Racing the Mortal Minivan.Toyota's Sienna on the One Lap America Circuit

Sienna R-Tuned (rear) and Sienna SE+ front at Summit Point

Toyota and Racing: Toyota vehicles racing is nothing new, from enthusiast’s auto crossing Scion’s to Camry’s chasing round the NASCAR oval; Toyota Trucks going at it in the dessert in an off-road rally; Lexus IS F-Sport in a street race. Toyota has a racing brand, TRD, that you see proudly on street vehicles, pretty much everywhere you go. But the common family hauler, the Sienna minivan, that is not what is thought of when the topic of competitive racing is discussed.

Toyota Sienna One Lap America Poster

This April, Toyota took two of their Sienna vans and put them on a week-long – multi-state racing event, One Lap America. And this was not just for show, though they did invite the press out, but more to compete one-on-one with other race cars, and to expand their own knowledge of how well these minivans were able to compete. Each day when the event was finished, they were loaded up with gear (not loaded onto a transport) and driven, often 700 miles or more, well into the night, to the next stop, and then competed again the next morning, only to repeat the process of picking up and driving to another venue that next night, for eight days! This was not just Toyota, more than seventy other race cars joined in this event to raise funds for Brock Yates Tribute Fund, Alzheimer’s Association, and Tire Rack’s Street Survival program.

Rutledge Wood and Craig Stanton
sign autographs for fans in the pit.

The minivan long the admission, that one has achieved stable adulthood and needs to transport their kids, friends of the kids, the dog, and a variety of belongings, around suburbia. It is no wonder automotive marketers are wanting to appeal to that “younger Dad”, and make him think of motorsports and minivan in the same sentence. With this experience, Toyota is not only showing that the family haulers can be the equivalent to racecars, as these two Sienna minivans indeed hauled it down the racetrack with the best of them.

TRD Logoed Oil Filler Cap

Using original Manufacturer built vehicles, not customized racecars, Toyota USA’s Engineering and Marketing departments got together and campaigned two Sienna vans: Sienna R-Tuned, that they modified, and the Sienna SE+ that was more like one that rolled off a neighborhood dealership lot, the day before. They brought on Top Gear America’s bearded hipster host Rutledge Wood, as well as Grand-Am Rolex GT Champion race driver Craig Stanton, to drive these vans, and a crew to support them as they raced the week away, everyone working together, like a seasoned race team.

Inside the Sienna R-Tuned  Rollcage, but
little else but the metal body.

A Toyota Sienna R-Tuned Concept vehicle, interior stripped out, caged with a custom suspension, and many modifications the Sienna SE+ was tricked out with TRD Badging, on the shifter and oil cap, dark tinted lights and Pirelli P Zero tires, and the fluids replaced those that perform better under racing conditions. Inside, sans roll cage, the seats were slipped in for passengers, or removed when out on the racetrack in competition. While they labeled both vans “Concept”, each appeared to be using off the shelf parts and products that any amateur racer could get.

Toyota’s purpose was both a promotional, but also a engineering one. Showing off that both Toyotas could compete heartily with serious racecars, but also this as an opportunity for the engineering team to tweak the van for better overall drivability in everyday situations and longevity.

Our brief visit with the SiennaOneLapofAmerica.com team was on its third day, a stop at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia, we then followed the team online, as it completed the event in first place with 160 points, 65 more than its Acura MDX Competitor, the other entrant in the Truck/SUV Class.

Based on time, the Sienna was competing with Corvettes, Vipers
and other fast cars with more powerful engines.

One Lap America is the ultimate road trip, stopping at 12 different tracks over 8 days, in 7 different states. One Lap America is a race series for the enthusiasts sponsored by Grassroots Motorsports Magazine and Tire Rack. Starting in 1984 this is the 32^nd year running. A legendary race, made even more so by the movie Cannonball Run.

More information on the Sienna One Lap program and the Toyota Engineering Motorsports team can be found at SiennaOneLapofAmerica.com as well as on  

toyotaengineeringmotorsports.com. In addition, fans can follow along via Toyota’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels.

Information on the One Lap of America event can be found at OneLapofAmerica.com.

As they say while out racing, "Keep the Shinny Side UP!"

Text and Photos by: William West Hopper

  

The Greatest Race, A Great Book To Read To Kids of Any Age!

The Greatest Race, The Record-Breaking Win of the 1955 Mile Miglia by Dwight T Knowlton in collaboration with Sir Stirling Moss.

