Toyota Racing has been the top of the three manufacturers in the NASCAR Cup Series that hasn’t seen much presence over the last couple of seasons. The manufacturer only has six full-time entries but it used to be less than that number.
Before 23XI Racing joined the scene, it was Joe Gibbs Racing and Gaunt Brothers Racing. It also used to be Furniture Row Racing before the organization shut down its operations. Needless to say, Toyota’s support compared to other manufacturers has been lighter.
Now, the manufacturer is set to gain another NASCAR team. Legacy Motor Club will switch from Chevrolet to Toyota starting in 2024, which will give the manufacturer a total of eight full-time entries. Still, that may not be enough for them moving forward.
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Toyota’s big update on its future in the NASCAR Cup Series for 2024 and beyond
Toyota has a very bright future in the NASCAR Cup Series as Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Ty Gibbs, and Bubba Wallace represent the future winners of the sport. Meanwhile, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin are the veteran presences still seeking championships.
With Legacy Motor Club joining the fold in 2024, it will bring back two young drivers that used to drive for Toyota. Erik Jones and Noah Gragson will be in the organization’s entries next season as they look to make improvements on a rough 2023 season.
It is a very positive step for Toyota as the manufacturer has a desire for more entries on the race track. Chevrolet and Ford are set for more than 10 cars so there is a push within Toyota to acquire more moving forward.
The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi jumped on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and gave more details about Toyota’s desire for expansion in the Cup Series, despite the news that Legacy Motor Club will join the camp next year.
“Toyota has made no secret. They want to have more cars on the race track, they feel like they need to have more cars on the race track. It feels like they have talked to just about every team in the garage…They are very adamant that they want to expand. I think there is an opportunity there for some teams toward the mid pack on back to better themselves.”
Jordan Bianchi on Toyota’s desire for expansion beyond 2023
Toyota has proven to be aggressive in expansion talks after coming out at the beginning of the 2023 season and stating their desires. Then, the manufacturer moved quickly to poach Jimmie Johnson’s team from the Chevrolet camp.
In fact, there are more benefits from switching to Toyota right now if a NASCAR team is in the mid-pack on back. Toyota will only have three teams in 2024 so it means an organization joining the manufacturer will become a higher priority.
For example, Legacy Motor Club is not a very big priority in the Chevrolet camp with Hendrick Motorsports, Trackhouse Racing, and Richard Childress Racing. Therefore, a move to Toyota gives them a higher opportunity to compete.
With Toyota looking to expand beyond eight entries in 2024, which NASCAR teams would make the most sense for a switch? Continue reading to find out three ideal candidates for the manufacturer!
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3 ideal NASCAR organizations to join Toyota Racing in the future
Toyota will continue to recruit NASCAR teams to join their side of the equation and the benefits are pretty substantial for teams not at the front of the pack. Which organizations would be better off with a move?
JTG Daugherty Racing is the first organization that comes to mind. While Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the No. 47 team have been very successful compared to 2022, it still is important to remember that they are lower on the totem pole with Chevrolet.
Stenhouse Jr. won the 2023 Daytona 500 and that has helped them out; however, he is just coming off a season where he finished 26th in the point standings. Would JTG Daugherty Racing benefit from a switch to Toyota?
Spire Motorsports is another organization that would be a possible option for Toyota in the future. The organization is in the same situation as JTG Daugherty Racing as it does not rank very high within the Chevrolet camp.
There could be an opportunity to increase the team’s performance even more moving forward if it bails on Chevrolet. Spire Motorsports has Corey LaJoie, who has been steadily improving, so there could be a desire from Toyota’s side to bring him into the equation.
Finally, Stewart-Haas Racing is an out-of-the-box idea depending on what happens with their contract with Ford. The organization’s contract with Ford goes through the 2024 season so it could join when the new TV deal starts in 2025.
It doesn’t seem likely that it would return to Chevrolet because of the top-3 teams but what about Toyota? Stewart-Haas Racing has been struggling to perform and a switch to Toyota could help them rise to a higher level again.
Either way, Toyota has plenty of NASCAR teams out there that make sense for them moving forward. The only issue is convincing these organizations to make the move and compete with a manufacturer that provides a better opportunity for success.