Title: TOYOTA EXPANDS MOTORSPORT PROGRAM FOR 2008
Date: Thu, Dec 6th, 2007 17:17:05 pm
Toyota Australia is set for a bumper year in domestic motorsport in
2008 with a significant expansion of its racing activities that will
break new and exciting ground for the brand. The Toyota Racing Development (TRD) Rally Team - fresh from
back-to-back Australian Rally Championship (ARC) titles in 2006 and 07
- will be chasing a three-peat in 2008 with a pair of Super 2000
Corollas. Twice-victorious and defending ARC champion Simon Evans and team boss
Neal Bates will attempt to become the first drivers in ARC history to
win the title in an S2000 car. The TRD S2000 Corollas will be joined in the ARC next year by at least two privateer-run Group N (P) Corollas. Young-gun Glen Raymond and experienced campaigner Stewart Reid are both
set to compete full-time in next year's ARC using ex-TRD Corollas. In April, former outright winner Neal Bates and the TRD crew will turn
their attention to Targa Tasmania in a welcome return to tarmac
rallying for Toyota using a race-spec TRD Aurion. Former Targa competitor Rick Bates will direct an exciting new
motorsport show in 2008 with the arrival of the V6 HiLux Heroes stunt
driving team, featuring multiple Guinness World Record-holding stunt
driver Lawrence 'The Legend' Ryan. The V6 HiLux Heroes will be part of some of the biggest local and
metropolitan show days in 2008 and will wow the crowds around the
country with stunts and formation driving. Toyota will also have a strong presence in drag racing in 2008 thanks
to the Ultimate Motorsports team and their TRD-liveried Pro Factory
Extreme Camry that accelerates from 0-100km/h in less than one second. Piloted by former Australian champion Tony Wedlock, local fans will get
to see a Camry blasting down a drag strip at more than 350km/h. 2006 Australian Drift Champion Beau Yates' 1984 Toyota Sprinter may be
a little slower in a straight line than Wedlock's Camry, but it still
burns a fair amount of rubber. Nicknamed 'The Show', 25-year-old Yates outpaced and out-styled
everyone in 2006 and will be back in 2008 to again show that the age of
a car is no barrier to success in one of the world's fastest-growing
motorsport categories. It is also set to be a strong year internationally for Toyota with
Panasonic Toyota Racing announcing the Formula One signing of reigning
GP2 champion Timo Glock, and an expanded NASCAR Sprint Cup program in
the United States. Toyota Australia's motorsport manager Todd Connolly was excited that
Toyota would be bringing motorsport to so many people across the
country in so many different categories. "In 2008 Toyota will unleash a new level of excitement for its
products, thanks to a fantastically diverse range of motorsport
activities," Mr Connolly said. "It is set to be our biggest motorsport program ever and demonstrates
that quality, durability and reliability are as essential in the cut
and thrust of motorsport as they are when you buy a normal road car. "These activities will also take us to audiences we may not be reaching
with our existing programs, particularly through the V6 HiLux Heroes in
regional Australia."
Some news articles are copyright
of their prospective authors. |
|
|
|
Latest Toyota
Forum Posts
|
MRMPS Pix by
J e r e M y
Today, 06:05 PM UTC, with 31 replies.
What is the minimum daily driving dist? by
Gonzalis
Today, 05:58 PM UTC, with 2 replies.
[VIC] End of month mid week meetup. by
Guni
Today, 05:36 PM UTC, with 17 replies.
EOI FULL CUSTOM INSTALLATION by
jusuo
Today, 03:53 PM UTC, with 1 replies.
WA TOCAU Meet Up's by
ruimond
Today, 03:45 PM UTC, with 420 replies.
Spotted - NSW by
Ray89
Today, 02:54 PM UTC, with 2783 replies.
|

|
|