TOYOTA ANNOUNCES NASCAR ENTRY
January 25, 2006
Toyota has announced it will enter the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the NASCAR Busch Series in 2007.

Dave Illingworth, senior vice president and chief planning and administrative officer for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., said it was a great pleasure to announce Toyota's entry into NASCAR's top tiers of racing.

"Toyota has been an important part of the US motorsports community for almost 25 years," said Illingworth.

"We've competed and won in different series and tracks across America. Toyota drivers and teams have won championships in a variety of different series. But, if you want to compete against the best, in America that means NASCAR."

Toyota will field the Camry model when it starts racing next year. The Camry has been the best-selling car in the US for eight of the past nine years, with more than 6.5 million sold since 1986.

Brian France, NASCAR's Chairman and CEO, said Toyota's entry was good for drivers, teams and fans.

"NASCAR welcomes Toyota," he said.

"This move provides for even more intense competition on the track between drivers and manufacturers, which will provide more excitement and fan interest."

By entering the Nextel Cup and Busch series, Toyota will become the first foreign manufacturer to race in the US stock car series for over 50 years.

In almost 25 years of racing in the US, Toyota has won championships in IMSA, CART, IRL and off-road racing, including victories in the Daytona 24-hour and the Indianapolis 500.

The move into Nextel Cup and Busch series racing is an extension of Toyota's participation in NASCAR competitions.

In 2004 it entered the Craftsman Truck series with the Tundra. Toyota has so far recorded 13 victories and 18 poles and has signed defending champion Ted Musgrave for the 2006 season.

Toyota Motorsport

Wooyey go Toyota

It'll be good to see someone new in the sport and, as it's Toyota, reliability shouldn't be an issue plus they'll have lots of mula to throw at it I suppose.

I predict that they'll have at least 1 win this season.

I would like to see more than one win, but any win is good, i will do my best to watch there progress through the season 07.

Haha, the chevs, Fords and dodges will just wreck them every wekk. "Cant have the japs winning our series" lol

the chevs, Fords and dodges wont be fast enough to catch the Toyota's

You don't need to catch em. Just sit on the inside line and then put them in the wall while getting lapped. Thats the lazy american way!

These lazy American's will hit the wall themselves, as there cars won't have the cornering ability to take a shot at the mighty Toyota's as they are going past.

Riiiiigggggght.

NASCAR?