It will be a relatively affordable US-only racing series.
Toyota is hard at work reinventing itself as an enthusiast brand. Before introducing the first-generation GR 86, Toyota essentially sold cars that would last until you died. And some trucks.
Now, it sells multiple must-have sports cars and hot hatches like the upcoming GR Corolla and manual Supra. And it invests in local racing. Early in April, Toyota announced a one-make racing series called the GR Cup. The various competitors will be using the new GR86 to battle it out on famous race tracks scattered around the country.
The GT Cup is set to kick off in 2023 and will be sanctioned by SRO, a well-established leader in GT racing, thanks to a history spanning 30 years.
The GR Cup is meant to provide affordable racing to the masses. There will be 14 events at seven tracks in the USA. Toyota hopes this new racing series will emphasize and validate the track-inspired engineering it worked into the GR86.
There’s a lot at stake for the participants. Toyota Gazoo Racing North America is working with several partners to offer a million-dollar purse to the winner. The cost of entry is not known yet, but we’re not talking 24 Hours of Lemons cheap. Toyota mentions exclusive first-class hospitality and partner-sponsored displays. It should be cheaper than Lamborghini’s one-make Huracan racing series.
“Toyota Gazoo Racing North America is proud to welcome founding partners Mobil 1, Continental, Crescent Tools, Gearwrench, Yahoo, Racing Spirit, JBL, OMP, and Stratasys to the GR Cup when the series takes to the track in 2023,” the press release stated.
The competitors will compete in an upgraded GR86, homologated by Toyota. To create the GT86 Cup Car, the Japanese brand takes a GR86 straight from the factory floor and delivers it to TRD’s new, state-of-the-art facility in Mooresville, North Carolina.
Once there, it gets Bosch engine management, custom Borla exhaust, SADEV 6-speed sequential transmission, Alcon brakes, JRI adjustable shocks, OMP safety equipment, roll cage, carbon fiber rear wing, 22-gallon fuel cell, TGRNA designed MacPherson strut, Stratasys custom bodywork, a TGRNA designed splitter and more.
While this series is meant to be fun and elevate Toyota’s stature as a performance brand, there is a second mission. Toyota’s engineers will use everything they learn at these track events and incorporate as much as possible into its performance road cars.
The pricing of the GT86 Cup Car and track locations will be announced this summer.
