A quiet architect behind one of motorsports’ most significant brand expansions helped redefine what manufacturer involvement could look like in American racing. His career spanned decades of innovation, strategy, and passion, leading a global automaker’s push from road cars to racetracks across nearly every discipline imaginable. Under his watch, the company grew from a niche competitor to a motorsports powerhouse, earning respect for its performance, consistency, and vision.

He wasn’t just about trophies and headlines. This leader built bridges between corporate boardrooms and pit roads, between engineers and drivers, between fans and factory teams. He played a central role in shaping developmental racing programs that gave young talent a platform to shine, while also fueling community-focused events that brought motorsports closer to everyday people. That legacy belongs to Les Unger, Toyota’s longtime National Motorsports Manager and one of the key figures behind the manufacturer’s entrance into NASCAR.

The word landed like a quiet spin-out, pulling the garage into a somber slowdown. Les Unger, the steady force who guided Toyota’s U.S. racing charge from 1985 to his 2014 retirement, passed away, closing a chapter that hummed with grit and growth.

He steered the brand through IMSA’s endurance marathons, IndyCar’s oval blitzes, and off-road dust-ups before plotting the bold leap into stock cars. That 2004 Craftsman Truck debut? Unger’s map, easing Tundras onto the grid amid the growls from old-line makers. By the time Camrys hit Cup and Xfinity, what started as a steep climb turned into a championship surge, stacking driver crowns and owner hardware that still gleams.

Tributes rolled in fast, raw, and real from the folks who shared his laps. Bob Pockrass, the Fox Sports reporter always sniffing the story, put it plain on X: “RIP to former Toyota exec Les Unger. He was passionate about motorsports in managing Toyota programs, including entry into NASCAR.” Pockrass nailed the fire, the kind that turned a Japanese upstart into a track staple.

Unger’s blueprint dodged the early flak, chatting up teams, owners, and fans to flip doubt into drive. From those first Truck Rumbles to Gibbs and 23XI’s title grabs, his vision welded Toyota into the pack, proving imports could haul trophies without hauling baggage.

NASCAR mourns Unger’s legacy

Declan Wayman, holding the reins as Toyota Gazoo Racing USA’s general manager of motorsports and sponsorships, let the weight show: “Unfortunate news, as the general manager of motorsports and sponsorships for Toyota Gazoo Racing, Les Unger has passed away. Unger was one of the key figures who helped Toyota enter its way into the sport of NASCAR. Rest in peace, Les Unger.” Wayman’s words carry the torch handoff, spotting how Unger paved the path for today’s red-hot runs.

The main statement was shared by Paul Doleshal, general manager, Toyota Motor North America, on X, “Les’ guidance, perseverance and dedication to Toyota was second-to-none, and we extend our condolences to the entire Unger family. We will truly miss Les cheering us on.”

Unger didn’t just green-light the entry; he built the culture, the collaborative spirit that lets drivers climb ladders he first strung up.

Deep in the garage, Unger’s pull ran personal. Rookies who bubbled through his developmental rungs credit him with the respect-first ethos that keeps Toyota’s tent tight-knit. Is that first Tundra on track? His call. The Camrys crossing checkers at Daytona? His foundation. He wove it all with that low-key grind, turning boardroom bets into bleacher bonds, reminding everyone racing’s about roots, not just rubber.

Unger’s exit pulls the pin on a golden stretch for Toyota Racing, but every flag they fetch flies half-mast in his honor. His work wasn’t deals; it was devotion, betting on racing’s spark to light up lives. The outpouring says it clearly: he didn’t just steer the ship; he sparked the engine. Rest easy, Les. The laps you laid keep rolling, full throttle.