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On Wednesday, 23XI Racing announced that road-racing star Kamui Kobayashi will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on August 13, 2023.
Kobayashi will drive the #67 Toyota Camry TRD, a third entry fielded by Denny Hamlin and the Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing team. The last time team fielded the #67 entry, motorsports icon and former NASCAR driver Travis Pastrana drove it to a P11 finish at the season-opening Daytona 500.
The announcement was made in a press conference at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, ahead of first practice for this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the Hypercar class.
Toyota Gazoo Racing driver and team principal Kamui Kobayashi has already won two races this season in the FIA World Endurance Championship competition, where he won two championships in 2019-20 and 2021.
In a press conference, Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson said:
“It’s truly an honour to have Kamui want to participate in our NASCAR Cup Series programme, and we’re thrilled that we could work with our partners at 23XI Racing to give him a competitive Camry TRD for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course event”
“Something different in the culture of motorsports” - Kamui Kobayashi on making his NASCAR Cup Series debut
Kamui Kobayashi will become the first Japanese driver since Hideo Fukuyama in 2003 to enter a NASCAR Cup Series race. Fukuyama made four appearances in the series. Three other drivers from Japan who have participated in Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series include Akinori Ogata, Kenko Miura, and Shigeaki Hattori.
Speaking about making his first start in NASCAR’s top-tier series, Kamui Kobayashi said:
“I think NASCAR is kind of like baseball. It’s something different in the culture of motorsports compared to Japan and Europe, and it’s NASCAR, and as a driver, it’s an American dream.
“I was lucky as I was able to race in IMSA the last couple of years. It’s a different way of racing, but I think as racing technology, it’s really at a high level. I really appreciate this opportunity from TRD, U.S.A., and of course, Toyota Motor North America and Toyota Gazoo Racing”
He continued:
“For us, especially the Japanese people, Toyota has been in NASCAR for a while, and I don’t think any other Japanese driver has been in a Toyota racing in the Cup Series. I’m very proud of this opportunity.”
Watch Kamui Kobayashi in action when the 2023 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard kicks off at the IMS Road Course on August 13, 2023.
