For years, NASCAR fans have debated whether one manufacturer has an edge over the rest.
In 2026, those conversations have reached another level.
Toyota has now won 11 of the first 19 NASCAR Cup Series races, placed seven cars inside the top 10 for the first time in manufacturer history at Chicagoland Speedway, and continues to occupy the top of the regular-season standings. As the victories pile up, so have accusations across social media that Toyota must be cheating or benefiting from an unfair advantage.
The drivers and competitors inside the garage, however, tell a much different story.
Toyota’s historic season has fueled plenty of speculation
The numbers are difficult to ignore.
Toyota drivers have captured 11 victories through the season’s first 19 Cup Series races, with Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick combining for nine of those wins.
At Chicagoland Speedway, the manufacturer added another milestone.
Chase Briscoe led a Toyota sweep of the podium ahead of Christopher Bell and Hamlin, while Toyota also became the first manufacturer in NASCAR Cup Series history to place seven drivers inside the top 10 in a single race.
That level of dominance has naturally led to questions outside the garage.
Across social media, some fans have suggested Toyota has found a loophole in NASCAR’s rules or is receiving preferential treatment from the sanctioning body.
Brad Keselowski doesn’t believe that’s what’s happening.
Instead, the RFK Racing co-owner says Toyota’s biggest advantage isn’t found under the hood.
It’s found in the boardroom.
Speaking during NASCAR’s Chicagoland media sessions, Keselowski argued Toyota recognized years ago that the sport’s changing rules rewarded organizational collaboration more than individual team development.
Rather than allowing its organizations to operate independently, Toyota encouraged Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing to work more closely together, creating what Keselowski described as effectively having “two ‘A’ organizations rather than an ‘A,’ ‘B’ and ‘C.’”
“They’ve recognized that that stalemate is not necessarily good for the sport or for them as an OEM,” Keselowski said. “They’ve done a lot of things to push elite collaboration amongst their top organizations so that they have, for reference, two ‘A’ organizations rather than an ‘A,’ ‘B’ and ‘C.’
“As I’ve seen to date, the other OEMs have not done that, and Toyota is making them pay for that with results on the race track. They deserve credit for that.”
Keselowski later challenged Ford to embrace a similar philosophy rather than continue operating with less collaboration among its top organizations.
Denny Hamlin says Toyota’s advantage is simple: hard work
Hamlin has heard the criticism.
He just doesn’t agree with it.
The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran and 23XI Racing co-owner addressed the growing conversation on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast after another stretch of Toyota success, dismissing the idea that the manufacturer is doing anything outside NASCAR’s rules.
“We’re running the same (expletive) car for the last few years. The other manufacturers have changed their cars. We haven’t changed anything,” Hamlin said. “The Toyotas in general really got it clicking right now, but it ain’t unfair. This is a product of a lot of hard work.”
He later doubled down.
“Every manufacturer wants to go out there and figure out the best way to optimize their cars and engines and all the stuff. Toyota right now has got it figured out better than the rest of them and it ain’t because of an unfair advantage. It’s a fair advantage that was earned through hard work.”
The results support his argument.
Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing have consistently unloaded with speed throughout the season, combining to dominate qualifying, lead laps nearly every weekend and put multiple cars in contention for victories.
Whether rival manufacturers can close that gap remains one of the biggest storylines entering the second half of the season.
Until they do, the wins will keep coming.
And so will the questions.
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This article was originally published on HEAVY
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