Since its introduction to
motorsports in the early 1970s,
Toyota has been involved in a number of
motorsportMotorsport is the collection of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles.Motorsport includes all forms of motor racing as well as non-racing motorized sports.-Motor racing:...
activities, most notably in
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1, and currently officially referred to as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants...
,
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
,
IndyCarThe IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and overseas...
,
Champ CarChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
,
sports car racingSports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
and
rallyingRallying is a form of motor competition that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars. This motorsport is distinguished by running not on a circuit, but instead in a point-to-point format in which participants and their co-drivers drive...
. Currently, Toyota participates in
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1, and currently officially referred to as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants...
,
Toyota Racing SeriesThe Toyota Racing Series is New Zealand's premier "open-wheeler" motorsport category. The Series includes races for every major trophy in New Zealand circuit racing including the New Zealand Motor Cup and the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy...
,
Formula NipponFormula Nippon is a type of formula racing and the top level of single-seater racing in Japan.Formula Nippon has a fairly long history, evolving from the Japanese Formula 2000 series begun in 1973 by way of the Japanese Formula Two and Japanese Formula 3000 championships...
,
Formula ThreeFormula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
,NHRA,
Grand AmGrand Am or Grand-Am can stand for:*Pontiac Grand Am, a nameplate for three different automobiles manufactured by General Motors*Grand American Road Racing Association, an American endurance road racing series...
,
USACThe acronym USAC can refer to the following:* The Undergraduate Student Association Council, a branch of Associated Students UCLA.* Universal Service Administrative Company* United States Auto Club* USA Cycling...
,
Super GTThe Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
and
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
; although Toyota cars are still entered in rally competitions these are privateer entries and are not backed by the company themselves.
Rallying
Toyota's presence in motorsport can be traced back to the latter part of 1972, when
SwedishSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
driver,
Ove AnderssonOve Andersson was a Swedish rally driver and the first head of Toyota's F1 program. His nickname was "Påven" .-Career:...
, drove for Toyota during the RAC Rally of
Great BritainThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
. During the winter of 1972, Andersson formed
Andersson Motorsport in his native country and began running a rallying program for Toyota. The move turned out to be an impractical one and three years after establishing his team, Andersson moved its base from Sweden to
BrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the de facto capital city of the European Union and the largest urban area in Belgium...
in
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
. The team was renamed to
Toyota Team Europe.
Toyota's first win in motorsport came at the 1975 1000 Lakes Rally in
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
, when
Hannu MikkolaHannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :...
and his co-driver Atso Aho won the event in a
Toyota CorollaThe Corolla is a line of subcompact/compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million sold as of...
. Three years later, the team moved to a new base in
CologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants...
, in western
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
. It was not until the 1980s when Toyota began to gain continuous
World Rally ChampionshipThe World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver, co-driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system...
success, especially in the long-distance
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
n rallies, where
Björn WaldegårdBjörn Waldegård from Rimbo is a former Swedish rally driver, and the winner of the inaugural World Rally Championship for drivers in 1979...
and
Juha KankkunenJuha Matti Pellervo Kankkunen is a Finnish former rally driver. His factory team career in the World Rally Championship lasted from 1983 to 2002. He won 23 world rallies and four drivers' world championship titles, which were both once records in the series...
were usually top of the time sheets. The team then set-up its all-purpose motorsport facility in Cologne three years later, which is still used today.
In the
1990 season1990 World Rally Championship season was the 18th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 12 rallies. The drivers' world championship was won by Carlos Sainz in a Toyota Celica GT-Four, ahead of Didier Auriol and Juha Kankkunen. The manufacturers' title was won by...
