Toyota's dominance on these intermediate tracks in this season’s Cup Series seems to have all Chevy fans rattled. And even rightfully so, because all Chevy seems to be doing is playing catch-up in 2026.

Teams such as Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing have been powered by this exact manufacturer dominance, and other teams can do nothing but watch these long green flag runs get faster. But one of the most veteran Chevy drivers, Dale Earnhardt Jr, has not given up on them yet.

“The Cup race, Toyota dominated. I was… a little surprised at how clear that was,” Dale Jr. initially admitted while breaking down the race. To prove his point, he even pointed to Larson’s inability to escape the manufacturer's incapacity.

“Larson maybe was one of the better cars that could get up there in the middle of them, but you could tell that he was driving his a** off and not fast enough. And they would eventually all go around him. If you got a good 30-lap run, it would end up sorting out to be like four or five Toyotas up front.”

However, Earnhardt Jr did not panic over the situation but rather placed hope in the American builder’s abilities.

“I’m hopeful for Chevy because they got a new car,” Dale Jr. explained. “It takes a little while. It’s got a little bit of a balance… it’s a bit challenging aerodynamically because of how it’s a little bit different than the old car.”

The new Camaro ZL1 introduced for this season has an upgraded styling similar to their Camaro ZL1 Carbon Performance Package accessories kit. It has a larger hood power dome, a revised front grille, and more pronounced rocker panels.

On this potential, Earnhardt Jr. doubled down, saying, “Once they figure out what this car really needs, I think that they’ll be fine. There’s an answer in there for Chevrolet. There’s a solution that they’re gonna find that’ll give them what Toyota has.”

Summing up towards the end, a one-line solution was proposed by Dale Jr., who added, “They just need more practice.”

But once we agree to such a critique, the question arises: How dominant has Toyota been this season? Well, let’s find out.

Toyota leaving Chevrolet behind on intermediate tracks

Pure stats reveal Toyota’s dominance. They have already secured 7 wins in the opening 23 races, standing on top of the manufacturer rankings since the very start. Take the example of Kansas alone, where Toyota drivers led 188 of 274 laps, nearly 69% of the entire event, while placing four cars inside the top five.

The biggest weapon for the manufacturer is Tyler Reddick, who already has five accolades this season, including Daytona, Atlanta, and COTA. Chevy still has limited elite performances, such as Kyle Larson, who has led 499 laps this year but struggled to convert speed into race wins consistently.

For the championship, the depth between Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI gives Toyota roughly six projected playoff drivers, consequently more than Chevy, further adding to the argument that all Chevy is doing this year is catching up.

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Uday Jakhar

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason