A relationship that started back in the year 2002 is coming to an end in 2025. Toyota has recently announced that it is bidding goodbye to the NHRA drag racing grounds after 23 years. Having been able to bag more than 200 wins in this series, and recently winning their first manufacturers championship, its safe Toyota had a highly successful run.
Toyota grabbed 12 world championships as well, cementing their dominance in the sport. This only adds to the mystery of why Toyota is leaving so abruptly. The NHRA saw more positive signs in 2022 when NASCAR legend Tony Stewart made an entry. However, will this exit of Toyota have an impact on the NHRA, and what does it say about their future in NASCAR?
Toyota will be closing the doors for NHRA from 2025
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Toyota’s decision to end its involvement with NHRA after the 2025 season marks a significant shift in its motorsport strategy. This long-standing partnership has been mutually beneficial, with Toyota providing sponsorship for teams like AB Motorsports, DC Motorsports, Kalitta Motorsports, Ron Capps Motorsports, SCAG Racing’s Top Fuel program, and Torrence Racing. Since its NHRA debut in 2002, Toyota has celebrated key milestones, including its first win at the 2004 Winternationals and consecutive championship victories with drivers like Doug Kalitta and Antron Brown in the Top Fuel category.
Toyota’s departure from NHRA has sparked questions about its broader impact on motorsports. Popular NASCAR YouTuber Eric Estepp addressed this on his channel, saying, “Earlier this week, Toyota announced they’re pulling their NHRA support after 2025. I don’t keep up with drag racing, so I don’t fully understand the larger ramifications… Could this be a trend that impacts stock car racing in the near future?”
As the official car of NHRA, Toyota became a favorite among teams, drivers, and fans. However, the brand is changing, with the recent retirement of longtime Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson. His role has now been assumed by Tyler Gibbs, signaling a new chapter for Toyota’s motorsport ventures.
Toyota’s commitment to NASCAR, however, remains strong. In 2023, Toyota was the largest TV advertising sponsor for NASCAR, spending $380,000. Estepp highlighted this, saying, “A report from a year ago… Toyota reportedly spent more money on NASCAR TV advertising than any other company. I haven’t seen the numbers for 2024 yet, but clearly Toyota sees tremendous value in advertising to NASCAR fans.”
Estepp added, “As troubling as this may be for NHRA drag racing fans and teams, I don’t see this having any real impact on Toyota’s NASCAR program, at least not in the near future.” Toyota also solidified its commitment to NASCAR by adding Legacy Motor Club to its Cup Series roster in 2023, indicating that its future in stock car racing is as promising as ever.
Commenting on the NHRA exit, Toyota group manager Paul Doleshal stated, “Our NHRA Drag Racing involvement has brought much success and pride across our entire organization. Our NHRA drivers and teams have truly become part of our Toyota family. We look forward to competing for more wins and championships with our supported teams in the upcoming season, and we will work diligently along the way to make sure each team and driver have the tools necessary to compete at the highest level for the years to come.”
NHRA did manage to attract Tony Stewart, who entered the NHRA drag racing world as an owner in 2022 with his team, Tony Stewart Racing. Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion as a driver, quickly found success behind the drag racing wheel too, winning the 2024 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series in the Top Alcohol Dragster Class and the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year.
While Toyota’s departure from NHRA may mark the end of an era for drag racing, its focus on NASCAR highlights a shift in priorities, ensuring its legacy in motorsport continues to evolve and thrive. Although Tony Stewart is focused on the future of drag racing.
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Tony Stewart makes changes to his NHRA team
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Being the owner of a team is not easy. Once the 2025 NHRA season opens in March, one will witness how four-time champion Matt Hagan will be having a new crew chief. Veteran Dickie Venables who had previously enabled him to achieve three of his victories has been replaced by Mike Knudsen. Knudsen will be assisted by co-crew chief Phil Shuler. Knudsen has been working with Hagan since 2013 and transitioned to the newly formed Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) from Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) in 2022. Together, they have achieved remarkable success, winning championships in 2014, 2020, and 2023. In 2005 Knudsen joined DSR, where he worked with Whit Bazemore, Gary Scelzi, Cory McClenathan, and Spencer Massey before joining Matt Hagan’s crew.
Reacting to this new role and responsibility, Knudsen said, “I’m really excited to take the next step in my career. Thank you to Dickie’s mentorship, I feel very prepared to step into the crew chief role. I couldn’t ask for a better situation. Tony is the best owner in the NHRA, and we have a championship-winning team that’s led by [car chief] Alex Conaway, also with Matt being a four-time championship-winning driver. I’m also excited to bring Phil on board. He and I have multiple years of experience working together at DSR. I feel we will really complement each other as co-crew chiefs”.
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Co-crew chief Phil Shuler also expressed his excitement about working with Knudsen again. “I’m really excited to get the opportunity to work with Tony Stewart Racing. There are a lot of people there that I’ve worked with over the years at DSR and have a good relationship with. I’ve worked with Mike Knudsen a lot. He handled the clutch on a car I was one of the crew chiefs on back in the day. He has always been a very sharp individual and has moved up the ranks. This is a well-deserved opportunity for him, and I’m excited to help him wherever I can. We will try to have the best Funny Car in the NHRA in 2025.”
Stewart has also given a befitting goodbye to Dickie Venables and thanked him for his immense contribution to the Tony Stewart team. He said, “I’d like to thank Dickie for all of his contributions at TSR. He and Matt were able to accomplish a lot together over the years, and we’re honored they were able to earn the team’s first Funny Car championship together. His mentorship and talents have been an asset to all the men around him”. With Knudsen stepping into this new leadership role, Tony Stewart Racing is poised for a fresh chapter, building on a legacy of excellence and aiming for even greater success in the future.