,
Carlos SainzCarlos Sainz Cenamor is a Spanish rally driver. He won the World Rally Championship drivers' title with Toyota in 1990 and 1992, and finished runner-up four times...
won the
drivers' title, giving Toyota its first-ever world championship title in a
four-wheel driveFour-wheel drive, 4WD, 4x4 , or AWD is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
Toyota CelicaThe Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of popular coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
, and repeated the feat two years later. In 1993, Toyota bought the team from Andersson and named it
Toyota Motorsport GmbH. In the same year, Kankkunen won the world title and Toyota won the
constructors' championship, becoming the first Japanese manufacturer to do so. This success was repeated a year later, but this time it was Frenchman
Didier AuriolDidier Auriol is a French rally driver.Born in Montpellier, and initially an ambulance driver, Auriol made his name as a French rally driver in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1990s. He became World Rally Champion in 1994, the first from his country to do so...
who clinched the drivers' world championship.
In 1995, Toyota were caught using illegal turbo restrictors at the
Rally CatalunyaThe Rally Catalunya is a rally competition on the World Rally Championship schedule. Now held on the wide, smooth and sweeping asphalt roads around the town of Salou, Catalonia, Spain, it was previously held around the region of Costa Brava...
and were given a 12-month ban by the FIA. FIA president
Max MosleyMax Rufus Mosley is president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users worldwide...
called the illegal turbo restrictor "the most sophisticated device I've ever seen in 30 years of motor sports." Toyota and their drivers, Kankkunen, Auriol and
Armin SchwarzArmin Schwarz is a German rally driver. He competed in the World Rally Championship from 1988 to 2005, winning the 1991 Rally Catalunya and taking six other podium finishes...
, were also stripped of all points in the championships. Kankkunen had been in contention for the drivers' world title. Mosley stated that "there is no suggestion the drivers were aware of what was going on."
Toyota returned to the WRC with a
World Rally CarWorld Rally Car is a term used to describe racing automobiles built to the specification set by the FIA, the international motorsports governing body, and used to compete in the outright class of the World Rally Championship...
based on the
Toyota CorollaThe Corolla is a line of subcompact/compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million sold as of...
. The Corolla WRC debuted at the 1997
Rally FinlandThe Neste Oil Rally Finland is a rally event driven in the Jyväskylä area in Central Finland. It is the biggest annually organised public event in the Nordic countries, gathering over 500,000 spectators every year....
, with Auriol finishing in eighth place and
Marcus GrönholmMarcus "Bosse" Grönholm is a former Finnish rally driver. Driving for Peugeot, he won the World Rally Championship in 2000 and 2002. After Peugeot withdrew from the World Rally Championship, Grönholm moved to Ford for the 2006 season and placed second in the drivers' world championship, losing the...
retiring. In the 1998 season, Sainz came within two points of the world title, after his Corolla WRC suffered an engine failure only 500 metres from the finish of the final stage of the final rally in Great Britain. Toyota were within six points of the constructors' championship.
Toyota decided to quit running in the WRC at the end of the
1999 season-Points:-Events:...
, quoting that "all that can be achieved has been achieved." The team managed to secure the manufacturers' title in their last season, four points ahead of their nearest rival Subaru, while Auriol placed third in the drivers' championship, coming within ten points of the drivers' title, and Sainz fifth.
In March 2007, Toyota debuted its
Super 2000Super 2000, also known as S2000, is an FIA specification and classification for production based race cars. The specification is split to cover both rally and touring car racing. Super 2000 rally cars are also permitted to compete in Production World Rally Championship events alongside Group N cars...
-category
CorollaThe Corolla is a line of subcompact/compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million sold as of...
rally car, which will compete in the
Australian Rally ChampionshipThe Australian Rally Championship is a 6 Round National motorsport Championship run in forested countryside throughout Australia.-Current Competition:...
.
CART IndyCar World Series/IRL IndyCar Series
Toyota raced in the
CART IndyCar World SeriesChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
from 1996 to 2002. Its early years in the series were marked by struggles. Toyota-powered cars, campaigned by the All American Racers and
PPI MotorsportsPPI Motorsports was a race team which competed in the NEXTEL Cup Series and various off-road racing circuits. The team had one of the few remaining single car operations in the NEXTEL Cup series.-Early years:...
teams, languished at the back of the grid, slow and unreliable. Toyota didn't even lead a lap until
Alex BarronAlex Barron in San Diego, California) is an American race car driver. He began racing CART FedEx World Series Championship cars in 1998 and made his first Indy Racing League Northern Lights Series start in 2001....
led 12 laps at the
VancouverVancouver is a coastal city and major seaport located in the Lower Mainland of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The city is bounded by English Bay, Burrard Inlet, the Fraser River, the city of Burnaby, and the University Endowment Lands. Vancouver is named after Captain George Vancouver, a...
street circuit in September 1998.
