will represent Team Toyota for the series championship fight. Jones punched his ticket to the Playoffs after a win at Darlington Raceway in April, while Gray earned his way in on points. Jones begins the postseason eight points above the cutline and Gray is tied for the cutoff spot entering Friday night.
Earnhardt back in the No. 24 GR Supra … Jeffrey Earnhardt returns to Sam Hunt Racing and the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Earnhardt will make his third start this season with the team after also running at Talladega Superspeedway and Nashville Superspeedway earlier this year. The North Carolina native has made 11 previous Xfinity Series starts at Bristol, with a career-best finish of 12th on two separate occasions.
Heim, Honeycutt resume Playoff push … Thursday night’s Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway is the second race of the opening round of the Playoffs, where Heim and Kaden Honeycutt resume their battle for the series title. Heim clinched a spot into the next round by winning at Darlington Raceway two weeks ago, while Honeycutt is seven points below the cutline entering the weekend.
Heim looks to continue win streak … After his victory at Darlington, Heim enters Bristol with three consecutive Truck Series wins and victories in four of the last five races. It’s been a historic season for the Georgia native with eight wins in 19 starts, along with 13 top-fives, 15 top-10s, nearly 1,200 laps led and completing all but four laps so far this year.
Butcher makes Truck Series debut … Canadian Super Late Model driver Cole Butcher will pilot the No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Halmar-Friesen Racing this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, making his Truck Series debut. Butcher is a very successful racer, winning multiple championships in the Pro Stock Tour, as well as a winner on the ASA STARS National Tour.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series National/East
Crews running double duty … Toyota Development Driver Brent Crews is set to have a busy Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway, as he’ll compete in the ARCA Menards Series combo race in the afternoon for Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 18 Toyota Camry, followed by the Truck Series race Thursday night behind the wheel of the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage. This will mark the ninth ARCA national series and fifth East series race starts for Crews, where he has four combined wins – Phoenix Raceway, Rockingham Speedway, Indianapolis Raceway Park and the Illinois State Fairgrounds. In Trucks, Crews will make his sixth start of the season, looking to improve upon a season-best finish of eighth at Lime Rock Park in June.
NHRA – Top Fuel/Funny Car
Toyota drivers begin championship push … Seven Toyota NHRA racers begin their quest for a championship this weekend as the NHRA postseason opens at Maple Grove Raceway. In Top Fuel, Shawn Langdon (2013 champion) begins the Countdown to the Championship as the No. 2 seed, with Doug Kalitta (2023 champion) in third, Justin Ashley in fourth, defending and four-time world champion Antron Brown in sixth, and fellow four-time world champion Steve Torrence in ninth. In Funny Car, multi-time champion Ron Capps starts as the No. 4 seed, while 2018 champion J.R. Todd is sixth.
Toyota PR