Toyota's stranglehold on the NASCAR Cup Series has the manufacturer as the betting favorite to win the championship. The wins back it up. Bubba Wallace, who drives for Toyota, put it bluntly: "I think it's Toyota's championship to lose. Based on how many races we've won, it would be a shame if we didn't seal the deal."
That confidence makes sense. Toyota has accumulated wins at a rate that should translate to a title. But Wallace and the rest of the Toyota stable aren't feeling the weight of that expectation. They're not rattled by being the favorite. Instead, they see the math. More wins typically mean better positioning in the playoffs and more momentum heading into the final stretch. Wallace's take amounts to a reality check: the statistical advantage is there, so execution becomes the only question mark.
It's a measured perspective from a driver who knows the 2024 season stretches long. Favorites blow it all the time in stock car racing. Fuel runs out. Tires wear down. One bad pit stop erases a season's worth of excellence. Toyota's drivers understand this. They're not celebrating anything yet. They're focused on maintaining the pace that got them here.