Toyota
TOYOTA NAMED TITLE SPONSOR OF 70TH NHRA U.S. NATIONALS IN INDIANAPOLIS
INDIANAPOLIS – NHRA and Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) officials announced today that Toyota has been named the title sponsor 
of the world’s biggest drag race, the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
The 70th anniversary of The Big Go takes place on Aug. 28-Sept. 2 in Indianapolis, with the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals marking the final race of the regular season during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series campaign. The 14th of 20 races this year is on drag racing’s grandest stage, as the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals represents the pinnacle in the sport.
For seven decades, winning in Indy has been the ultimate in drag racing and this year’s 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals promises to be one of the biggest in the illustrious history of The Big Go.
Toyota has been a longtime partner with NHRA, becoming the “Official Car of NHRA” in 2014 and Toyota also has a strong partnership with several standout nitro teams, including reigning and back-to-back U.S. Nationals champions Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Ron Capps (Funny Car), as well as reigning Top Fuel world champ and current points leader Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, J.R. Todd, Billy and Steve Torrence, Justin Ashley and Alexis DeJoria. Continue reading
TOYOTA EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP AS OFFICIAL CAR OF NHRA
INDIANAPOLIS – NHRA and Toyota officials announced today that Toyota will continue as the “Official Car of NHRA” as part of a new 
multi-year extension.
This continues the long-term partnership between NHRA and Toyota that started in 2002. Toyota became the “Official Car of NHRA” in 2014, with the latest extension continuing the official partnership between the two companies for now more than a decade.
“Toyota is pleased to extend our agreement with the NHRA,” said Paul Doleshal, Group Manager, Motorsports and Assets, Toyota Motor North America. “The partnership with the NHRA has provided a unique platform to promote our Toyota product lineup in markets across the nation with their passionate and dedicated fanbase. We look forward to continuing to build on that momentum for years to come.”
Toyota Partners with Ron Capps Beginning with Charlotte 4-Wide Nationals
CONCORD, NC – Toyota announced today that Ron Capps and his newly formed race team of Ron Capps Motorsports will begin fielding the 
Toyota GR Supra Funny Car at this weekend’s 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C. The addition of Ron Capps Motorsports will expand the footprint of Toyota Gazoo Racing North America (TGRNA) to three GR Supra Funny Cars competing for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series championship.
“Ron Capps is a proven champion in NHRA competition and all around one of the truly entertaining and engaging personalities in the pit area,” said Paul Doleshal, Group Manager, Motorsports, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). “The drivers that pilot not only our GR Supra Funny Cars, but all of our TGRNA vehicles in NHRA competition are not only talented behind the wheel, but also as ambassadors for our brand on and off the race track. And we couldn’t be happier to welcome Ron and his team to the family.”
Capps has been a dominant driver in Funny Car competition every time he rolls to the starting line, as the California-native owns the second-most wins in NHRA Funny Car history. The two-time (2016 and 2021) and defending Funny Car World Champion has amassed 68 event titles (67 in Funny Car, 1 in Top Fuel) to date in his career and has made 131 final round appearances (129 in Funny Car, 2 in Top Fuel).
Toyota’s DeJoria, Brown Advance To Finals At Pomona
POMONA, CA – Alexis DeJoria advanced to the final round in Funny Car, while Antron Brown did the same in Top Fuel to lead Toyota at the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona.
Brown opened his race day looking at an imposing ladder, opening against Justin Ashley, who entered the weekend fourth in points. Brown had a slight starting line advantage and then held on for a holeshot win by just 0.010 seconds (five feet) as both drivers ran their quickest passes of the weekend. Brown would face another top-five driver in the points in round two in Billy Torrence. Brown once again had an advantage on the tree and the power to hold on for his second consecutive holeshot victory to send him to the semifinals with a margin of victory at 0.0174-seconds or approximately eight feet.
In the semis against Trip Tatum, Brown again had the starting line advantage. Tatum would take an early lead, but the Matco Tools Toyota driver drove back around him for the win to advance to his 126th career final round.
Toyota Unveils the New GR Supra Funny Car in NHRA
POMONA, CA – This morning at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Toyota unveiled its new race car for the 2022 NHRA season in Funny Car 
competition. For the first time, Toyota will campaign the GR Supra beginning with the season kickoff event in Pomona in February.
Toyota has competed with the Camry in Funny Car competition dating back to 2012. Prior to the Camry, the Toyota Celica and Toyota Solara were run. The 2021 season has marked the 20th anniversary of Toyota’s official involvement in NHRA with competitors in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.
Toyota’s commitment to race vehicles that closely resemble production vehicles continues with this GR Supra. With the new body on the Funny Car for 2022, it marks the most significant styling characteristics of any previous Funny Car.
