The Supra has a history of professional drag racing, mainly in Japan and the United States. The HKS team used both the Mk III and Mk IV to showcase its products under the name HKS Drag Supra, driven by Charlie Goncalves Catanho. The Mk III version was built on a custom chassis with a carbon fiber body housing a de-stroked 2.89-liter twin-turbo 7M-GTE producing 600 kW, achieving a best quarter mile time of 8.09 seconds. The HKS Drag 70 Supra set a 7-second quarter mile in 1991.
Vinny Ten was one of the first Pro Mod drivers in import drag racing and used a Supra to hold national records in the United States between 1997 and 2000, becoming the first in the US to build a 700 kW Japanese engine without nitrous or alcohol fuel. Craig Paisley, another pioneer of sport compact drag racing, used a nitrous-assisted Supra to achieve a best of 8.2-second elapsed times at more than 260 km/h, before switching to a factory-supported Tacoma by 2002. Paisley was also the first sport compact racer to receive factory sponsorship and support, making Toyota the first Japanese car company to get involved with drag racing in that capacity.
In 2002, HKS returned with the Mk IV HKS Drag Supra driven by Tetsuya Kawasaki. Its 4.0-liter 1UZ-FE V8, equipped with two prototype HKS GT3540 turbos, produced 1,103 kW. The HKS Drag 80 Supra set a sub-7-second quarter mile in 2001.
In 2003, the Supra was to compete in the NHRA Sport Compact Series Pro V8 category, but that category was axed. The car was permitted to perform demonstration runs, and at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown set a record time of 6.893 ET at 310.81 km/h, eclipsing its Japan best of 7.277 posted at Sendai Hi-Land Raceway.
In 2002, in the NHRA's street tire class, the unibodied Titan Motorsport Supra of Mark Mazurowski broke the all-season dominance of Ari Yallon's Rotary Performance RX-7 to take the title, with a time of 9.42 seconds and 253.57 km/h at Maple Grove Raceway, Pennsylvania.
Sriyantha Weerasuria and Boost Logic achieved a 396 km/h pass at the Texas Mile and a 7.91-second quarter mile at 305.6 km/h using the stock Getrag V160 transmission. Weerasuria also held the record for the fastest quarter mile in a manual transmission vehicle for many years. At TX2K10, Boost Logic set a 7.59-second quarter mile at 304 km/h, driven by Kean Wang.
The record is held by Ebrahim Kanoo of Bahrain with driver Gary White, running 6.23 seconds at 365 km/h in the quarter mile in a 10.5-inch-tire Supra. Kanoo also held the Supra IRS record with a 7.18-second run at 322 km/h. Both cars were built and tuned by Titan Motorsports. The IRS record was later set during TX2K20 at 6.807 at 319 km/h, held by Jack Cuoto.
In Steve Whittaker used a 671 kW Mk III built around a pro-style chassis in the United Kingdom to achieve a best of 8.207 at 273.41 km/h.
In November 2021, Toyota unveiled the GR Supra body for the NHRA's Funny Car category, which it competed in during the 2022 season. The record for the fastest fifth-generation GR Supra is 7.908 seconds at 283 km/h in the quarter mile, set by Mikey Botti in May 2023 at Darlington Dragway with a modified B58 engine tuned to approximately 969 kW.
During the Group A period, Toyota used the Mk II for Division 3 category touring car racing in the JTCC (Japan), ETCC (Europe), BTCC (Britain), and ATCC (Australia). The Mk II Celica Supras debuted in August 1981 and were relatively underpowered against the Rover SD1 and BMW 635CSI, though drivers such as Win Percy secured a BTCC round win at Brands Hatch.
When Percy was tempted away by Tom Walkinshaw and his TWR-prepared Jaguar XJS V12, Toyota GB took on Grand Prix motorcycle racing star Barry Sheene for the 1985 BTCC season. The car was outclassed by newer turbocharged cars and Sheene's performance was hampered by past motorcycle racing injuries. He retired from professional racing at the end of that season. The Toyota Team GB Supra was subsequently shipped to a privateer in Australia, where it won the first Group A race on the continent.
The Mk III Supra (MA70) replaced the Mk II. TOM'S and SARD represented the factory effort from 1987 to 1990. TOM'S won the MA70's debut race at the Sugo Track on September 9, 1987. In all, eleven MA70 Group A turbos were built by TRD Japan for racing. In 1987, the Turbo Mk III was competitive in Japan and outqualified all Nissan Skylines in Division 3 of the JTCC.
After January 1988, when the FIA increased the weight multiplication factor from 1.4 to 1.7, the Mk III lost competitiveness. Among private teams, the Swiss Bemani team was the most successful, largely due to founder Beni Bühler, who anticipated the multiplication factor changes as early as July 1987 and developed a naturally aspirated 7M-GE-powered MA70 Supra. With financial support from Walter Frey of Toyota Switzerland, Bemani entered the ETCC with two cars, consistently finishing just behind factory teams. At the Spa 24 Hours, Bemani secured 5th place overall and 3rd in class.
In 1989 and 1990, Bemani entered the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft. Despite the Toyota Supra 3.0i's 330 horsepower, competing against BMW and Mercedes proved extremely challenging, and non-delivery of promised budget from Toyota Germany compounded the difficulty. Notable highlights included briefly leading a heat race at Mainz-Finthen and running 2nd at AVUS before being forced out by the AMG team on direct order from their team principal.
The Mk III factory race effort was largely discontinued at the end of the 1990 season in favour of the Toyota Corolla AE101. For 1991 and 1992, a few cars were kept in competition by privateers, including top finishes by Bemani Toyota Team in the Swiss Group A Championship.
The GR Supra will make its debut in the 2026 Supercars Championship in Australia with a Hilux Dakar-derived 2UR-GSE V8 engine.
Peter Fitzgerald won the 1989 Australian Production Car Championship driving a Toyota Supra Turbo.
Although the Celica and Corolla Levin represented Toyota in rallying, the touring car spec Celica Supra was used occasionally in Group A. The Celica Supra finished second in category at the Circuit of Ireland Ulster Rally, Scottish Rally, and Welsh Rally during the 1983 British Open Rally Championship, driven by Per Eklund and Dave Whittock, allowing them to successfully defend their championship title. Toyota sold the car off after the 1985 season.
Following the demise of Group B, Toyota Team Europe used the Supra for African rallies while the lighter Celica took other events. The Supra 3.0i was capable of producing 216 kW and was driven by Björn Waldegaard; it led the 1987 Safari Rally until its final day when the engine overheated. The Supra scored its only rally win in the Hong Kong–Beijing Rally with Waldegaard. The NA version was replaced by a 300 kW turbo version, which led on its debut at the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire until the team withdrew when their hired Cessna 340 crashed, killing team manager Henry Liddon, his assistant Nigel Harris, plus a pilot and navigator. TTE returned for African events in the following two years but could not repeat its performance.
A naturally aspirated, privately entered A80 Supra competed in the SCCA ProRally series from 1996 to 1998.
The Mk III Supra competed in the IMSA Camel GT series from 1983 in the GTU (Grand Touring, under 3.0-liter) category by Kent Racing and All American Racers. AAR later inherited the Kent Racing program. For the 1985 season, AAR adapted a 2.1-liter turbocharged 4T-GT engine for the GTO category, scoring a win at Laguna Seca. By the time they progressed to the GTO category in 1986 with a Celica, they had taken 10 GTU victories.
The Toyota GR Supra GT4 was designed and produced by Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe GmbH in Cologne, Germany for the SRO GT4 category. Launched in 2020, the first customers were Classic & Modern Racing, Speedworks Motorsport, and Ring Racing. It is powered by a 3-liter twin-turbo engine producing 320 kW and 650 N⋅m, using a seven-speed automatic gearbox with rear-wheel drive. Toyota released the updated GR Supra GT4 EVO in 2022, with upgrades to engine performance, handling, and braking, including increased torque of up to 660 N⋅m. As of 2022, more than 50 GR Supra GT4 cars had been used in GT4 class races, earning victories in 11 national and international GT4 championships and over 100 podium finishes. In August 2022, the GR Supra GT4 earned its 50th class win in a major championship at the GT World Challenge Asia at Sportsland Sugo in Japan.
Toyota has raced the JZA80 Supra as a GT500 race car in the JGTC series since first appearing in 1994, beginning with a four-cylinder 2.1-liter turbocharged 503E engine. By the late 1990s, the Supra used a developed version of the 3SG engine derived from the IMSA engine. By the early 2000s, the Supra moved to a 3UZ-FE V8 for the benefit of torque.
The Supra took the drivers' title five times: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2021, and the teams' title twice in 1997 and 1999. Despite being out of production since 2002, factory teams continued with JZA80 Supras. The car's final competitive year was 2006, used by Toyota Team Tsuchiya and Toyota Team SARD. From 2007 to 2019, Toyota was represented in the GT500 by Lexus with the SC430 and LC500. From 2020 onwards, Toyota returned to using the Supra in both GT500 and GT300.
In 2000, the Falken team entered the 24 Hours Nürburgring with the 2-liter turbo version; it reached 6th place before an accident ended its race in the early morning.
In 2020, both the GT500 and GT300 iterations of the Supra took victory in their respective classes at the first race of the season at Fuji.
In the 2021 Super GT Series, the Toyota Supra GT500 raced by TGR Team au Tom's won the GT500 championship, driven by Yuhi Sekiguchi and Sho Tsuboi, overcoming a 16-point deficit in the final round.
In 2023, TGR Team au TOM'S won the GT500 championship with Sho Tsuboi and Ritomo Miyata, and Saitama Toyopet GreenBrave won the GT300 championship with Hiroki Yoshida and Kohta Kawaai. In 2024, TGR Team au TOM'S won the GT500 championship again with Tsuboi and Miyata.
The JGTC specification Supra by the factory-backed SARD team made its Le Mans debut in 1995, finishing 14th. The team returned in 1996 but did not finish.
