Toyota Racing Inks Penske Engine Deal
Costa Mesa-based Toyota Racing Development has scored a parts supply deal with Roger Penske for engines to power his Indy cars.
Penske will join Indy Racing League competitor Kelley Racing in using the Toyota engines for the 2003 season.
The three-year deal runs through 2005.
Toyota’s racing development operation, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales USA, is housed in a 47,000-square-foot headquarters in Costa Mesa, which contains manufacturing machinery and equipment, seven workshops and an engineering department.
Under terms of the deal, announced April 2, Toyota Racing Development will supply principal components for Penske’s engines, which will be assembled in Reading, Pa.
The Penske team will be one of Toyota’s designated engine rebuilders.
Penske switched from the Championship Auto Racing Teams series to the Indy Racing League this season.
Toyota, which is furnishing engines for the Championship Auto Racing Teams series, will also switch to the Indy Racing League next season.
,Mike Mason