“After 10 years of fielding the Camry in NHRA Funny Car competition it’s really exciting for us to be moving to the GR Supra and ultimately the next generation of Funny Cars for NHRA,” said Paul Doleshal, group manager of motorsports for Toyota Motor North America. “Our team at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) along with the design team at Calty worked hard to incorporate as many features from the production GR Supra into the Funny Car that J.R. Todd and Alexis DeJoria will drive in 2022.”
DeJoria, Brown Top Toyotas In NHRA Finals Qualifying At Pomona
POMONA, CA – Alexis DeJoria earned her third straight top-three Funny Car qualifying position with a third, while Antron Brown qualified fifth in Top Fuel to lead Toyota into Sunday’s Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Speedway.
After back-to-back number one qualifiers at Bristol and Vegas, DeJoria continued her stellar late-season run as she made her best run of the weekend in Saturday’s final qualifying, registering a 3919-second run at 328.32 mph – the second quickest pass of the session.
J.R. Todd also secured a spot in the top half of the field with a strong 3.963-second pass in round three, good for eighth. The 2018 Funny Car world champion will race Bob Tasca in round one.
Jeff Diehl qualified 13th and will face Paul Lee on Sunday.
TOYOTA NHRA: Auto Club NHRA Finals Preview
Pomona, CA – DeJoria Looks To Extend Hot Streak…Alexis DeJoria will look to extend her strong season-ending run at this week’s Auto Club NHRA Finals. DeJoria drove her Bandero Tequila Camry Funny Car to the winner’s circle two races ago at Bristol and has earned the number one qualifier at each of the last two events in Bristol and Las Vegas. She enters this weekend less than two rounds out of the top five in points.
Todd Still Mathematically In Chase…J.R. Todd remains in the hunt for a second Funny Car world championship, but will need all the breaks to go his way on the weekend. The 2018 world champion heads into qualifying in fourth place, 138 points behind leader Ron Capps.
Antron Brown’s Final Race With DSR… This weekend will mark Antron Brown’s final event with Don Schumacher Racing before he officially kicks off his AB Motorsports team in 2022. The long-time Toyota driver has Brown has registered 45 Top Fuel wins and three world championships during his 12-plus seasons with DSR.
DeJoria Leads Toyota At NHRA Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS, NV – Alexis DeJoria defeated Jeff Diehl in the first round to stretch her consecutive round win streak to five before falling to Ron Capps in round two in leading Toyota at Sunday’s NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
In her opening round win against Diehl, DeJoria began the day with a 3.925-second pass, third quickest of the round. DeJoria would make a solid run in round two, but Capps ran the quickest pass of the weekend, bringing DeJoria’s round win streak to an end. She had previously won the most recent NHRA event at Bristol.
J.R. Todd lost his first round Funny Car match-up with Paul Lee after going up in smoke at about 300 feet. It was just the second time this season that Todd lost in the first round.
DeJoria Drives Camry To Number One Qualifier At NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS, NV – Alexis DeJoria drove her Bandero Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car to a 3.896-second pass at 327.03 mph to capture the number one qualifier for Sunday’s NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It marks the second consecutive number one for DeJoria, who earned the top spot in Bristol on the way to winning her first race of the season.
DeJoria will face fellow Camry driver Jeff Diehl to open Sunday’s eliminations in pursuit of her second straight win. She has previously won twice in Las Vegas.
Just two positions behind DeJoria was J.R. Todd in third with a 3.905 run at 327.03 mph in his DHL Toyota. He will match up with Paul Lee in round one. Todd enters Sunday’s action third in points and will be looking for his fourth win at The Strip in the last seven races.
TOYOTA NHRA: Las Vegas Nationals Preview
Las Vegas, NV – Todd In Championship Hunt…After reaching the finals at Bristol, J.R. Todd enters this weekend’s race in Las Vegas in third place, just 83 points of the series lead as he looks to earn a second Funny Car world championship. By advancing to the finals at Bristol, Todd has reached the semifinals or beyond in six of the last nine races and three times in five Countdown events. The DHL Toyota driver has won three of the last six events held at The Strip, including the 2018 Countdown event that put him in position to claim the title.
DeJoria Looks To Make It Two In A Row…After a dominating performance at Bristol, Alexis DeJoria will be looking for her second consecutive victory this weekend in Las Vegas. DeJoria captured the number one qualifier on Saturday, then ran the quickest pass of the day on Sunday in defeating fellow Toyota driver J.R. Todd in the Bristol finals. This weekend she will return to the track where she’s had more success than any other with previous wins at ‘The Strip’ in 2014 and 2016 where she defeated her then teammate and now current crew chief and team partner Del Worsham in the final. She currently stands seventh in points, just 70 points out of fourth.
