Les Unger, a figure instrumental in Toyota’s entry into NASCAR, passed away on 16th October. He served as the national motorsports manager at Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) from 1984 to 2014.Les Unger paved the way for Toyota's entrance into NASCAR by first bringing the brand to the Goody’s Dash Series in 1998-99 with a V6 Celica, thereby heralding their entry into American stock car racing. As a result of this, in 2001, Robert Huffman won NASCAR’s first race with an overhead-cam, multi-valve engine at Kentucky. Unger then brought the manufacturer’s participation forward by introducing the Tundra in the Craftsman Truck Series, with the plans unveiled in 2003 for a 2004 launch, thus setting the stage for future entries into higher NASCAR divisions.Among other things, he was the mastermind behind the Toyota All-Star Showdown, which strived to not only support local motorsports but also spot and groom new talent. His direction made the company a primary player in the American motorsports arena, and he was subsequently acknowledged as one of the main engineers behind the brand’s racing heritage. Recalling his unmatched achievements in the sport, Toyota Gazoo Racing released a statement on his passing:"We join the entire Toyota and motorsport community in mourning the loss of Toyota motorsports pioneer Les Unger. Les was a passionate, innovative leader of Toyota's motorsports efforts for decades, as he guided our successful early racing involvement in many series, including INDYCAR, IMSA, Off-Road Racing and the Toyota Atlantic Series, while later supporting our entrance into NASCAR as the national motorsports manager."They further penned:"Les also loved to give back, with one of his biggest passions being the annual Pro/Celebrity race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. After retiring in 2014, Les continued to be a big fan and supporter of Toyota's motorsports efforts. Les' guidance, perseverance and dedication to Toyota was second-to- none, and we extend our condolences to the entire Unger family. We will truly miss Les cheering us on."Under his leadership, the Japanese automotive manufacturer achieved 27 championships in IMSA sports cars, MTEG Off-Road Stadium Racing, and SCORE desert racing, alongside victories in prestigious events like the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, Baja 500, Baja 1000, and multiple Pikes Peak International Hill Climb titles.Denny Hamlin stands as Toyota’s only Las Vegas success story in recent yearsDenny Hamlin entered the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 8 as the top seed, just eight points above the elimination line, as Toyota’s primary hope at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a track where the manufacturer has struggled in recent years. Since the South Point 400 debuted in 2018, victories at the 1.5-mile intermediate have largely gone to Ford drivers, with Joey Logano and Josh Berry winning the most recent playoff and summer races, respectively.Toyota has secured only five wins at Las Vegas overall, with four coming from Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and one from the defunct Furniture Row Racing; their most recent triumph was Hamlin’s 2021 victory, which remained their only win at the track in the past five seasons.This changed with Denny Hamlin yet again as he won the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, securing his 60th career victory and advancing into the Championship 4.