How a Toyota collab with NASA puts enthusiasts on track

American enthusiasts haven’t had the opportunities to enjoy the entirety of Toyota’s high-performance roster, but it’s a safe bet we are growing familiar with Toyota’s Gazoo Racing performance sub-brand, thanks to the recent addition of GR Corolla, GR Supra, and the GR86 to its stateside lineup.

Toyota Gazoo Racing is the motorsport arm of the Japanese manufacturer. The name dates back to 2007, when an in-house team of racers, including test driver Hiromu Naruse and then-vice-president of the company Akio Toyoda. By 2015, all Toyota brand racing activities had been unified under the Gazoo Racing banner, from sports cars to drag racing. Then, in 2019, the GR Supra became the first global GR car.

Combine the roster of GR models with TRD trucks, and Toyota’s current performance line is stronger than ever. Comparisons can be drawn to BMW’s M lineup (save for Bimmer’s levels of long-time brand awareness and loyalty among its owners).

BMW’s owner’s club, the BMW Car Club of America, ensures this brand loyalty, and does an effective job in catching and retaining prospective and current M-spec owners. The club also includes an easy entry into motorsport, and a driver’s safety school program. So how does Toyota’s GR-series catch up to its German performance counterpart, and do it quickly?

Consider The Toyota Way and its 14 management principles, which have been crucial to Toyota’s success thus far. Well, not all 14. Instead focus on the 13th principle: based on the concept of Nemawashi, which focuses on consensus building.

It takes passion to build such consensus. Meet Dan Gardner, a Toyota spokesperson with plenty of passion for the GR Owner Benefit Program. The GR Track Experience (as it’s sometimes called) was designed in cooperation with the National Auto Sport Association and all new GR owners get a freeyear of NASA membership along with a full day at the track with professional instruction … all on Toyota’s dime.

A free year with one of the nation’s most well-recognized motorsport associations? This is a key differentiator from the likes of BMW and Porsche and their independent car clubs. And it’s a big deal because this partnership is a shocking departure from the expected behavior from such a large, multinational corporation. Before we get into the gritty details, check out the video overview from 2021 gets us up to speed:

I was fortunate enough to participate in the GR Track Experience, getting behind the wheel of a new GR Supra 3.0 on the recently redesigned contours of Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, Texas. It’s not unlike a weekend participating in NASA’s High Performance Driving Event program, where anyone with just about any car can spend a weekend testing the limits of both car and driver on a closed race track.

The GR Track Experience only varied in the fact that all GR owners drive on the track as a group, have a separate time for classroom instruction, and park in a Toyota-specific area where they receive VIP treatment.

As part of my GR immersion, I met Gardner, a key player in the NASA-Toyota partnership. While he’s an accomplished racer and team owner in his own right, his passion for this very special owner’s benefit program is truly inspirational. For him, part of the GR brand’s appeal is to sell the experience, and his vision was to leverage NASA’s knowledge and grassroots performance driving programs around the country. Consider it an enthusiast activation, without the feckless corporate marketing-speak found in many other manufacturers’ initiatives.

Now that there are four model years of production, three unique models, and roughly 220 dates at NASA events around the country, Gardner considers the GR sub brand as a “diverse family” of high-performance cars within Toyota’s already impressive lineup.

The GR Track Experience team surveys participants upon completion of their first event, and responses have been overwhelmingly positive. Some owners suggest it even validated their purchase of a GR product. After completing this experience firsthand, I find it hard to believe anyone would think otherwise. I sought out feedback from my fellow attendees, and spoke at length to Tim Ward, two-time GR Supra owner and track junkie, who got his first taste of speed at the GR Track Experience.

Ward always wanted to do a track day, but everything finally came into place when Toyota mailed him a packet informing him about the GR Track Experience in 2020. Like most of us, his first time on track wasn’t as successful as he intended. As he noted “the track is far different than the streets, or a video simulator.” Ward now has 422 laps under his belt, thanks in part to his tremendous improvement during his second HPDE.

Ward also complemented his on-track education with racing simulators, which kept him at speed throughout the pandemic. His recommendation for newbie racers is twofold: spend a paltry $69 for a NASA membership and drive whatever car you have. And never forget to ask questions, as everyone Ward met at NASA has been friendly and accommodating. But what if you are looking for a new car to help you get the most out of motorsports? Ward suggested:

“There’s nothing like the GR Track Experience. With other brands you are just a number. This opportunity is unique.”

Ward as re-upped his NASA membership three times, and his current Supra shows the telltale signs of serious speed: roll cage, five-point harnesses, improved brakes, sticky tires, and aerodynamic downforce additions. Upon my interview with Ward, he reached a new milestone: he became a NASA instructor. It’s clear to me that he has the skill and the personality to be a great steward.

To wit, I asked Gardner if this program applies to the GR86’s sister ship, the Subaru BRZ. The answer was an emphatic “no,” as this is a key differentiator for the Toyota. And it’s proof that sometimes marketing is more than just buzzwords and the best of intentions. Sometimes it gets you on track, at speed, and it all happens on a manufacturer’s dime.