Toyo has supported drag racing beginning in the 1990’s with the introduction of sport compact competition.  Today, Toyo is firmly aligned with the premier sanctioning body which is credited with legitimizing and growing the sport of drag racing, the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA®). 

The NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals is held annually at the historic Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania.  This major sports event is part of the NHRA POWERade® Drag Racing Series, the flagship racing series of this organization. 

Toyo manufactures dedicated drag racing tires with the Proxes™ Drag Slicks and Free Rolling tires.  Growing in popularity with Super Comp, Super Gas and Top Alcohol racers, Proxes Drag Slicks are known for their consistency, whether new or old in a variety of track surface temperatures and conditions.  Team Toyo’s winningest NHRA drag racer, Thomas Bayer, was crowned both the 2006 Super Comp and 2006 Super Gas class champion in theLucas Oil Drag Racing Series, a highly competitive series in NHRA’s competitive Division 7.  During the championship awards ceremony, Bayer was also named theLucas Oil Division Race Series Sportsman Driver of the Year.

Bob Harris, Jr., driver of the K&N/Harris Motorsports sponsored Super Gas Chevrolet Corvette won the Sixth annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals in 2006 and finished runner-up at the previous weekend’s Super Gas final round during the NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals in Fontana, California.  Also winning in NHRA during 2006 was John Ross with his 1963 Super Gas Corvette and Steve Johnson piloting his Super Comp dragster.  Johnson also became the 2006 Snap-On Tools Super Series champion at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, driving his Fineline Graphics 1941 Super Gas Willys on Toyo Proxes Drag Slicks. 

In 2007, Thomas Bayer threw down the gauntlet by winning the Super Gas season opener of the 2007 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Arizona.  He also finished in the runner-up spot during an early season NHRA race at Fontana piloting the Toyo Tires Top Alcohol class dragster owned by Steve and Patti Federlin.

Look for even more wins on Toyo Proxes Drag Slicks with Team Toyo drivers during the upcoming NHRA season.  For more information on the NHRA, log on to nhra.com.