At the Toyota Museum in Nagoya sits a very normal looking and archaic Toyopet Crown from 1957. It has looks almost like a standard black chauffeured sedan for a company official of a firm, which the Crown was in those days, when Japan's average monthly income was about $200 for most people. It needs to be noted that this was only 12 years since Japan was leveled in a 4 year battle with the world, I mean not a building was standing not only in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but a dozen other cities. Tokyo was hit the worst and the firebombing displaced and killed far more people than the Atomic bombs collectively that exploded in rural areas. Japan was in a rapid rebuilding, and it was this era when Japanese car making grew to the form we call big manufacturers today.

Anyway, to get back to the story, this Crown was invited to the "Mobil Gas Round Australia" continental crossing rally-raid.
It was the first ever motorsport event for Toyota.
The putting little sedan made of truck chassis parts and 2/3rd scale BelAir, actually had tons of issues in this rally, but it managed to finish in the rally in 47th place, 3rd in the invitational class.
It was this car and this event that put the hair on the grown man's chest for Japanese racers. Finishing the race in cheers and crying joy, the members who prepared and funded this pack of guys were the companies and suppliers, 3 divisions of Toyota Sales, Toyota Manufacturing, Denso, Yamaha, Daihatsu. They called themselves the Team Toyota, or more colloquially as "The Nana-gi" (Seven Tech Squads of Racing). They later organized as a company division as TMSCR which would partake in random small rallies, from Asia, to Africa, and with hopes to reach the level required for World Rally. But the 1971 Oil Crisis would put an end to this. And at the same time, all remaining resources were handed to Ove Anderson of Team Toyota Europe to continue Rallying. That is the start of TTE in World Rally Championship, which we all know, continued till the famous Celica and Corollas that dominated in the 1990's.

By the late 1960's, things were very active on pavement too.
Specialty vehicle maker Technocraft started TRD in 1964 with an earlier name TOSCO. This company sprouted from making ambulances and police cars, taxi and such. They expanded to the USA in 1979 as TRD USA.
About the same time, two dealership networks competed and funded their own operations rivaling each other. Sigma Automotive started SARD Racing in 1972, and Tachi-Oiwa and company, founding TOM'S in 1974. Sard entered LeMans in 1975, and TOMS's in 1982, accompanied by DOME.

Also a little bit before that, famous Carroll Shelby of Ford GT, Ford AC Cobra and series of edition Mustangs, also campaigned the then-new, remarkable little sports car called the Toyota 2000GT in 1968 piloted by Davy Jordan. That's probably the first ever Toyota race car that ran in the USA in any major racing. SCCA C-Class Production.

With many more partners throughout the years, Toyota has been in more than 40 countries racing, from deserts of Sahara to the Indy 500, from Monaco to Fuji, and all up and down every continent on earth. Rod Millen, TTE, Sard, TOMS, Toyota F1 and WEC, Joe Gibbs Racing, TRD NASCAR, TRD NHRA, Precision Prep Inc, Tommi Makinen Rally Team, Toyota F1, Atlantic Series, Toyota Swiss, Dan Gurney, AAR, Netz, Cerumo, Can-Am, Hino Dakar, Team ACP Paris-Dakar, Anderson Motorsports, INDYCAR, Ivan Stewart Baja1000. I really can't name them all, but in no way is this list anything near exhaustive.

But I think the most amazing and puzzling thing about this huge history of racing by Toyota cars, that Toyota doesn't reflect much on them in a very collective way.
I hope with rekindled passion now being touted about the current CEO who holds his own FIA International Class A racing license, Akio "Morizo" Toyota, that such history becomes bound in a single timeline. But for now, he is too busy training each day for his next Nurburgring 24 or Japan Rally outing.
May the Force be with him!

Just like Toyota's racing cars, SUVs project an image of power, capability, and endurance. Dealers across the globe are seeing a surge in demand for suv cars second hand, as budget-conscious buyers seek out the utility and prestige these vehicles offer. A well-maintained, pre-owned SUV can be a fantastic option, and Toyota's reputation for reliability makes their used models especially attractive. So, while Akio "Morizo" Toyota hones his skills on the track, perhaps a strategic shift towards highlighting Toyota's racing pedigree could benefit both racing enthusiasts and car shoppers alike, especially those in the ever-growing market for second-hand SUVs.

While racing cars capture the thrill of speed and performance, having a reliable everyday vehicle is equally important for many drivers. This is where a well-chosen crossover or multi-purpose vehicle can make all the difference, offering practicality without sacrificing style or capability. Car dealers are increasingly recognizing the value of highlighting both high-performance models and dependable multi-purpose vehicles to meet the diverse needs of their customers. For example, desmeules & dubois, excel in providing a wide range of vehicles, from sports cars to pre-owned options, ensuring that buyers can find a car that fits their lifestyle and budget. By emphasizing the versatility and reliability of these versatile vehicles alongside their racing heritage, dealers can attract a broader customer base and satisfy the needs of those looking for a dependable vehicle for daily use.

The post Toyota's History in Racing in short summary... appeared first on Club4AG.

— at Diamond Jamboree Center- Irvine, CA.

The post RS*R USA's Scion FRS, ready to go racing in SCCA SOLO2 National Tour and Pro Solo appeared first on Club4AG.

