Toyota breaks down how Jimmie Johnson and Legacy MC will change TRD’s Superspeedway game
Toyota wants to see most of its cars making the playoffs in 2024.
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Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth (Via IMAGO)
Going into the 2024 NASCAR Cup season, Toyota has some big hopes. TRD had an impressive 2023 Cup season that saw five of their six-car lineup making it into the playoffs, with four winning races. Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell were among the most consistent drivers the year, and if not for some unfortunate incidents in the R-8 and finale, a TRD driver would’ve been the champion.
TRD expanded its Cup operation from two teams to three ahead of 2024. Alongside four JGR cars and two 23XI Racing cars, Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club will also field a Toyota Camry this season. Johnson, set to drive part-time, will be present in nine this year, meaning they will have seven cars for at least nine events.
This will come in handy at Superspeedways, as the lack of numbers was the Achilles heels for TRD drivers over the years on the races such as the Daytona 500 as they couldn’t draft as efficiently as Chevy and Ford teams. Acknowledging this advantage, TRD president David Wilson pointed out that he expects a better performance from Toyota at Superspeedways.
We expect it to be better on the speedways. We've got two more cars, three with Jimmie (Johnson) at Daytona, so we're actually going to have a pack. Our pack has always been kind of disappointing but we've got some numbers now to work with.Wilson told RACER.com.
Toyota wants all JGR and 23XI Racing cars in the playoffs
The goal TRD has set for its two existing teams is simple. He wants them to make it to the playoffs and win at least a race. In 2023, Ty Gibbs and Bubba Wallace ended the season winless, and rookie Gibbs missed the playoffs. Wilson doesn’t want that situation to occur again. He has high hopes for the rookie.
I’ll get right down to it — all four JGR cars should win, should make the playoffs. Ty Gibbs, I think this is his year. He’s coming into himself from a confidence perspective, from a performance perspective. We expect Ty to win this year. We expect 23XI (Racing) to do the same — to win, both cars to be in the playoffs.
In the last two seasons of the Next-Gen era, Toyota got one car to the Champiomnship-4 race via Christopher Bell. But luck and car reliability issues ruined his cup challenge in both years. Being title-less since 2019, Toyota is desperate to return to winning ways, considering both Ford and Chevy have won two titles each.
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Justin P Joy
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