This Week in Motorsports: October 18-24, 2022

Team Toyota’s NASCAR teams are headed to Homestead-Miami Speedway as all three national series compete this weekend, while the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series locks in their Championship 4.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCWTS

Hamlin ready to add another Homestead victory to his tally… Denny Hamlin moved from below the Playoff cutoff line to above it with a fifth-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday. The Virginia-native has been one of the most consistent drivers in the Playoffs this season with four top-five finishes and six top-10s in seven races. Hamlin is a three-time winner at Homestead, most recently in June 2020.

Bell plans for another rebound… Christopher Bell was taken out in an early-race incident in Las Vegas and fell to eighth in the point standings, 23 points below the Playoff cutoff. Bell is looking for his first career win at Homestead. He scored a top-10 finish there in his Cup track debut in 2020.

Gibbs makes track debut… Ty Gibbs is going to mark off another first as the 20-year-old makes his track debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend. After a top-five finish in Las Vegas, Gibbs is 25 points above the Xfinity Series Playoff cutoff line.

Jones desires to be one spot better at Homestead… Brandon Jones has earned back-to-back runner-up finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway as he looks to score his second victory of the season to clinch a Championship 4 berth. After a top-10 run in Las Vegas, Jones is 27 points below the Playoff cutoff line heading into this weekend.

Double for Smith… Chandler Smith is in a good spot as he pursues his first Truck Series Championship 4 appearance, holding a 30-point advantage over the Playoff cutoff line coming into Homestead. Smith, who won in dominating fashion last season in Phoenix, will also be making his third and final scheduled start for Sam Hunt Racing in the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Majeski breathes easy… Ty Majeski is the only driver going into the NASCAR Truck Series event at Homestead-Miami this weekend who is locked in to run for the title in Phoenix. The Bristol winner has one start at Homestead in each of the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series and has finished inside the top-10 finishers each time.

Looking for four… Toyota is looking to become the first manufacturer to have all four drivers in the Championship 4. Currently, Majeski is locked in with Chandler Smith 30 points above the Playoff cutoff, while Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes, Stewart Friesen and John Hunter Nemechek are battling for the final spots with Zane Smith, who is currently 18 points above the cutline and Grant Enfinger, who is over 40 points below the cutoff.

Manufacturer title clinching… Toyota is looking to clinch its 13th manufacturer title in the Truck Series this weekend. Toyota’s teams have won 11 of the 21 races this season, as they look to clinch their eighth title in the last 10 seasons. 

TRD PR