Toyota Racing needs no reminder about the last time it claimed a NASCAR Cup Series championship. "Forever," Tyler Gibbs, the president of Toyota Racing Development (TRD), told ESPN. "It feels like it's been forever." For the record, it's been six years. It was 2019, with the late Kyle Busch, who is responsible for two of the three titles that Toyota has in the series (2015, 2019), behind the wheel. The other came courtesy of Martin Truex Jr. in 2017.

"When you compare the number of wins we have in that timeframe compared to the number of wins, let's say, that Chevrolet or Ford has, just on a purely prorated basis, we should have more championships," Gibbs said. "Yes, it feels like it's been forever and ever. So, we aren't due [to win one] because we're just participating; we are due because of the level and effort of performance we've had over time."

Toyota cars have been the fastest and its drivers the most consistent, including 15 wins in 29 races. All six Toyota drivers who made the Chase are also in the top 10 in points. "I think we all know that we're all racing each other kind of for the championship," said Chase Briscoe. "I definitely would say that pressure's there, but I don't think the expectation's been put on us. We just all kind of internally know it."

"I think it's Toyota's championship to lose," Bubba Wallace said. Gibbs doesn't believe any driver would have more pressure than his teammates. "I hope the drivers don't feel pressure from us other than the normal pressure of we have high expectations of them and how they race each other," Gibbs said. "But individually, I think each of them would say they have a tremendous amount of pressure. ... I think they feel the pressure, but most of it is self-induced."