Everyone is familiar with the Toyota brand, it’s one of the most well-known car manufacturers in the world. But what you might not know is that it has a long and storied history in motorsports, one that continues today with Toyota Gazoo Racing. There’s a reason Toyota cars are featured in so many racing games.
Toyota's involvement with motorsports goes as far back as the 1950s, when its engineers set out to build a car capable of competing in racing circuits. The resulting car, the Toyopet Crown, kicked off Toyota's motorsports legacy at the 1957 Mobilgas Rally Round Australia Trial. That legacy has thrived through Toyota's motorsports victories across decades of races and teams.
Toyota Motorsports was officially formed in 1970 by its former chief test driver and driving legend, the late Hiromu Naruse. Today, Toyota's motorsports activities, including car development, are supported by its Toyota Gazoo Racing division. These activities are vital for the development of Toyota's cars, which are purposefully pushed to their limits on the track.
This hands-on learning gives Toyota's engineers the feedback they need to refine their vehicles. Even Toyota's chairman, Akio Toyoda, is a master driver who was trained by Hiromu Naruse himself. TGR and its drivers can be found in racing series the world over, including:
The NASCAR Cup Series - Toyota's sleek and lightweight Camry XSE competes in America's biggest stock car racing series. Team 23XI (pronounced "Team 23-11"), a team co-owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan and repeat Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, has fittingly talented drivers. In 2025, 23XI driver Bubba Wallace won The Brickyard 400 to become the first black driver to win a major race on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's oval track.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series - The Xfinity series gives up-and-coming racing talent a chance to show what they're made of. The Toyota GR Supra is the star of the track, and it’s driven by the two Xfinity teams: Joe Gibbs Racing (founded by former NFL coach Joe Gibbs) and Sam Hunt Racing (founded by former stock car racer Sam Hunt). Jeffrey Earnhardt, the grandson of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, races with Joe Gibbs Racing. As does Brandon Jones, who won the 2020 Xfinity Series race at Phoenix.
NASCAR Trucks Series - This truck-focused series was Toyota's first entry into NASCAR. Toyota's rugged Tundra model debuted in the 2004 Trucks Series, and the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is still rolling in races today. Noteworthy teams include TRICON Garage and Halmar Friesen Racing. TRICON is currently home to racers Toni Breidinger, Corey Heim, Tanner Grey, and Gio Ruggiero. One additional team, Brent Crews Racing, has only one member: 17-year-old driver Brent Crews.
Toyota's well-established place in motorsports history will only deepen as the world heads into 2026. TGR's drivers and teams will keep pushing Toyota's vehicles to their very limits — not just for victory on the racetrack, but also to study how these cars can be improved for racers and everyday people alike.
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