The Toyota GR Supra Funny Car has always looked a little, well, funny. But shrink it down to about half its regular size, as Gazoo Racing has done for its latest drag racer, and it looks so terrifically weird it’s almost cute again. Just as well, as the GR Supra Junior Roadster aims to introduce young drivers to the sport of drag racing. The NHRA already has a Junior Dragster series that has been running since 1992. The series races in pint-sized Top Fuel dragster-like cars at more than 130 tracks across the country. Many NHRA pro drivers have used it as a stepping stone to the big leagues. With the Mini GR Supra, Toyota is working on a junior roadster class that will be more accessible to beginners. One of the ways the Supra Junior Roadster lowers the entry bar is its size. It has a much shorter wheelbase than the junior dragster cars, and TRD USA engineers made sure it could fit in the Tundra’s bed. This should simplify the task of getting to and from events as teams will no longer need an additional trailer for the race cars. Toyota unveiled its 11,000-horsepower, full-size GR Supra NHRA racer in November 2021 to replace its Camry-bodied car. He immediately went on to win the 2022 Funny Car title, with Ron Capps winning the championship in his NAPA Auto Parts blue-and-yellow livery GR Supra. “The GR Supra delivered an impressively innovative body style to the Funny Car ranks last year, and it’s a great opportunity for our young competitors in the Junior Dragster ranks to match their favorite racers,” said NHRA President Glenn Cromwell. Prospective drivers can purchase a Supra Junior Roadster over a half-scale dragster. A variety of parts can also be found there, from ballast bars to various types of complete engines. Toyota has been working on a junior roadster class for two years and hopes other manufacturers will join the new series to promote the next generation of racers.
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