Toyota is absolutely rolling right now, and both Ford and Chevrolet are scrambling to keep up. After grabbing a second-best 14 wins in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season and already taking seven of the first 11 trophies this year, they are the clear benchmark for the 2026 field.

Christopher Bell has benefitted from the surge, staying fast every week despite some tough luck with wrecks. Though he has yet to win a race this year, the 31-year-old recently broke down exactly why the Toyota Camry XSE has such a massive advantage.

Bell explains that the secret lies in how the cars handle deep into a race. "I mean, today, I think it’s gonna be long-run speed," Bell told the FOX booth ahead of the Texas race. "It seems like our cars have a lot of grip in them. We’ve had the same body now for a couple of years, so we’ve had the same rules package."

This familiarity with the car body allows teams like Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI to fine-tune their performance for the long haul. "We’re able to really hone in on what our balance needs to be good on the long run," he added.

According to Christopher Bell, the Toyotas thrive when the racing gets difficult. As the track surface heats up, their inherent mechanical grip becomes a massive advantage.

"I think the hotter it gets, the slicker it gets, the more that we’re gonna shine," Bell explained. "So yeah, let this thing go green, let it play out, get into green-flag cycle, green-flag pit stops, stuff like that.

"But whenever it comes to grip making, it seems like the Toyotas got a lot of grip," he concluded.

Toyota might not have the fastest car for a quick two-lap sprint or a chaotic restart, but their ability to maintain speed over extended periods is where they pull away from the field.

Can Toyota keep this momentum to be crowned NASCAR champs?

The data clearly support what Christopher Bell sees on the track. Toyota is currently leaving Chevrolet and Ford in the dust by a massive margin. So far this year, Toyota drivers have led more than 45% of all laps and secured over 43% of the top-five finishes.

What stands out about this run is how balanced the success has become. Joe Gibbs Racing usually used to do the heavy lifting for the Japanese manufacturer, but now 23XI Racing is consistently winning and battling at the front too.

Still, a hot start is never a guaranteed championship. History shows that the momentum can shift in an instant. Just last season, Toyota came out swinging with five wins in the first eight races, only to fade away as the schedule rolled on. They finished with nine wins across the next 28 events, which opened the door for Chevrolet to snatch another manufacturer's title.

Moreover, three of the last five wins have been by Chevrolet drivers. The big question for the rest of the 2026 season is whether Chevrolet can recover from its relatively slow start to earn a sixth straight title, or if Toyota has finally found the formula to turn this early surge into its best season ever.

Follow the Daytona Racing Digest for more NASCAR news and updates!

Written by

Sanskriti Pastor

Edited by

Yask Kotak