It’s as if fate was saving it for a big stage. The NHRA rolls into Pacific Raceways this weekend for the Northwest Nationals,  and the milestone is still available for one of the Toyota Gazoo Racing North America drivers to claim.

Who wants to win race No. 200 for the manufacturer, who first claimed victory on February 29, 2004, at the K&N Filters Winternationals at Pomona Raceway, when Jerry Tolliver defeated Gary Densham in the final round. 

Justin Ashley scored win No. 199 at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. Still, he and his Toyota counterparts were shut out in the momentous NHRA Mile High Nationals in Denver, Co. As much as he hopes to win No. 200, he will have to hope for an early loss for his factory Funny Car teammates or a change in the NHRA’s final round schedule where the dragsters usually run last. 

Ashley has said he certainly would love to have the honor, but as long as one of his Toyota teammates gets to celebrate, he’s okay with it. 

“It would mean the world to me to win the 200th race for Toyota in the NHRA,” Ashley said. “Every race is prestigious, but to be able to do that for Toyota, such a prestigious organization, would really mean the world to me and our entire team.”

If oddsmakers in Vegas were to lay down a betting line, defending Funny Car champion Ron Capps, the newest driver to the Toyota party with his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra entry, has the best logical chance with one victory and four final rounds. He currently sits second in the NHRA championship points.

“To be able to give Toyota a hallmark win like that would be epic,” Capps said.

Alexis DeJoria, the longest-running Toyota Funny Car driver, is right there with Capps, as she ranks third in one of her best career seasons to date. She has three final rounds thus far this season. 

“To be the 200th winner for Toyota would be incredible. I would love to be able to do that for Toyota and our team,” DeJoria said.

If substance gives the best chance, the Top Fuel dragster drivers have notched 150 wins. Leading the charge in this class are Antron Brown with 56 wins, Larry Dixon with 19, and Shawn Langdon with 15 wins.

The Funny Car drivers stand at 49 wins. Cruz Pedregon leads the pack with 13 wins, J.R. Todd with ten wins, and Del Worsham with nine wins. 

Toyota series champions include Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car, 2008), Larry Dixon (Top Fuel, 2010), Del Worsham (Top Fuel, 2011, and Funny Car, 2015), Antron Brown (Top Fuel, 2012, 2015, 2016), Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel, 2013), J.R. Todd (Funny Car, 2018), and Ron Capps (Funny Car, 2022).

“It would be huge if we could definitely get into the books with that 200th win for Toyota,” Brown said. “Just for the history with how long they have been out here and for how many years we’ve been racing with Toyota since 2008. There is a lot of history there, and I think it would be monumental to go down in the record books being the 200th winner for Team Toyota. Toyota Racing, throughout our history, I know that we’ve had a lot of accolades, and we won a lot of races together. 

​“You’re talking about over 50 wins with Toyota in Top Fuel. If we would win the 200th, I think you would put that on the mantle and put it up there amongst one of those things that you definitely can’t take away. To share that moment with all of Toyota Racing would be huge, especially for me and AB Motorsports.”

J.R. Todd, a two-time series champion for Toyota and one of the few to win for Toyota in both nitro classes hopes fate leans his way this weekend in what could prove a healthy sibling rivalry. 

“To be that guy, that would mean a lot. Being a part of the Toyota family – that’s exactly what it is – it’s a family,” Todd said. “To be able to contribute just a little bit on our end at Kalitta Motorsports, that would be a pretty cool milestone.”

Steve Torrence, who officially joined the Toyota team in 2022, said earning the milestone would be perfect for what he characterizes as an incredible partnership.

“That would be icing on the cake on an already momentous relationship with Toyota,” Torrence said. “It’s just a credential that no one else will ever have. If you are the 200th, that’s a big mark. It would be really special if we could pull it off.”