KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Sept. 28, 2026) – Camry driver Thomas Annunziata captured his first career ARCA Menards Series title last Friday with a fifth-place finish at Kansas Speedway. This championship is the first in ARCA competition for Nitro Motorsports.
The 21-year-old New Jersey native made his full-time debut in ARCA competition in 2026, with a terrific season-long performance behind the wheel of his No. 70 Toyota Camry. Annunziata captured one victory at Lime Rock Park in June, along with earning 11 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes across this season’s 20 races, with an average finishing position of seventh enroute to the driver’s title. Annunziata’s championship is also the second in four years for Toyota, and third in the last six, joining Jesse Love (2023) and Ty Gibbs (2021) with recent championships.
“We’re thrilled to have been a part of Thomas Annunziata and Nitro Motorsports’ first championship in the ARCA Menards Series,” said Paul Doleshal, general manager, sponsorships and motorsports, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). “This year’s ARCA Menards Series championship was very competitive amongst the Nitro Motorsports teammates, and for Thomas to come out on top shows not only his distinct talents, but also his determination to reach his goals. We look forward to celebrating this terrific moment with Thomas in his young and prospering career.”
Annunziata also made his debut in the NASCAR Truck Series at Lime Rock Park in the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage, where he started from the fourth position.
Annunziata’s championship was the finishing touch on another historic season for Toyota in the ARCA Menards Series, as Toyota teams won 11 of the 20 races. This included a stretch of four-in-a-row from Michigan International Speedway to Elko Speedway in the mid-summer where Annunziata’s Lime Rock Park win was the third of four in that stretch. Annunziata is the ninth Toyota-partner driver to capture an ARCA Menards Series championship, joining the likes of Patrick Sheltra (2010), Justin Lofton (2009), Frank Kimmel (2013), Austin Theriault (2017), Sheldon Creed (2018), Christian Eckes (2019), Gibbs (2021) and Love (2023).
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of over 50 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
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