23XI Racing announced Wednesday morning that Kamui Kobayashi will drive the No. 67 Toyota at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course race.
Kobayashi drives in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota Gazoo Racing.
He is competing this weekend in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
AND:
“It’s my dream, actually,” Kobayashi told The Associated Press. “It’s such a big sport in the United States and racing in Europe, I never had the chance or opportunity to race NASCAR. I think the opportunity will be challenging for myself because it is such a different category.
“But if I have success, I think it will make more opportunities for Japanese drivers. Toyota has been in NASCAR a long time, but there has never been any Japanese drivers for Toyota. That’s also why I say I appreciate this opportunity for myself.”
“It’s truly an honor to have Kamui want to participate in our NASCAR Cup Series program, 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,” said David Wilson, president of TRD, U.S.A.
“Kamui shares the passion for motorsports that all of us at Toyota and TRD, U.S.A. live every day, so it will be exciting to show him our NASCAR program with him behind the wheel of one of our TRD Camrys.”
Kobayashi won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Toyota in 2021 and hasn’t finished lower than third since 2018. He has six podium finishes in eight appearances in the iconic endurance race and his two-car Toyota Gazoo team has won the overall race title the last five years.
— Associated Press —
NASCAR Cup Debut! @TGR_WEC's @kamui_kobayashi will make his #NASCAR Cup Series debut behind the wheel of the No. 67 Camry TRD at @IMS! #TeamToyota pic.twitter.com/NA9MbiR9fO
— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) June 7, 2023