At this point, Toyota finishing an ARCA Menards Series season with a manufacturer title can be viewed as business as usual. Toyota collected its sixth such championship — and its fifth consecutive — early in 2021 with Corey Heim’s fifth victory at Watkins Glen International on Aug. 6.
But this year, Toyota swept the manufacturer titles in all three series on the ARCA Menards platform.
In addition to its convincing triumph in the ARCA Menards Series, Toyota won the titles in the ARCA Menards Series East and, narrowly, in the ARCA Menards Series West.
Toyota’s title in the ARCA Menards Series was a breeze considering the series’ top two drivers by a wide margin, Ty Gibbs and Heim, both drove Toyotas. Gibbs piloted the No. 18 Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, and Heim raced the No. 20 Camry for Venturini Motorsports. Those two drivers won 16 of the 20 races on the schedule.
Including Jesse Love’s victory at Salem Speedway and Landen Lewis’ win at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, Toyotas reached Victory Lane in 18 of 20 ARCA Menards Series races in 2021. The only exceptions were Nick Sanchez (Kansas Speedway) and Daniel Dye (Michigan’s Berlin Raceway), both of whom won their races in Chevrolets.
In the ARCA Menards Series East, Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Ty Gibbs and Sammy Smith won seven of the eight races piloting Toyota Camrys.
The only non-Toyota driver who won an East Series eace in 2021 was Max Gutiérrez, who took the checkered flag in the season opener at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway driving a Ford for Rette Jones Racing.
The ARCA Menards Series West was the only series on the ARCA Menards platform Toyota did not dominate in 2021. This thanks to the longstanding tradition of team owner Bob Bruncati fielding competitive Fords.
While neither Jake Drew nor Trevor Huddleston won a West Series race for Bruncati in 2021, both were consistent, each with a series-high seven top-10 finishes through nine races. That, combined with four wins among three drivers, kept Ford in the mix for the manufacturer championship entering the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
Chase Briscoe, Joey Iest and Taylor Gray (twice) won West Series races in Fords this year. Ty Gibbs (twice), Jesse Love (twice) and P.J. Pedroncelli picked up the West Series wins for Toyota.
Ultimately, the success of the Toyota drivers was enough for the manufacturer to top Ford by three points in the final standings.
— ARCA Racing —
