Toyota to Expand USAC Involvement with Toyota 360 Sprint Car
by EVANDER KLUM
The world��s largest automaker, Toyota and producer of Lexus performance parts has recently announced its plan of expanding its USAC involvement and this time to include the development of engines for Sprint Car and Silver Crown competition starting with the currently held Turkey Night Grand Prix at the Irwindale Speedway.
The giant Japanese automaker has begun its USAC Midget Series participation last year where it obtained four victories with Steve Lewis�� 9 Racing team. It has also participated at the Copper World Classic in Phoenix with driver Dave Steele.
For this year, 2007, Toyota is adding engine support for Cruz Pedregon Racing and 9 Racing��s Steele as both teams tries their best to be in the winner��s circle for this season.
Les Unger, Toyota National Motorsport Manager said, "Entering the first-ever Toyota-powered sprint car in the 2007 Turkey Night is another milestone in Toyota's 25-year history of motorsports participation in the United States. We believe that the new Toyota 360 sprint car V8 will carry the Toyota brand into winner's circle not only in USAC Western Sprint and Silver Crown competition, but also at numerous other local short track ovals across the country."
The new Toyota Sprint Car engine will be used by Rick and Kevin Gerhardt��s Western Speed Racing with driver Bobby Santos at the upcoming Turkey Night Grand Prix. Santos is also a development driver for the Toyota-powered Bill Davis Racing NASCAR team. Western Speed Racing will campaign a two-car Toyota-powered team for the full 2008 USAC Western Sprint Car Series.
Gary Reed, TRD Vice-President of Special Racing Projects said, "The Gerhardt family has built Western Speed Racing into one of the finest, most diverse short track, open-wheel teams in the country. When their competitors see those orange cars sitting in the pit area, they know they better be ready with their A-game because that's the only game the Western Speed Racing team ever brings to a race track."
Kevin Gerhardt is also thrilled with the prospect of them being the first to try the new Toyota Sprint Car engine, he said: "We��re really excited because we know the history of what Toyota has done in NASCAR, particularly with the trucks. This is a very competitive series with former drivers like Jason Leffler, J.J. Yeley, Kasey Kahne and Casey Mears. For this year��s Turkey Night and next season, we��ll be utilizing the new Toyota 360 Sprint Car engine and with Toyota power, we��re expecting to continue to be upfront."
TOYOTA 360 SPRINT CAR ENGINE SPECS
Block: Cast iron, 360 cu. in. V8 Heads: Aluminum as developed for the Toyota 4-cylinder USAC midget engine. Fuel: Alcohol with Mechanical Fuel Injection Other: Also approved for USAC Silver Crown Series Distributor: Ed Pink Racing Engines, Van Nuys, CA
The Toyota 360 engine is an offshoot of the automaker��s current eight-cylinder engine that was used in NASCAR Busch and Craftsman Truck Series competition. To accommodate the alcohol fuel run, Toyota engine engineers has made minor alterations for the USAC competition. They have also switch from using a carburetor to a mechanical injection system. Likewise, the cylinder heads are similar to the ones used in the Toyota USAC National Midget Racing Series program.
The sprint car initiative together with the Silver Crown embodies Toyota��s commitment to USAC. The automaker has also set a $25,000 Toyota Challenge which is a year-end bonus fund that covers all USAC National Midget Series competitors that is aside from the contingency program that rewards those with exemplary performance at the grassroots level for Toyota-powered teams.
