Normally when one thinks of minivans and Brock Yates’ One Lap of America race, you’d imagine they’re being used as support vehicles and chase vans, not because they’re actually participating in the event.
Toyota isn’t thinking that way, and their aim is to have everybody else stop thinking that way too. For 2016 they will be sending two of their concept Siennas out to compete with the big dogs on the grueling 8-day, 3000-mile journey.
Rutledge Wood, the goofy guy with the beard from Top Gear America and Craig Stanton of Rolex GT Championship fame will be the primary drivers. Andrew Lund, the chief engineer for the Sienna, and Sean Morris, drag racing specialist, will be along for the ride as well.
These aren’t your everyday Toyota Siennas, though. The ringer of the two is Toyota’s R-Tuned Sienna, which was at SEMA last year. Keep in mind that this is the same Sienna that beat a Camaro SS on the Streets of Willow Springs race course by over a full second with a stock Toyota engine and transmission, so it’s no slouch.
The second Sienna, called the SE+, will not be competing, per se, but will be in an Exhibition class. The SE+ has never been seen in public before, but will make its debut at the first event of the One Lap. Basically, Toyota took a stock Sienna SE and changed some bits, such as blacking out the headlight and taillight housings, painting the mirrors satin black, putting some 19-inch black shoes on all four corners and extending the rear spoiler to give the Swagger Wagon even more presence.
One Lap of America runs from April 30 to May 7 and will feature 75 cars, including these Siennas as well as an FR-S and Avalon driven by Toyota North American Headquarters production engineers.
