Confirming speculation that its interest may lie in furthering its NASCAR
ambitions, Toyota has announced that it is to withdraw completely from
open-wheel racing in the United States at the end of 2006.
source: crash.net Having revealed its intention to compete in January 1994, Toyota finally made its entry into competition in 1996, but today's decision, which is also expected to affect the company's relationship with Champ Car via the Toyota Atlantic development series, ends twelve years of US open-wheel racing. Toyota says that it 'will not be participating as an engine supplier to either of the major open-wheel sanctioning bodies in the United States after 2006'. The company has stressed, however, that the decision to withdraw will not affect either the IndyCar Series engine development programme for the remainder of 2005 or 2006 seasons, or any of the current contracts that Toyota has with individual teams. ?This was simply a decision to move in a different direction after having our major US motorsports emphasis on open-wheel racing since 1994,? said senior vice-president of Toyota Motor Sales USA, J Davis Illingworth, ?Just as our participation in IMSA sportscar racing ran its course after 12 years of participation, so has our US open-wheel racing programme after 12 years in the IRL and CART.? Toyota claims to be in the process of reviewing how to re-allocate its resources for future motorsports plans, but has made no secret of its desire to be more heavily involved in the NASCAR arena. It already has versions of its Tundra model running in the NASCAR-sanctioned Craftsman Truck series, but has its sights set on the premier Nextel Cup competition. Toyota currently supplies two of the biggest teams in the Indy Racing League - Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing - but, despite Helio Castroneves' win at Richmond on Saturday night, has struggled to match rival Honda in the victory stakes this season. Team Cheever, Vision Racing, Hemelgarn Racing and AJ Foyt all also use Toyota power in the series.
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