Toyota Racing Development President David Wilson said that the manufacturer "does not see a jump" into IndyCar or any other open-wheel racing as "part of its plans 'in the next couple years,'" according to Nathan Brown of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Wilson said, "I’d love (for Toyota) to get back to the (Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Indy 500 as an IndyCar OEM), but right now, we have no plans to. We’re absolutely thrilled with the opportunities we have in front of us and the priorities we have with this new car in NASCAR and the brand-new GR Supra Funny Car (in NHRA). We’ve got our hands full. I don’t see anything changing in the next couple years." Last December, IndyCar Owner Roger Penske called the pursuit of a third OEM "one of the tentpoles that I don't have in the ground yet." Penske: "It's very important to us. That inter-brand competition (with only Honda and Chevy) to a certain extent is okay, but you need these other manufacturers to promote it." Sources said that Hyundai and Toyota had been "floated ... as potential OEM suitors, with momentum around Toyota picking up steam last fall." IndyCar enters the '22 season this month at St. Pete with 26 full-time cars, 15 supported by Honda and 11 from Chevy, with Honda at what it "considers its 'upper-limit' on full-timers." Sources said that should IndyCar sign a third OEM, a debut in '23 "would be almost impossible" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 2/11).
