Toyota has offered its NASCAR drivers a remarkable opportunity. 23XI Racing star Bubba Wallace, Legacy Motor Club recruit John Hunter Nemechek, and Truck Series finalist Corey Heim are the selected drivers from the Toyota Racing Development program to form a team in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge opening race. The three NASCAR drivers excelled in three national competitions in 2023 and earned an IMSA debut at the prestigious Daytona Road Course scheduled for late January.

The chosen Toyota-affiliated drivers had a wonderful season in the past year. It was a season of firsts for Bubba Wallace, as he made his playoff debut and continued deep into it. As for former Cup Series driver John Hunter Nemechek, he fell short of the Xfinity Series championship but had a solid season with Joe Gibbs Racing. On the other hand, Corey Heim got into a fiery tussle in the Truck Series finale, which ruined his chances for the title in an otherwise rewarding season.

Bubba Wallace is all set for the opener in GT4

The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge’s season-opening race at Daytona has been scheduled for January 26. The NASCAR drivers will compete and share duties in the #23 Toyota Supra GT4 EVO in the BMW M Endurance Challenge division. The four-hour race will be tough for the trio as the 3.56-mile-long Daytona road course will be in use. Having competed in Camrys for a while, seeing how Bubba Wallace and Nemechek adapt to the Supra will be interesting.

SMOOGE Racing will field the No. 23 Supra and another car as well. Its second car, a No. 68 Supra, will be run by a trio of John Geesbreght, Kevin Conway, and Corey Lewis. Corey Lewis’ addition to the team has added some much-needed firepower with his experience in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship.

For Bubba Wallace, the IMSA debut will imply more experience and invention on road courses. During his time in the Cup Series, he has had some problems on the road. On the other hand, Bubba’s partner, Tyler Reddick, has improved his performance on road courses by leaps and bounds. Reddick had struggled to find top-20 finishes on road courses during his initial days in the Cup Series, but his win at COTA last year defied all expectations.

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With NASCAR seemingly aiming to gravitate towards road courses and street races, Bubba Wallace will need to improve his road course racing to keep the playoff appearances coming. A successful season needs to be followed up with some good practice, which is exactly what the Alabama native is hoping for. SMOOGE Racing team principal and 2010 Cup Series rookie of the year Kevin Conway welcomed the NASCAR entries with open arms.

NASCAR continues its foray into the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge

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With Bubba Wallace and Co. racing in the No. 23, former NASCAR driver and team principal Conway will drive the No.68 Supra. Following the NASCAR drivers’ entry into the IMSA scene in the past few years, Conway expressed his happiness at SMOOGE Racing for being able to provide a platform for drivers from other disciplines to compete in the tourney.

“We are very excited to run two GR Supra GT4 EVOs at Daytona this year. Having Bubba, John Hunter, and Corey in the 23 car is a major honor and testament to Smooge Racing. I’m also looking forward to racing with John Geesbreght and Corey Lewis in the PRAX Leadership GR Supra. John and I have had a lot of success together, and we are looking forward to building on that at Daytona.” said Kevin Conway.

Before Bubba Wallace’s debut in the Mobil 1 sponsored Supra, Ford drivers had already left their impression in the competition. A young core of Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, Hailie Deegan, and Harrison Burton raced for Ford in 2022.

Harrison Burton followed it up with a return in 2023, ending it on a winning note. Burton and 2022 Trucks champion Zane Smith collaborated and won at the Daytona Road Course, driving for PF Racing in a Ford Mustang GT4. Considering their successful recent history, the Toyota trio will surely have some expectations to fulfill.

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