Toyota started seeing its fortunes improve in 1999 as
Scott PruettScott Donald Pruett is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy are children's book authors....
took pole position at the final race of the season at the
California SpeedwayThe Auto Club Speedway of Southern California is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California, similar to its "sister track" Michigan International Speedway...
. The next year,
Juan Pablo MontoyaJuan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a race car driver in NASCAR and a former Formula One and CART driver. He has enjoyed great success, most famously in top open wheel racing series...
gave Toyota its first-ever CART win at the
Milwaukee MileThe Milwaukee Mile is a 1.032 mile -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
, the first of 5 races won by Toyota-powered cars that year. Toyota-powered cars won six races in 2001. In 2002, Toyota's final year in the championship, it turned things around completely from its bleak debut. Toyota won the Manufacturer's championship, 10 races, and
Cristiano Da MattaCristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:...
rode Toyota power to the driver's championship, with
Bruno JunqueiraBruno Junqueira is a Brazilian racecar driver, currently competing in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:...
, also Toyota-powered car, finished second.
Toyota moved to the
IRLThe Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is an American based open-wheel racing series sanctioning body.The League sanctions two series, the premier IndyCar Series , whose centerpiece is the Indianapolis 500, and Firestone Indy Lights, the official developmental series of the Indy...
IndyCar SeriesThe IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and overseas...
in 2003 and provided factory support to former CART teams
Team PenskePenske Championship Racing is a racing team that competes in the Indy Racing League, ALMS, and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, Formula One and CART. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
and
Target Chip Ganassi RacingChip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IndyCar Series and Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates...
as well as other teams. They were one of the top engines in their first year, winning the
Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500 or sometimes known simply as The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
with
Gil de FerranGil de Ferran , is a professional racing driver and team owner. De Ferran was the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car champion driving for the Penske Honda Team and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500....
and the championship with
Scott DixonScott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 20 wins...
. However, 2004 and 2005 were not so kind and wins were few and far between. Following the 2005 IndyCar Series, Team Penske and Target Chip Ganassi Racing announced they would switch to
Hondais a Japanese multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume. Honda surpassed Nissan in 2001 to become...
engines, leaving Toyota with no championship contenders. As a result of this and their intent to re-allocate resources for NASCAR, Toyota announced they would leave the IndyCar Series during the off-season.
Le Mans
Toyota's
24 Hours of Le MansThe 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, France...
efforts date back to 1980s with
Dome, literally "child's dream", is a Japanese-based racing car constructor, involved mainly in open wheel and sports car racing.-Background:In 1965 Minoru Hayashi built his first racing car, a rebodied Honda S600 coupe. Belonging to Tojiro Ukiya, it was called the "Karasu" , due to its shape...
prepared
Group CGroup C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
cars. Factory supported
Toyota Team Tom'sis a factory supported racing team and tuner of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The name stands for Tachi Oiwa Motor Sport. Their head office is located in Tokyo, Japan. They are currently heavily involved with Super GT racing and Formula 3 racing...
competed in
World Sportscar ChampionshipThe World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
and Le Mans until 1994, with varying results.
Toyota started recruiting staff for their Le Mans efforts in 1997, with an aim to start a
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1, and currently officially referred to as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants...
team. Toyota's efforts for a Le Mans car was the
Toyota GT-OneThe Toyota GT-One was a racing car initially developed as a racing car for grand touring style rules, but later adapted into a Le Mans prototype...
. Driver line-up included ex-Formula One drivers
Martin BrundleMartin John Brundle is a British former racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport and the BBC from 2009....
,
Thierry BoutsenThierry Marc Boutsen is a former racing driver who raced for the Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan teams in Formula One.-Career:...
and
Ukyo Katayamais a Japanese racing driver, most notable for competing six years in Formula One. Despite struggling with under-funded teams throughout his career, Katayama's performances impressed on several occasions, and was popular in the F1 paddock for his unshakeably sunny disposition and self-deprecating...
. The 3.6 litre twin-turbo GT-Ones were beaten in 1998 and 1999 but came close to victory, breaking down late in the race. The GT-One held the lap record for the
Circuit de la SartheThe Circuit de la Sarthe, located near Le Mans, France, is a semi-permanent race course most famous as the venue for the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race. The track uses local roads that remain open to the public most of the year...
up until 2006 however.
NASCAR
Toyota races the
Toyota TundraThe Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck introduced by Toyota in the year 2000. It was widely considered to be the first full-size import-brand truck built with an American look and feel and a refined V8 engine. The Tundra was eventually nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award...
in the
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Craftsman Truck SeriesThe NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
and the
Toyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a mid-size car, formerly a compact car manufactured by Toyota since 1980. The name "Camry" is an anagram for "my car", a sneaky marketing ploy that taps into the consumer's subconscious and locks them into an enternally binding contract with Toyota...
in the
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Goody's Dash Series
Toyota made its first move into the NASCAR ranks with the introduction of its V6-Celica Goody's Dash program in 2000.
Robert HuffmanRobert Huffman is also the name of a professional wrestler; see: Booker HuffmanRobert Huffman is a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver from Claremont, North Carolina. He most recently drove the 12 Toyota Dealers/XM Radio Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.He also won five...
helped make Toyota a legitimate contender for the series title by its second season while placing second in the championship in both 2001 and 2002. In 2003, Huffman broke through to become Toyota's first-ever
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
champion to win the series title.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Randy Moss Motorsports,
Billy Ballew MotorsportsBilly Ballew Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. They were formed in 1996 by Georgia businessman Billy Ballew...
,
Germain RacingGermain Racing is a full time NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series team. It is owned by the Germain brothers, Bob, Stephen, and Richard...
,
HT MotorsportsHT Motorsports is an American truck racing team from Martinsville, Virginia owned by trucking company owner Jim Harris. It currently fields the #24 Zachry Holdings Toyota Tundra for David Starr and the #25 Harris Trucking Company Toyota Tundra for Terry Cook in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck...
, Stringer Motorsports,
Xpress MotorsportsXpress Motorsports is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. It fields the #16 Albertsons Toyota Tundra owned by J.B. Scott and is driven by Brian Scott. The team won the Truck Series championship in 2002 and 2003 with Mike Bliss and Travis Kvapil, respectively...
,
Red Horse RacingRed Horse Racing is an American racing team based in Mooresville, North Carolina. It is co-owned by business executive Tom DeLoach and NASCAR on Fox broadcaster Jeff Hammond. They field the #11 Toyota Tundra for T.J...
, and
Wyler RacingWyler Racing is a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. They currently field the #60 Safe Auto Insurance Company Toyota Tundra for Stacy Compton. The team is owned and operated from Ohio by Jeff Wyler.- Nextel Cup :...
currently run the
Toyota TundraThe Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck introduced by Toyota in the year 2000. It was widely considered to be the first full-size import-brand truck built with an American look and feel and a refined V8 engine. The Tundra was eventually nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award...
in the Camping World Truck Series.
Travis KvapilTravis Kvapil is an American race car driver. He most recently drove the #28 Ford Fusion for Yates Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
gave Toyota its first win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the 2004 Line-X 200 at
Michigan International SpeedwayMichigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than near Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to...
in his Tundra sponsored by Line-X and owned by
Bang! RacingBang! Racing is a former NASCAR team. It was owned by entrepreneur Alex Meshkin, as well as Larry McReynolds and fielded entries in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. It only ran one season, in 2004....
.
Todd BodineTodd Bodine is a NASCAR driver. Todd is the younger brother of former racers Geoff Bodine and Brett Bodine. Bodine is known for his reckless driving style and bald head, which has given him the nickname The Onion...
became the first driver to give Toyota their first ever NASCAR championship by winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Title in 2006.
