Where does Toyota go from here?
Wilson keeps a running spreadsheet on his office computer of Toyota’s racing stats.
“Kyle Busch has accounted for 35 percent of Toyota’s NASCAR national series wins across trucks, Xfinity and Cup. Thirty-five percent. One driver,” Wilson said. “Because of Kyle Busch, that feat will never be accomplished by any other Toyota driver, because … NASCAR wrote the Kyle Busch rule and precludes drivers from doing that (in Xfinity and trucks).”
However, Wilson pushes back on the idea that it’s “just been the Kyle Busch show” at Toyota.
There’s still three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and former Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. Plus, there’s recent Championship 4 driver Christopher Bell, “who we envision has another 15 to 20 years in front of him. Certainly, our plan is for him to be a franchise Toyota driver.”
Throw in 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and newly arrived Tyler Reddick, and there is still a lot to talk about with Toyota.
But what about Wilson?
Nearing 35 years with Toyota and after navigating through two NASCAR seasons mired in a pandemic, then the challenges of 2022, how much longer does he see himself being the head of TRD?
Wilson laughs and calls the question “ballsy.”
He isn’t going anywhere soon. The reason is a child named Kai.
“My wife and I have adopted our grandson. We adopted him from birth, due to some unfortunate circumstances,” Wilson said. “But he turns 3 in January. So, I’ve got to get this little man through school. That’s my goal. I’ve got to get him through school and make sure that he has a good start to his life.”
Wilson expects to head TRD for “another few years,” but “not forever.”
“Now if every year is like (2022),” Wilson added, “that timeline might get shortened up.”
This story appeared in the Jan. 4 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
