Toyota Leaving NHRA after 2025 Season

[Paul]

This is one I wasn't expecting... David Wilson retired and now a new direction.

 

[Sherman, Sherm, & Sherm Gun]

Toyota to End NHRA Drag Racing Program After 2025 Season | Drag Illustrated

After more than two decades of groundbreaking achievements on the dragstrip, Toyota Motor North America announced today that it will end its involvement in NHRA Drag Racing following the conclusion of the 2025 season. The decision brings to a close a storied chapter for the manufacturer, which...

dragillustrated.com

 

[Sherman, Sherm, & Sherm Gun]

 

[Tim]

Wow…this is tough to hear and leaves a pretty big void. Trying to remain positive here…let’s hope the big 3 see this as an opportunity to expand their brand.

 

[Just Paul]

That’s a huge loss, no doubt about it.

 

[aakar]

Shocked by this,Toyota’s involvement was above xcellent.

 

[Cliff]

Wow.... No Chevy, no Toyota. So maybe funny cars will become funny SUVs.

 

[Sherman, Sherm, & Sherm Gun]

TOYOTA TO END NHRA PARTICIPATION AFTER 2025 SEASON | Competition Plus

competitionplus.com

 

[moonpies88]

I tell people all the time. go to a NHRA event and you will be hooked! My group would rather got to a NASCAR race though

 

[mick]

so the question is, why is nhra drag racing being singled out to drop funding by the leading automobile manfacturer?
did something happen where the retiring guy can't sell this to his successor? does toyota believe we are not interested in their brand?

 

[ironpony]

so the question is, why is nhra drag racing being singled out to drop funding by the leading automobile manfacturer?
did something happen where the retiring guy can't sell this to his successor? does toyota believe we are not interested in their brand?

IMO like all other "sponsors" for the money spent you get one minute of screen time each round. If you lose you are done for the day. Funny car is very generic minimal body difference if you switched decals very few would know. There is no Toyota engine, rear end etc. You have to have a love for drag racing and the guy that had it is now gone, same as years ago with Terry Chandler, she loved racing and spent money sponsoring two cars. She passed, kids stopped funding.
A lot of the "sponsors" today are aimed at business to business or self funded.
Kalitta Air and DHL and Mac Tools
Capco Torrences company
Scrappers Salinisa's company
Head Racing, Jim Head
Scag
Commercial Sheetmetal
These are not sponsors giving a car money they are rich owners funding their hobby.

 

[Jim]

so the question is, why is nhra drag racing being singled out to drop funding by the leading automobile manfacturer?
did something happen where the retiring guy can't sell this to his successor? does toyota believe we are not interested in their brand?

Why? Because the return on the money they spend is not what Toyota wants.

How many people buy a RAV/4 because they saw the Toyota name on a carbon fiber Funny Car body that looks nothing like the real thing?

 

[T.Smith]

so the question is, why is nhra drag racing being singled out to drop funding by the leading automobile manfacturer?
did something happen where the retiring guy can't sell this to his successor? does toyota believe we are not interested in their brand?

OEM's come and go, that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to all forms of motorsports. At least them leaving isn't going to bankrupt your racing series.

Change of leadership always invokes changes elsewhere. All of them probably have their vision of how they want something to run.

 

[T.Smith]

Why? Because the return on the money they spend is not what Toyota wants.

How many people buy a RAV/4 because they saw the Toyota name on a carbon fiber Funny Car body that looks nothing like the real thing?

Maybe they didn't buy a RAV/4, but maybe they did buy a Supra or a Toyota 86, or some performance parts because of the brand awareness in a racing series they follow.

The Pratt & Miller Chevy Corvette C5R/C6R/C7R racing program and Sony's Gran Turismo racing video game is why I own a Corvette today. So you never know.

 

[T.Smith]

These are not sponsors giving a car money they are rich owners funding their hobby.

Yeah, welcome to 98% of all motorsports. At some point, someone somewhere reached into their pocket and spent a wad of their own money.

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Why? Because the return on the money they spend is not what Toyota wants.

How many people buy a RAV/4 because they saw the Toyota name on a carbon fiber Funny Car body that looks nothing like the real thing?

I remember when funny cars looked real close to the street driven version, instead of looking like a fancy doorstop.
Don't get me wrong, still to this day I have found nothing that is more bitchin than 2 nitro burning funny cars
(Top Fuel dragsters) on the starting line with the pre-stage bulb lit.

 

[yoda]

Someone on another platform suggested that F/C go back to all Nostalgia-style bodies for a year or so, and get the fan base back up with some cool looking older body styles.

With some reasonable requirements (rake percentage; template requirements), that could be pretty cool.

 

[Nunz]

I don't buy into the whole "they don't look like real cars" theory. Do NASCAR cars look like their street counterparts? Do F1 cars look like street cars? Top Fuel and FC are the fastest, most violent cars on the planet, I don't think they need to be stock appearing at this point. As others have stated, sponsors have come and gone since the very beginning. Nothing lasts forever. Does it suck? Sure. But, as time goes on, we will get new marketing partners, and we will lose some. Tell you what though, I'm amazed at some of the comments on FB. So ignorant, they're actually hard to read.

 

[aakar]

My biggest concern is what's next?
Chevy is no longer building cars (only SUV and electric SUV), killed Camaro and COPO. How long will they stay with NHRA?
Chrysler/Stellantis just changed leadership, seem to be in turmoil
Ford is there now because of Tasca

 

[T.Smith]

I don't buy into the whole "they don't look like real cars" theory. Do NASCAR cars look like their street counterparts? Do F1 cars look like street cars? Top Fuel and FC are the fastest, most violent cars on the planet, I don't think they need to be stock appearing at this point. As others have stated, sponsors have come and gone since the very beginning. Nothing lasts forever. Does it suck? Sure. But, as time goes on, we will get new marketing partners, and we will lose some. Tell you what though, I'm amazed at some of the comments on FB. So ignorant, they're actually hard to read.

I agree, it's complete horsesh*t.

We just recently purchased a 2021 Mercedes C-Class Coupe for my Wife and my youngest Daughter has a 2016 Honda Accord EX Coupe. Both body shapes are nearly the same! As well as other cars within this style of cars. The point is, a lot of current production cars look like each other...just like modern funny cars.