Can Toyota Keep Up Their Dominant 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Season?
One car manufacturer is the class of the field in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series. The Toyotas have been dominating the series almost every single week, usually in the form of Tyler Reddick’s 45 car or Denny Hamlin in his sporty 11 machine. Despite making up only a fourth of the field, they combine for nine out of the 15 race victories between Reddick, Hamlin, and fourth-year driver Ty Gibbs. It is going to be extremely difficult for a Chevrolet or a Ford to top the Toyotas in 2026 while they are this consistent.
Among the successes have been several milestones for Toyota drivers. The 23XI driver, Reddick, became a Daytona 500 Champion after passing Chase Elliott in the final turn. Gibbs, the grandson of Hall of Fame NASCAR owner and NFL coach Joe Gibbs, scored his long-awaited first win at Bristol in April. Hamlin’s win at Michigan last weekend tied the late Kyle Busch for ninth on NASCAR's all-time wins list. Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace, and Chase Briscoe are all currently in the Chase, sitting in 10th, 11th, and 13th, respectively, and all of them have scored at least five top-10s on the season.
The Toyotas are not stopping in 2026, though. On May 30th, 2026, it was announced that the top prospect in NASCAR, Corey Heim, will replace Riley Herbst in the 35 for 23XI in 2027. This could ultimately solve the weakest link for the Japanese manufacturer next season, as Herbst has not performed nearly as well as his fellow drivers. Toyota Racing Development hosts several top prospects that could find their way into the Cup Series, perhaps replacing JGR's 45-year-old star once he starts to slow down. Legacy Motor Club, the team owned by seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, will increase the Toyota Cup Series lineup from nine to 10 with the addition of the 84 machine.
Even when they don’t win, the Toyotas are hoarding the front of the field week after week in the form of Hamlin, Reddick, the 32-year-old Bubba, and the Oklahoma native, Bell. Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney is the closest contender after 15 races. Despite being third in the points standings, he is over 100 points away from catching Reddick and Hamlin. With the 11 machine on a hot streak after winning the last two races, and Bubba entering a sweet spot after Michigan as well, the Camrys are just revving up as we enter the summer stretch of the season. With these cars dominating virtually every type of track in 2026, it is hard to imagine the 2026 Cup Series Champion not being a member of the Toyota family.
