2022 Toyota GR 86 Named Official Pace Car for National Auto Sport Association Championship Races in Daytona

PLANO, Texas, Sept. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The all-new 2022 GR 86 will arrive at Toyota dealerships soon, but race fans don't need to wait. They can see it in action this weekend as it paces the National Auto Sport Association National Championships. The pace car role kicks off this Thursday, September 16, as Toyota's latest Gazoo Racing sports coupe leads racers at Daytona International Speedway. Winner-take-all championship races take place on Sunday, September 19.

"We are thrilled to have the new GR 86 selected as the official pace car of NASA's National Championships," said Michael Tripp, vice president of Toyota Vehicle Marketing and Communications. "This car is perfectly at home on a road course, and it will be great to see it lead all the classes out onto the track."

Sporting custom red, white and black graphics, the new GR 86 will proudly lead each of the 25+ classes and nearly 400 competitors from all around the country at the prestigious National Championship event. The championship races will take place on the 3.81-mile road racing circuit made famous by the 24 Hours of Daytona. 

The NASA Championships will start with two qualifying races, where competitors earn points based on their finishing position of both races. Those points then set the grid (and the stage) for the final on Sunday. Spec classes require competitors to drive nearly identical cars with a spec tire, while more modified classes will see different vehicle makes battling it out head-to-head on whatever tire they choose.

Toyota and NASA first partnered in 2019 to give all GR Supra owners a complimentary one-year NASA membership as well as a free day of instruction on a track. The program expanded earlier this year to include all GR sports cars, like the GR 86, so owners can learn precision driving skills from expert instructors in a track environment.

"It's really an honor to have Toyota step up with the GR 86 as the pace car of our marquee championship event," said Jeremey Croiset, vice president of NASA. "I can't think of a more perfect car for this, and I know a ton of our competitors will be eyeing it for their next street or track car!"

The 2021 NASA Championships welcomes fans in person on September 16-19 and will also be live streamed. The broadcast and more information can be found at www.NASAChampionships.com.

The all-new 2022 Toyota GR 86 features a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter, horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine with 228-hp and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. It will come in two grades, GR 86 and GR 86 Premium, and a choice of manual or automatic transmission. More information on the all-new 2022 Toyota GR 86 can be found at https://www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/gr86.   

For customer inquiries, please call: 800-331-4331.

Note to Editors: Photos b-roll and additional specifications can be found on ToyotaNewsroom.com.

About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

About NASA
The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was formed in 1991 to deliver high quality motorsports events to enthusiasts at major racing venues throughout the nation. NASA has created programs that allow owners of both racecars and high-performance street-driven vehicles to enjoy the full performance capabilities of their cars in a safe and controlled environment. NASA offers many different programs that will allow you to enjoy motorsports on a number of different levels, including our High Performance Driving Events (HPDE), Rally Sport, Time Trial, NASA-X and Competition Racing programs.  For more information about NASA, visit drivenasa.com.

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SOURCE Toyota