CONCORD, N.C. – Matt DiBenedetto and Leavine Family Racing will honor Toyota’s IMSA racing legacy during Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Toyota’s racing heritage began with Ivan Stewart in off-road racing, but it didn’t stop there. In 1983 Toyota joined forces with Dan Gurney and All-American Racers to field Celicas in the IMSA GTU (under three-liter) category, winning 10 races in three years (1983-85).

In 1986, Toyota and AAR moved to the over three-liter category with turbo-charged GTO Celicas and would capture 15 race wins (1986-88), as well as the 1987 driver’s championship with Chris Cord and the manufacturer’s championship the same year.

This championship-winning IMSA GTO program carried the classic red, orange and yellow striped color scheme which is synonymous with Toyota performance reputation in American motorsports.

The design pre-dates the infamous AAR Toyota Mark Eagle III, as well as all of Toyota’s other racing endeavors, which have combined for more than 1,500 Toyota wins.

The No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota driven by DiBenedetto will pay tribute to Toyota’s days in IMSA’s GTO division with the red, orange and yellow striped color scheme.

Here it is…our No.95 IMSA GTO Throwback Toyota Camry for this weekend @TooToughToTame!

The championship-winning IMSA GTO Toyota carried the classic red, orange & yellow striped scheme which is synonymous with Toyota performance in American motorsports.#NASCARthrowback #team95 pic.twitter.com/QEM7Qg0ZvM

— LeavineFamilyRacing (@LFR95) August 27, 2019