Which Japanese automaker entered NASCAR Cup Series competition in 2007? Toyota entered NASCAR Cup Series competition in 2007.
Toyota’s debut came in the series then called the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, with the Camry serving as its race car. The manufacturer entered through several organizations, including Bill Davis Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Team Red Bull, bringing a major Japanese automaker into NASCAR’s top division for the first time.
Toyota had already competed in lower-level NASCAR series before reaching the Cup level. Its 2007 arrival was therefore the culmination of a broader American stock-car program rather than a completely isolated debut. The move also ended the long-standing Chevrolet-Ford-Dodge manufacturer lineup at the sport’s highest level.
Toyota did not win a Cup race in its first season, but it quickly became competitive. Toyota’s first premier-series victory came in 2008, when Camry driver Kyle Busch won at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The manufacturer later won Cup championships with drivers including Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr.