UMW Toyota Motor have announced the return of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Festival for a 3rd season, with the first event kicking off in September 2019.
Four rounds of the Toyota Vios Challenge One-Make Races will be held on three specially-constructed street circuits as well as the Sepang International Circuit with the same three classes competing as before:
- Promotional Class (local celebrities)
- Sporting Class
- Super Sporting Class
The Promotional Class consists of these returning celebrities:
- actor Shukri Yahaya
- beat-boxer Shawn Lee
- presenter Nabil Ahmad
- singer Khai Bahar
- singer Nabila Razali
- singer Wany Hasrita
- actress Janna Nick
- actress Diana Danielle
Two new comers to the class are:
- actress/presenter Ain Edruce
- actor Syafiq Kyle
And of course, Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor, Mr Akio Takeyama returns to race in this class as well.
One of the highlights this year will be the Gazoo Racing Supra, which will showcased at the festival.
Here’s more from the official press release
PRESS RELEASE
“Toyota has accomplished so much in motor-racing and we want to bring enthusiast and customers closer to the Toyota brand and products by leveraging on Toyota’s rich motorsports heritage. The TGR Festival was never about just selling more cars, but celebrating the success of Toyota and Gazoo Racing in global motorsports, from the Dakar Rally and World Rally Championship to the most recent victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and translating these achievements to benefit the masses domestically,” said
Mr Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor.
“With Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s global direction is pushing the limits via its involvement in motorsports, and this is translated into building better products and shaping the strength, capability and creativity of its workforce. We embrace this philosophy in our business domestically, and now with models like the Vios, Yaris, and soon to be available Supra, we believe UMW Toyota Motor has the right product mix locally to establish an even bigger footprint in Malaysian motorsports.”
This year, the TGR Festival will be coming to Terengganu, Penang, Johor before finishing off in Sepang.
Bringing motorsports to the masses has not only been translated into organizing the TGR Festival at specially-constructed street circuits and away from a permanent racing circuit, for example in places like Penang, Terengganu and Johor, but its one-make Vios racing format has also made it an affordable racing series for amateur and professional drivers.
The achievements of Season 2 which witnessed a 14-year-old competitor successfully transitioning from karting to saloon car racing, Takeyama said, also makes the TGR Festival an attractive platform for young drivers to hone their skills in their pursuit to reach the higher levels of motor-racing.
Meanwhile, celebrities who will be competing in the Promotional class are actor Shukri Yahaya, beat-boxer Shawn Lee, presenter Nabil Ahmad, singer Khai Bahar, singer Nabila Razali, singer Wany Hasrita, actress Janna Nick and defending champion actress Diana Danielle. Season 3 also welcomes two newcomers, actress/presenter Ain Edruce, and actor Syafiq Kyle. Takeyama himself, will also be returning to compete in the series in his third straight season.
UMW Toyota Motor President Mr Ravindran K. said the TGR Festival is in essence an extreme proving ground to demonstrate the capabilities of Toyota cars, especially introductory models like the Vios.
“Manufacturers today share the goal of building cars that are practical, affordable, economical, reliable and packed with technological advancements. For Toyota, it is equally important that our products not only fulfill these expectations, but live up to the most enduring conditions, offer customers a high degree of driving satisfaction, performance and ownership excitement,” he said.
Mr. Ravindran K. also pointed out that the combination of on and off the track racing activities, together with the showcase of the Gazoo Racing Outlet and Gazoo Racing Supra underlined the company’s aspiration to establish a bigger footprint in Malaysian motorsports moving forward.
“Motorsports is not purely confined to competition but involvement at so many levels. It is also about cultivating greater interest, passion and appreciation and we believe the combination of on track racing, virtual racing, motorsports-inspired and derived models, and bringing the spectacles of motor-racing closer to the people will contribute to giving
Malaysian motorsports a further boost,” he said.
The sponsors for Season 3 of the TGR Festival include Toyo Tires, leading supplier of advanced automotive technology, systems and components Denso, TRD Asia, Japanese engine oil and lubricant manufacturer Moty’s, Enkei wheels, M7 energy drinks and Toyota Capital Malaysia.
Season 2 of the TGR Festival ended in April this year with the running of four rounds, eight races, attracting more than 80,000 race fans, 1.1 million online viewers, and with the crowning of three new champions in the Promotional, Sporting and Super Sporting classes.
