By Jerry Jordan, Editor
Toyota reached a historic milestone on Sunday as Denny Hamlin powered to victory at World Wide Technology Raceway, securing the manufacturer’s 200th NASCAR Cup Series win.
The triumph, celebrated by Toyota Racing Development (TRD), marks a significant achievement in Toyota’s 18-year journey in NASCAR’s premier series, which began in 2007.
Tyler Gibbs, President of TRD, reflected on the collective effort behind the accomplishment, saying, the team at TRD, TMNA (Toyota Motorsports North America) and on the track with JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), 23XI (Racing), Furniture Row (Racing), Red Bull (Racing) and Michael Waltrip Racing have all contributed to Toyota’s 200th victory.
The win by Hamlin and JGR underscores Toyota’s enduring collaboration with its partner teams and their shared commitment to excellence.
Hamlin’s win highlighted Toyota’s current dominance, with Gibbs noting that even former Toyota driver turned Ford competitor, Joey Logano, said the other teams have to be pretty much perfect to beat a Toyota Camry right now.
This edge stems from Toyota’s superior horsepower, bolstered by its overall commitment to motorsports, in general.
“We haven’t brought specifically a spec upgrade but we have made some minor improvements to the performance over the course of the last six or eight weeks,” Gibbs said.
As the NASCAR Playoffs intensify, Gibbs emphasized execution as the key to success and that there are some really good tracks coming up for the Toyota drivers and teams.
“As it relates to the Playoffs, the tracks have suited us well and our drivers well. You’ve seen execution. I think execution is going to be what wins races in the playoffs and is going to win the championship at Phoenix,” he said. “It’s race by race, week to week. Anything can happen. We’re going to Bristol next week. Bristol traditionally is a pretty good track for us and for our teams and for our drivers. But it’s Bristol. It’s the night race. It’s a Playoff race. The stakes are high for everybody.”
While Toyota hasn’t claimed a Cup Series championship since 2019, Gibbs remains optimistic but pragmatic, saying that, “So long as the driver sitting here at Phoenix is wearing a Toyota logo, I’m going to be happy, It would be great to get a Hall of Famer like Denny a championship but we don’t have any favorites when it comes to winning. Whoever wins, that’s what we’re looking for.”
Recent races have also helped Toyota drivers accumulate valuable points, strengthening their position in the playoff standings and Toyota’s overall success is helping across the board. The newest team in the Toyota fold, Legacy Motor Club, is showing weekly improvement despite not having either of its drivers in the hunt for the 2025 Cup Series Championship.
“We’ve worked hard to eliminate early stumbles and be ready for this moment,” Gibbs said.
For now, Toyota celebrates its 200th win while keeping its sights set on the ultimate prize: a championship trophy at Phoenix Raceway in November.