Johnny BensonJonathan Benson, Jr. is a NASCAR driver and the son of former Michigan modified driver John Benson, Sr...
gave Toyota their second NASCAR championship in 2008.
NASCAR Nationwide Series
Joe Gibbs RacingJoe Gibbs Racing is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J.D. Gibbs, his son...
, Michael Waltrip Racing,
Braun RacingBraun Racing is a NASCAR racing team based in Mooresville, North Carolina. Currently racing with Toyota Camry's in the Nationwide Series, they field three full-time entries.-Sprint Cup:...
,
CJM RacingCJM Racing is a NASCAR Nationwide Series team. They currently field the #11 America's Incredible Pizza Company Toyota Camry for Denny Hamlin.-Beginnings:...
,
JTG Daugherty RacingJTG Daugherty Racing is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Craftsman Truck Series team owned by former advertising executive Tad Geschickter and his wife Jodi, along with current ESPN analyst Brad Daugherty...
, Marc Davis Motorsports, SK Motorsports and
Germain RacingGermain Racing is a full time NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series team. It is owned by the Germain brothers, Bob, Stephen, and Richard...
currently run Toyota Camrys in the Nationwide Series.
Jason LefflerJason Leffler is a NASCAR driver from Long Beach, California. Leffler began racing in the open-wheel ranks before moving to NASCAR's three major series...
gave Toyota its first win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in the
Kroger 200The Kroger 200 is a race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series , which takes place at O'Reilly Raceway Park ....
at
O'Reilly Raceway ParkO'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, known as Indianapolis Raceway Park until the 2006 purchase of naming rights by O'Reilly Auto Parts, is a multipurpose racing facility located in Clermont, Indiana. It is not to be confused with Indianapolis Motor Speedway , which is often referred to as a...
on July 28, 2007 in his Camry sponsored by
Great ClipsGreat Clips is a major hair salon chain in the United States and Canada, founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1982 and run through franchising . It is the nation's biggest hair care brand with more than 2,700 salons across the United States and Canada . It is headquartered in Edina a suburb of...
and owned by
Braun RacingBraun Racing is a NASCAR racing team based in Mooresville, North Carolina. Currently racing with Toyota Camry's in the Nationwide Series, they field three full-time entries.-Sprint Cup:...
.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Michael Waltrip Racing,
Germain RacingGermain Racing is a full time NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series team. It is owned by the Germain brothers, Bob, Stephen, and Richard...
, Gunselman Motorsports, Kirk Shelmerdine Racing,
NEMCO MotorsportsNEMCO Motorsports is a NASCAR team that is owned by driver Joe Nemechek and his family. After a two-year hiatus, NEMCO Motorsports plans to field full time entries in both the Cup and Nationwide series for 2009 with driver Joe Nemechek...
, PRISM Motorsports, the Red Bull Racing Team,
Joe Gibbs RacingJoe Gibbs Racing is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J.D. Gibbs, his son...
,
Robby Gordon MotorsportsRobby Gordon Motorsports is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. It fields the #7 Jim Beam/Menards Toyota Camry for Robby Gordon. It is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is owned by Gordon and heavily supported by John Menard, Jr....
,
Tommy Baldwin RacingTommy Baldwin Racing is a NASCAR team that is owned by former crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., son of late modified driver Tom Baldwin and former Diamond Ridge Motorsports owner Gary Bechtel. The team currently fields the #36 Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series with Michael McDowell as the primary...
,
JTG Daugherty RacingJTG Daugherty Racing is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Craftsman Truck Series team owned by former advertising executive Tad Geschickter and his wife Jodi, along with current ESPN analyst Brad Daugherty...
, and
BAM RacingBAM Racing was a NASCAR racing team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, owned by Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau. The team's #49 Toyota Camry ran in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series until 2008....
currently run Toyota Camrys in the Sprint Cup Series.