Scion FR-S, Tour of Southwest

November 15th~ 17th, 2014

1177 miles, from Los Angeles, to Phoenix, Sedona, to Flagstaff, a round trip tour of Scion FR-S through the Southwest's most scenic routes. The sky, the horizon and all the events and things in between.  Our stops included Joshua Tree National Park, a day at the Earnhardt Toyota of Mesa, AZ for a wonderful welcome with 100 other cars in the AZ86Bash2 Celebration, a day in Sedona’s valley of monumental natural spectacles, and some of the best roads that California and Arizona had to offer.

We were all reminded that cars like these were are all about taking it for a spin, preferably a very, very long drive.  Friends gathered with other friends of friends, making new ones along the way.

The Scion FR-S. It really is a neat car, in many more ways than just the surface, specs, and character, but for the world it brings to the owners in the form of friends all over the world.

The post Scion FR-S, Tour of Southwest, an 1177 mile Journey through Western USA's nicest roads! appeared first on Club4AG.

SCCA Solo National Championships 2014

The post SCCA Solo National Championships 2014, Lincoln, Nebraska appeared first on Club4AG.

Check these photos out taken by many people. Some really nice shots by Alan PhotoStory Studio in there, and go check that link for more excellent action shots.

Hanging out with the best of the best in SCCA Solo2 National contenders all weekend at the SCCA Pro-Solo. With Grady Woods, Tom Berry, Ken Motonishi, Sandy and all the multi-decade talents...

Weather was mild, superb breezy day, both cool and warm ideal for a grueling two-day motorsports event. As always the SCCA SOLO2/ProSolo members are the most accommodating family of people, both strict, and fair, and at the same time, welcoming, helpful, and fun.
When it comes to partaking in a pro-level motorsport of sheer technical driving, I don't think there is any other sanction where you can be so competitive and still be safe, and relatively modest on costs.

This weekend was a spot-entry for Mr. Masaki Nishihara from Japan. A rookie at SCCA, but in his home turf, a 7-time All-Japan Gymkhana Champion with 32 years of cone-dodging under his belt. It was a last minute plan to bring him to the Pro-Solo as a guest entry, so we scrambled to legalize and prep an existing Cusco Subaru STI, retiring it from show-display role to a compliant SCCA car. Now the regulations of the SCCA Solo cars are extremely rigid, and at the pro-level, all of the cars that compete are made by folks who do this year-in, years-out and with a very specialized skill-set... So it is always a humbling experience for even a professional driver and established team to make a spot-entrance to these Pro-Solo competitions.

But like any other times in my life when I visit the SCCA National Tour/ProSOLO folks, they were accommodating as ever, and took their time to befriend out guest driver, Masaki from Japan. Warm and welcoming, and enthusiastic making him feel so at home. Same courtesy extended to Kenji, Yuki, and Steve Enomoto, who also came to support the car as team rookies too. I've shaken hands with and exchanged greetings with the National Tour folks whom I haven't seen for 11 years, since our Club4AG AE86 National Tour campaign days, like Tom Berry, Grady Wood, Sandy and others. Boy that was the nicest reunion for me, as things haven't changed a bit! ALL FUN, all sincerity, and all that is the best of American culture.

Sort of approximating where the car needed to be in class, we made the car compliant as much as we could to STU. There may have been technicalities such as small nuts and bolts or missing trim pieces in the engine bay or interior,
which could have been a technical violation, but seeing how costly things can become for a one-time entry, but as guest entry car and driver, and not anywhere near contention pro-car's specs, SCCA Officials were happy to let us have our fun.

Our Cusco WRX STI came in 7th and 8th overall in STU after the two-days, with faster runs made by the Japanese champion, Masaki. I, myself, chipping away with best of what I had, in my own first AWD entry, without acclimating to the complex deciphering at the quirks of electronic center differential and Masaki's flavor of a sharp, tricky suspension settings. With Cusco's parts being fully loaded and designed for other categories of racing, it wasn't the lightest of the bunch either, tipping scales at 3580 lbs. But again, it was a fun-day for us, and we are grateful to the staff at SCCA for allowing our entry and participation for the guests from Japan.

The other areas of the pits included several cars that are participating on Winmax brakes for the first time in 2014. Winmax competition brake pads have become a favorite for many of our neighboring competitors here in SCCA SOLO within just a few months of testing. Robert Stangarone and his Scion FRS in SM, was one of the most active cars, where many competitors are watching this year, to see where it will place in contemplation of the car-choices in the seasons to come. Ken Motonishi, the veteran pro around here has taken into his mission this year to find the best tune for the brake pad sets too, and helping others with the product selections as well.

All in all, what a wonderful weekend... Totally a joy. Way to go SCCA SOLO!

@ Kenji Inoue, Jdm Steve Enomoto, Tom Berry, Tsutomu Nagase, Phil Smith, Kazumasa Takata, Ken Motonishi, Kazuhiro Ito, Taka Somiya,

The post Masaki Nishihara visits SCCA Pro Solo USA. appeared first on Club4AG.

San Diego's local chapter SCCA SOLO2 Autocross Championship. We took a visit to support our local friends like Robert Stangarone, who's avidly campaigning the Scion FR-S all the way to National Tour events this year.

With San Diego being a huge and established US Navy community, the variety of cars run a gamut from ever popular Muscle Cars to Dedicated Formula cars, and even kids in Go Karts. It's one of the most diverse Solo2 chapters in the nation as far as types of cars, and is also home to a large number of National Champions of the Solo2 community.

It sure was a treat to welcome some of them to Winmax USA, brake pads, and get to know more and more friends.

The post SCCA Solo2 Scene in San Diego, California... appeared first on Club4AG.