Toyota 86 Cup Car for PWC TCA in Utah

The burgeoning ranks of manufacturers and models taking part in the Pirelli World Challenge series is set to expand once more with the addition of a factory supported Toyota 86, which will enter the TCA class ranks at the double-header round at Utah Motorsports Campus later this month.

To be fielded by the Dan Gardner Spec (DG-Spec) Racing team, the Toyota 86 Cup Car – an enhanced version of the production model developed by TMG for the GT86 Cup, part of the VLN Series in Germany – will debut at the permanent road course outside Salt Lake City on Aug. 11-13 in the hands of veteran road racer Craig Stanton.

"Bringing the TMG 86 Cup Car to Pirelli World Challenge presents an opportunity to test and showcase the ability of our Toyota 86 in a competitive racing series," said Keith Dahl, general manager, Motorsports for Toyota Motor North America. "The seasoned DG-Spec team won the PWC title for Scion in 2010 and we're hopeful they can perform well with the 86. We have a great combination of team and driver with Craig Stanton to showcase the ability of this TMG-built 86, so we're cautiously optimistic for solid results in the Utah double-header."

DG-Spec and Stanton – a former GRAND-AM GT and Continental Tire GS class champion with over 30 years of driving experience – previously won the PWC TC class championship with the Scion tC in 2010.

"It's been a while since we raced in Pirelli World Challenge with our championship-winning Scion, but we've been at the track constantly over the last few years, testing, developing and racing in other venues," said Dan Gardner, team owner and namesake of DG-Spec. "The team is really sharp and Craig is on his game. The Toyota 86 is ready to go and we hope to turn some heads in Utah."

Gardner's team recently won One Lap of America in the Toyota Sienna R-Tuned in 2016, and has provided support for programs such as the Land Speed Cruiser and Rally RAV4. The Rally RAV4 team of Ryan Millen and Rhianon Gelsomino recently clinched the American Rally Association's 2WD championship.

"Our Toyota 86 is a potent car right out of the box, but it gets even hotter with a full lineup of TRD parts and accessories," said Preston Dyer, National Marketing Manager of Parts and Accessories for TMNA. "TRD gets its inspiration where it counts – on the track – and we couldn't think of a better way to demonstrate that performance than by entering our TMG 86 Cup Car in Pirelli World Challenge."

The TMG 86 Cup Car – which is decked out in a livery designed by Racer Media & Marketing as an homage to the 1998 Toyota GT-One Le Mans cars – features a stock 86 engine and transmission, as well as TMG upgrades to the vehicle's suspension, brakes and engine tuning and other changes that include safety equipment for racing. It is currently scheduled only to compete in both PWC events at Utah Motorsports Campus.