The Greatest Race is Knowlton’s second in an ongoing series of children’s books. Chock full of automotive visuals, this book will involve kids of any age, especially if they love cars. The Greatest Race tells the story of the legendary Mercedes-Benz 722 race car that ran the 1955 Mille Migla race. The author uses pictures and brief text to tell the exciting, and sometimes intense story. Driver Sir Stirling Moss and Navigator Denis “Jenks” Jenkinson won the race setting records, both the 722 car and the stories of the race have become legend.

Knowlton’s books are designed to be shared. When an adult reads to a child perched in their lap, they bond as they discover a passion for automobiles together. Young children love the touch and feel of books and the process of turning the pages is part of their being involved. What will grab them are the Knowlton’s vivid drawings that tell the story, making each pages come alive. Everyone will feel the roar of the race cars, smell the hot brakes, and feel the G forces as the cars round the turns, as you read the engine sounds aloud. “Err-Rrrr-Rrrt. BrrrrmmMMM, BrrrrmmMMM!!!” and “Vrrmmm. Vrrrrmm. VRRRRMMMMM!” will engage listeners and readers alike.

Don’t expect a happy-go-lucky story, the written word, just a sentence or two per page tells a factual story of running the Mille Miglia. Knowlton has recreated drawings from original documents giving the reader the feel of actually being at the race, showing the race cars and racers as they appeared in 1955.

The Greatest Race comes after The Little Red Racing Car, a story about a Red Maserati also driven by Sir Stirling. These two books begin a series of children’s books, each about a car from a different country. Future stories are planned about a Porsche and a Jaguar. Word is we will start to see stories about girls and their love for cars, as Knowlton now has a daughter to share his automotive passion with.

Dwight T. Knowlton is the creator of the Carpe Viam brand. Embrace his “Seize the Road” philosophy by signing up for updates at carpenew.com. In addition to books he has a signature line of tee-shirts and accessories that you, and any little racer, will want to wear when reading these stories. Knowlton’s books are produced and printed right here in the USA.  You may purchase his books, as well as his signature line of tee-shirts and other accessories that make story time one in the driver’s seat. CarpeGear.com

McLaren Brings the 570S, an affordable Supercar to Washington DC

McLaren Brings an affordable Supercar to the marketplace, the 570S Coupe.

 

We were given the opportunity to explore the newest model to the McLaren brand this week when an early production model was presented to the public in Washington DC. “Born to Challenge” is how McLaren opens their brochure on the 570S, a mid-engine rear wheel drive sports car.  This brings the brand a model within reach for those who have less than a quarter of a million dollars to spend.

Built on a Formula 1 inspired carbon fiber MonoCell II chassis, this model follow much of the design language you will find in the other models in McLaren’s line up with a low stance and very flowing liquid lines. The front and the back have a similar design vibe, with large cats-eye red tail lights define the rear, while a beak nose with ground effects and teardrop headlights in front.

The 570S is a member of the brand’s Sports Series designed with a strong, stiff but lightweight

carbon fiber structure that delivers exceptional handling precision to the driver.  Standard Active Dynamic system provides technology to the driver to choose between normal, sport and track settings for the drive train as well as the suspension.  Powered by a 32-vlave DOHC VVT twin-turbo V-8 engine provides 562 horsepower with 443 lbs. of torque to the seven-speed McLaren dual clutch seamless-shift gearbox to move the 3186 pounds of automobile.

Braking is done by carbon ceramic discs with 6-piston calipers in the front and 4-piston in the rear, stopping the vehicle in 108 ft. from 60 mph. 19” x 8” wheels on the front with 20” x 10” in the rear, shod with 225/35 R19 and 285/35 R20 track-biased Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires. The double-wishbone independent suspension has damping and roll modes that include normal, sport and track settings.  And open differential with brake steer and stability control for winter, normal, sport and track settings.  ABS traction control and ESC provide additional driver aids, no matter what road you are driving on, or what conditions you are driving in.

Though this car is designed for the racetrack, most owners will be putting this supercar through its paces on the street.  And doing so in a comfortable 2 seat cockpit tailored by McLaren with dynamic materials like Alcantara, with five sport-inspired luxurious interior designs that complement the 17 available exterior colors.  A simple and clean center stack features a screen where the driver can analyze on-track performance, even in every day driving, along with a few controls for the other features of the car.  If you are looking for a gear shift, well that is for lesser cars, technology works with you as you drive.

We look forward to testing this car when it comes to market towards the end of the year, and you will be the first to hear of our thoughts.

Story by William West Hopper
Images by McLaren media &
William West Hopper