After success in the Craftsman Truck Series, Toyota moved to the then Busch Series (now Nationwide Series) and NEXTEL Cup Series (now the Sprint Cup Series) with the Toyota Camry for 2007. Three relatively new, small teams spearheaded the initial Toyota Cup program: Michael Waltrip Racing,
Bill Davis RacingBill Davis Racing was a racing team that participated in all three of NASCAR's top divisions until 2009.The team had run Toyota-branded stock cars and trucks in both the Camping World Truck Series and Sprint Cup Series since 2007. Dodge, Ford, and Pontiac previously backed the team...
, and
Red Bull Racing TeamRed Bull Racing Team, , is an auto racing team that races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The organization is owned by Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz. Jay Frye is the general manager of the operation based in Mooresville, North Carolina...
. Toyota has struggled in its first season in Sprint Cup, harnessing only two
polesThe term "pole position" comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole.The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsport, a driver has pole position when he or she starts a race at the front of...
in 36 races, and posting only one five top-5 and ten top-10 finishes across 7 Toyota teams. After the 2007 season, Toyota added 3-time champion
Joe Gibbs RacingJoe Gibbs Racing is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J.D. Gibbs, his son...
and affiliate
Hall of Fame RacingHall of Fame Racing is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing team principally owned by Jeff Moorad, Tom Garfinkel, and Tom Davin. The team currently operates as a subsidiary of Yates Racing, fielding the #96 Ask.com/Texas Instruments DLP HDTV/Academy Sports + Outdoors Ford Fusion for Erik Darnell and...
to the Camry lineup.
BAM RacingBAM Racing was a NASCAR racing team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, owned by Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau. The team's #49 Toyota Camry ran in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series until 2008....
also joined Toyota Motorsports early in the 2008 season.
Kyle BuschKyle Thomas Busch is an American race car driver. He drives the #18 Mars/Interstate Batteries/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the #18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the #51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota...
gave Toyota its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win in the Kobalt Tools 500 at
Atlanta Motor SpeedwayAtlanta Motor Speedway is a track in Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a 1.54-mile quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
on March 9, 2008. Busch led a race-high 173 laps in his
SnickersSnickers is a chocolate bar made by Masterfoods USA of Hackettstown, NJ, a division of Mars, Incorporated. It consists of peanut butter nougat topped with roasted peanuts and caramel, covered with milk chocolate...
sponsored Camry, owned by
Joe Gibbs RacingJoe Gibbs Racing is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J.D. Gibbs, his son...
. At the end of the 2008 season, Toyota had 10 victories and Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch finished 8th and 10th respectively in the
2008 Chase for the Sprint CupThe 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup was the ten-race playoffs which concluded the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The Chase began with the Sylvania 300 on September 14, 2008 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and ended with the Ford 400 on November 16, 2008 at Homestead-Miami Speedway...
.
Formula One
In 2002 Toyota started racing in Formula One with Toyota Team Europe, based in Cologne, Germany. Despite a huge investment, the team's performances have been considered less than average by fans and pundits alike.
In 2004, designer
Mike GascoyneMichael "Mike" Gascoyne is a designer of Formula One cars. He is the Chief Technical Officer of the new Lotus F1 Team....
was hired to help turn things around (as he had done previously at
Jordan Grand PrixJordan Grand Prix was a Formula One constructor that competed from 1991 to 2005. The team is named after Irish businessman and founder Eddie Jordan...
and
Renault F1Renault F1 is the Renault company's Formula One racing team. Renault has a long though intermittent history of involvement in motor racing, including Ferenc Szisz winning the first French Grand Prix, usually regarded as marking the birth of Grand Prix motor racing...
). However, due to a lack of results and a difference in opinion with the management about how the team should progress he was released from his contract early midway through the
2006 seasonThe 2006 Formula One season was the 57th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It began on March 12, and ended on October 22, after eighteen rounds. The Drivers' Championship was won by Fernando Alonso of Renault F1 for the second year in a row, with Alonso becoming the youngest ever double...
; by 2005 the team had advanced from the midfield to infrequently challenging for the top positions.
