The Specialty Market Equipment Association (SEMA) Show features many interesting project vehicles, but few are engineered to survive over 1,000 miles of grueling desert racing. But that’s exactly what the 2015 Tundra TRD Pro Desert Race Truck will do when it competes in the upcoming 47th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. The modified Tundra will be on display at SEMA from November 4-7 before heading down to Ensenada, Mexico to compete in the Full Size Stock class from November 12-16.

“The Baja 1000 is the ultimate proving grounds for research and development. It helps us to continuously improve our trucks,” said Toyota Pickup Trucks Chief Engineer Mike Sweers. In addition to his overall responsibilities at Toyota Racing Development (TRD) and Toyota, Sweers will also serve as the lead navigator for the race team.

Toyota has a storied off-road racing heritage dating back to the 1980s. In that time, it’s racked up 303 off-road wins, 27 manufacturer's championships and 28 off-road driver's championships. Toyota’s Ivan “Ironman” Stewart captured 11 Baja 500 and two Baja 1000 wins. Stewart will serve as the race team’s coach and mentor as they head down to connect past and present in Baja.

For 35 years and counting, TRD has been an integral component of Toyota’s success in motorsports victories as well as in designing high-quality performance parts and accessories. The TRD Pro Series is the most advanced yet in a long line of TRD trim levels for Toyota trucks. It consists of TRD-tuned suspension and aggressive accessories purpose-built for the rigors of off-roading. The TRD Pro parts and accessories line will give Toyota owners a race-proven option for customizing their trucks.

“Competing in the Full Size Stock class allows our team to test the Tundra TRD Pro Series as close to stock as possible and showcase its strength and durability in the Mexican desert’s treacherous terrain,” said Andrew Franceschini, Toyota truck marketing and communications national manager.

A trio of chase vehicles including a 4Runner, Tacoma and Tundra will also be on display at SEMA, alongside Stewart’s championship-winning trophy truck. These trucks reinforce Toyota’s exciting strategy to make the TRD Pro accessory line available unbundled for customers to modify their non-TRD Pro Series trucks and SUVs.

TRD Pro Desert Race Team

Team Coach:
Ivan “Ironman” Stewart – Legendary Toyota Off-Road Racer, Off-Road Hall of Fame
Member/22-time SCORE Baja 500 and 1000 Champion/San Diego, CA
Navigators:
Mike Sweers – Chief Engineer of Toyota Trucks/Ann Arbor, MI
Samantha Stone – Toyota Production Engineer

Drivers:

Ted Moncure – Toyota Racing Development Design Engineer/SCORE Baja 1000
and 500 class-champion/Long Beach, CA
Andy Bell – Toyota Athlete/SCORE Baja 500 Champion/Guinness World Record holder/Long Beach, CA
Jamie Bestwick – Toyota Athlete/Professional BMX Vert Rider/9-time X-
Games winner/Port Matilda, PA
Ryan Millen – SCORE Baja 1000 and 500 Competitor/Son of off-road and rally legend Rod Millen/San Juan Capistrano, CA

TRD Pro Series Trucks

The TRD Pro Series is the most advanced yet in a long line of TRD model trim levels for Toyota trucks that dates back to 1998 when the first Off-Road Package was introduced for Tacoma. Already favorites among serious off-roaders, the 2015 Toyota Tundra, Tacoma and 4Runner will get even more capable with these new, aggressive off-road models designed by the experts at Toyota Racing Development (TRD). For more details on TRD Pro, visit: TRD Pro Tundra, Tacoma & 4Runner | Off-Road Vehicles, Trucks & SUVs