Motorsports

Toyota Supra to race in NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2019

The Supra replaces the Camry in this series

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DAYTONA, Fla. — The full reveal of the new Toyota Supra is drawing near. We've seen plenty of spy shots over the past year or so. At the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, we got our first official look at the new car, though it was just a race-ready concept. While that car may be meant for GT-class racing, it's not the only car with the Supra name that will hit the track next year. Today, just ahead of the 2018 Coca Cola Zero Sugar 400 (you have to love NASCAR race names), Toyota revealed that the Supra will compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series starting in 2019.

Like with all NASCAR models, the Supra bears only a slight resemblance to the upcoming production car. It's really just a spec race car dressed up in a Supra suit, sharing far more parts with the Ford Mustangs and Chevy Camaros than with any road-going Toyota. All Xfinity Series cars use carbureted 5.8-liter V8s and tube-frame chassis.

The Supra will replace the Camry in the Xfinity Series, though the Camry will carry on in the flagship Monster Energy Series. Since the Camry entered the Xfinity Series in 2007, Toyota has won four manufacturer championships, two driver championships and 147 wins.

The original Supra was a serious competitor in various racing series in the 1980s and '90s, including Super GT in Japan and the IMSA Camel GT series in the U.S. The Supra also raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995 and '96. Expect to see the new Supra to compete in similar series in the next couple of years.

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