Jarno TrulliJarno Trulli is an Italian Formula One auto racing driver currently driving for the Toyota team.-Early days:...
achieved two second places and one third place in the first five races of the season, helping the team to retain second position in the Constructors Championship for several races before finishing 4th in the constructors championship. Jarno Trulli and
Timo GlockTimo Glock is a German motor racing driver. At the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix, standing in for Giorgio Pantano who had a contract dispute with Jordan Grand Prix, he joined a select group of drivers who have scored a World Championship point in their first Formula One race...
have been the drivers since
2008The 2008 Formula One season was the 59th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It began on 16 March and ended on 2 November with eighteen Grand Prix races....
.
Toyota also supplied engines to
JordanJordan Grand Prix was a Formula One constructor that competed from 1991 to 2005. The team is named after Irish businessman and founder Eddie Jordan...
,
Midland F1Midland F1 Racing was a Formula One constructor and racing team. It competed in the 2006 Formula One season with drivers Christijan Albers and Tiago Monteiro. The team was created by the renaming of Jordan Grand Prix after its purchase by Canadian businessman, and owner of the Midland Group, Alex...
and
Spyker F1Spyker F1 was a Formula One team that competed in the 2007 Formula One World Championship, and was created by Spyker Cars after their buyout of the short-lived Midland F1 team...
teams.
Since
2007The 2007 Formula One season was the 58th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It began on 18 March and ended on 21 October after seventeen Grands Prix. The Drivers' Championship was won by Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen by one point at the final race of the season, making Räikkönen the third...
, Toyota has been supplying engines to the
Williams F1WilliamsF1, the trading name of Williams Grand Prix Engineering Ltd., is a Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head. The team was formed in 1977 after two earlier and, compared with WilliamsF1's achievements, unsuccessful F1...
team.
With the rule changes in the
2009 Formula One SeasonThe 2009 Formula One season is the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. There are ten teams signed up to compete in the championship.Jenson Button and Brawn GP secured the driver and constructor titles respectively with one race to spare....
, the sport saw a massive change with powerhouse teams like Ferrari, McLaren, and Renault all having a relatively poor start and teams like
Brawn GPBrawn GP is a Formula One motor racing team and constructor. Brawn GP was formed on 6 March 2009 when it was confirmed that Ross Brawn, the ex-technical director of the Honda Racing F1 Team, had bought the team from Honda in the wake of the Japanese marque's withdrawal from the sport in December...
moving up to the top. Among the new powerhouse teams is Toyota who has managed to score 3 podiums, and a total of five top-5 finishes after only 4 races (each F1 team has two cars, so after 4 races it is possible to score 8 top-5 finishes). In the
Bahrain GPThe 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on April 26, 2009, at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the sixth Bahrain Grand Prix and fourth race of the 2009 Formula One season....
, Toyota locked down the front of the starting grid by qualifying into first and second place.
When asked whether Toyota was a
title contender,
Timo GlockTimo Glock is a German motor racing driver. At the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix, standing in for Giorgio Pantano who had a contract dispute with Jordan Grand Prix, he joined a select group of drivers who have scored a World Championship point in their first Formula One race...
responded by saying that while the start of the 2009 season had been "a big step forward", Toyota first had to focus on getting its first win.
IMSA GT
In the 1980s, Toyota participated in the
IMSA GT ChampionshipIMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
, using a
Toyota CelicaThe Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of popular coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
in the GTU class. Later Toyota partnered with All American Racers team and moved to the GTP class with
sports prototypeA sports prototype is a form of racing car that is used as a top category in sports car racing. These cars are purpose-built racing cars, commonly referred to as simply prototypes, differ from street-legal and production-based racing cars that also compete in sports car racing.Prototype racing...
s such as the Toyota Eagle Mark III.
TC 2000
In 2000 Toyota started racing in TC2000, using a
Toyota CorollaThe Corolla is a line of subcompact/compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million sold as of...
.In 2002
Norberto FontanaNorberto Edgardo Fontana is an Argentine racing driver. He participated in four Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on June 29, 1997. His opportunity to race came as a result of two separate injuries sustained by regular Sauber driver Gianni Morbidelli during the 1997 season...
won the TC2000 championship with a Toyota Corolla.