OSBORN, Mo. — With Karter Sarff’s victory in the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series at U.S. 36 Raceway, Toyota earned its milestone 500th national midget feature win on Friday night.
Toyota began racing in national midget competition in 2006 with Dave Steele and Nine Racing taking the manufacturer to victory lane at the Copper World Classic at Phoenix Int’l Raceway in Toyota’s first-ever race.
“Congratulations to Karter Sarff for the victory tonight at U.S. 36 Raceway and in the process, earning Toyota’s 500th national midget feature win,” said Tyler Gibbs, general manager of TRD, U.S.A. “It’s truly special for everyone at Toyota and TRD, but obviously, we couldn’t have done this without being blessed with so many amazing partners.”
“Team owners like Steve Lewis, Keith Kunz, Chad Boat, Dave Estep and so many others, to the many outstanding young drivers who have come through our program like Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Buddy Kofoid, Rico Abreu, Cannon McIntosh, Holly Shelton, Jade Avedisian and so many more, and of course, engine builders like Ed Pink and Rick Long all made this possible.
“This isn’t the end, though, as Toyota’s ongoing commitment to grassroots racing and driver development will continue into the future. We are grateful for the opportunities, partnerships, and friendships we have developed along the way and look forward to many more wins.”
Bell remains the all-time leader for Toyota midget wins with 59, with Kofoid (44), Larson (38), McIntosh (35) and Abreu (33) rounding out the top five. In addition to the 500 feature wins, Toyota-powered drivers have claimed 17 national midget championships.