Denny Hamlin's win of the Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway on Saturday was the 18th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race win for Toyota and clinched the 2019 Cup Series manufacturers' championship with one race remaining in the season.
“This title would not be possible without the talented drivers, dedicated race teams and support of our team members at Toyota and Toyota Racing Development,” Toyota North America Vice President of Integrated Marketing Operations Vinay Shahani said. “Eighteen victories is an incredible feat to accomplish in one of the most competitive motorsports series in America. The manufacturers' championship is something incredibly meaningful to everyone at Toyota and TRD; we’re certainly honored to capture our third in the series.”
The 2019 title in the third manufacturers' championship for Toyota, the other two coming in 2016 and 2017. Toyota drivers combined for 16 wins in each of those two seasons.
Toyota provides support for five teams in the Cup Series — the four fielded by Joe Gibbs Racing and the #95 Leavine Family Racing entry driven by Matt DiBenedetto. LFR has a technical alliance with JGR.
All four JGR drivers — Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Erik Jones — all won races in 2019, led by seven for Truex. Hamlin's six wins include the season-opening Daytona 500, considered the biggest NASCAR race of each season. Busch has four wins, so far, this year and Jones one. All four JGR drivers made the 16-driver playoffs, but Jones was eliminated early. The three other teamates remain to advance to the championship four, scheduled for Nov. 17, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, giving Toyota three of the four entrants in the finale.
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