In Japan, NASCAR put on a show

At the invitation of Toyotaseveral machines NASCAR made the trip, including John Hunter Nemechek and Kamui Kobayashi behind the wheel. Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, made the trip driving the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro that participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans within the Garage 56, reserved for innovative machines.

The event, organized alongside the championship finalEndurance Super Taikyu allowed Japanese fans to see NASCAR cars back on their soil nearly thirty years after the first exhibition race held at the Suzuka circuit in 1996. This year's venue, Fuji Speedway, was equally symbolic. The Mount Fuji track was originally designed to host NASCAR races on a gigantic four-kilometer oval.

Unfortunately, funding did not materialize, and only one of the two banked corners was built. Therefore, demonstrations took place on the road circuit, while since then, Japan has built its own oval track hosting single-seater races, the Twin Ring Motegi (only the road circuit remains in use today, the oval having been damaged by the 2011 earthquakes).

Besides providing entertainment for the fans in attendance, the Fuji event also held significant business importance for Toyota. The Japanese automaker announced plans to invest nearly one billion dollars more in the United States in the coming years, adding to its existing investment of around ten billion dollars planned through 2030.

A colossal investment, coinciding with next year's celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, prompted Toyota's chairman, Akio Toyoda, to appear alongside the US ambassador to Japan, George Glass, dressed entirely in red, with the aim of improving "Cultural exchange between the United States and Japan through motorsport."

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