The Supra HV-R is a hybrid race car based on the Super GT Supra, jointly developed by Toyota and Toyota Team SARD. The four-wheel drive HV-R combines a 4.5-liter V8 (358 kW) from the Super GT UZ-FE engine, a rear-axle-mounted electric motor (150 kW), and two front in-wheel electric motors (10 kW each) to generate over 520 kW. The car weighs 1,080 kg. The Denso SARD Supra HV-R became the first hybrid race car in history to win a race when Toyota Team SARD took first place in the Tokachi 24-hour Super Taikyu race on July 16, 2007, completing 616 laps, 19 laps ahead of the second-place finisher.
The Supra has been used in top-level drifting events. Manabu Orido, the D1GP judge turned competitor, chose the JZA80 as his personal race car. Orido's JZA80 incorporated parts from his JGTC racer including tail lights, doors, and foot pedals, and was modified with a 3.4-liter engine capable of 522 kW but run at 447 kW for reliability. The bodywork was designed by fellow D1GP commentator Manabu Suzuki. During the 2005 season, Orido finished 12th overall, with a second-place finish at Ebisu. His professional drifting career ended when a sleeping truck driver collided with the truck carrying the RS-R Supra during transportation to an Advan Drift Meeting, severely damaging the car.
In 2010, Orido returned to D1GP and again switched to the JZA80 Supra, driving it until 2012. During his second run, he achieved a second-place finish at Okayama and 8th overall in 2010, and 13th overall in 2011 with a half-points victory at Autopolis — his first recorded D1GP victory, after Orido finished 1st in the qualifying stage when tsuiso battles were halted by heavy rain. Orido's 2005 RS-R Supra later appeared internationally: Ken Gushi drove it at the Formula D Invitational Event at Abu Dhabi in 2011, and Orido drove it at the first two rounds of Formula Drift Asia in 2012, with Fredric Aasbø driving for the third round.
Rhys Millen briefly converted his Supra race car for use in drift events before selling it and switching to the works Pontiac GTO. Fredric Aasbø competed in Supras in both Norwegian and US drifting events since 2008.
On 13 March 2019, Toyota Gazoo Racing announced it would sponsor the first fifth-generation GR Supra in the D1 Grand Prix production car drifting series, raced by Daigo Saito and Team Fat Five Racing for the 2019 season onwards. Team Toyo Tires announced they would also join with a GR Supra driven by Masato Kawabata from 2019 onwards.
In March 2020, Papadakis Racing unveiled the first GR Supra for Formula Drift in partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing, powered by a modified B58 engine producing over 750 kW and driven by Aasbø. In November 2020, GReddy Performance unveiled another Formula D GR Supra powered by a modified B58 producing 600 kW, driven by Ken Gushi. Both were featured by Toyota at the 2020 SEMA show.
Aasbø won the 2021 and 2022 Formula D Championship driving the GR Supra, winning five individual rounds since 2020. The GR Supra also helped Toyota win the overall Formula D Auto Cup in both 2021 and 2022.
On July 5, 2018, Toyota announced the fifth-generation Supra would replace the Camry in the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series. On February 23, 2019, Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing scored the Supra's first NASCAR win at Atlanta. The Supra has won two Xfinity Series championships: 2021 with Daniel Hemric and 2022 with Ty Gibbs. Despite the production model Supra being discontinued by March 2026, Toyota will continue to field the Supra-bodied stock car in the Xfinity Series for the foreseeable future.
Tuning companies and race teams have used the Toyota Supra in time attack and speed record applications mainly in Japan since the 1980s.
In 1983, HKS developed the HKS M300, a highly tuned second-generation Celica XX with a twin-turbocharged 5M-GE engine, which became the first Japanese automobile to exceed 300 km/h, setting a speed record of 301.25 km/h at the Yatabe proving grounds.
In 1993, the HKS T-001, a modified Supra Mk IV, was developed for time attack and speed trials. It produced over 535 kW, reached 344 km/h, and set a Tsukuba Circuit lap time of 1 minute 1.97 seconds.
Since 1994, Smokey Nagata and the Top Secret team participated in speed challenges using specialized Mk IV Supras. Nagata performed speed runs including 341 km/h on the Autobahn, 358 km/h at Nardò with a Top Secret V12 Supra, and 317 km/h on public roads in the UK. In 2008 at the Nardò Ring, the Top Secret V12 Supra set a top speed of 222.6 mph, powered by a swapped 1GZ-FE with dual HKS GT2835 ball bearing turbochargers tuned to 930 hp.
In 2023, Masahiro Sasaki set a lap time of 58.038 seconds at the Tsukuba Circuit in the fifth-generation GR Supra tuned by Screen and D2 Racing.
Japanese tuning company BLITZ teamed up with Racelogic of the United Kingdom to take on the non-series/non-road-legal class Nürburgring time in 1997, beating it by 4 seconds with a time of 7:49.40. The car was claimed to be capable of 750 PS but ran on 606 bhp when the time was recorded.
Matt Andrews piloted Curtis Chen's Mk IV Supra to a win at the 2008 Super Lap Battle Finals in the Street RWD division with a time of 1:57.711. The same car took home the overall street class in 2006.
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