The one-make TGRNA GR Cup Series completed a successful second season in the United States with the support of OMP and Racing Spirit. Both brands are involved in the project with an extensive supply of products as official partners of Toyota Racing Development. OMP equips with its parts the entire fleet of GR86 Cup cars with seats, harnesses, steering wheel, safety net and fire extinguisher, in addition to providing racewear for the drivers, while the on-track staff of TRD wears custom Racing Spirit technical apparel, which combines functionality, style and performance.
The 2024 edition of the TGRNA GR Cup Series got underway from Sonoma Raceway on the weekend of April 5-7, seeing a remarkable total of 53 drivers at the start over the seven scheduled weekends. After Tyler Gonzalez in 2023, it was Gresham Wagner who became champion, securing the title with one round to spare. Wagner’s campaign was one of true dominance, with 10 wins scored over 14 races.
Wagner was among the drivers who decided to tackle GR Cup Series again, as were Spike Kohlbecker and Westin Workman, who finished second and third overall by regularly attending the podium. Henry Drury, on the other hand, earned the Rookie of the Year award.
Launched in 2023 as an amateur-focused championship, the GR Cup Series welcomes on the grid a wide variety of competitors, from aspiring racers to former professional drivers and car enthusiasts. Among them was a celebrity of the caliber of Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves, who took part in the final round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, using OMP racewear and Bell Racing helmets. In his first competitive outing in motorsports, Reeves had a lot of fun and certainly proved no slouch against more experienced colleagues.
“We are excited to continue the collaboration between our brands and Toyota Racing Development, which finds one of its highest expressions of competition in the GR Cup Series. We are proud to support the series, staff, and racers with OMP car parts, OMP racewear, and Racing Spirit trackside apparel products, helping them give their best at every round”, Kyle Kietzmann, President, and CEO of Racing Force USA, commented. “Through this collaboration, we gather valuable information, enhancing development efforts to deliver safety equipment and apparel that offer customers the best combination of value and performance. In Toyota Racing Development we found a partner powered by the same passion and determination as Racing Force, which is the basis of creating innovative products and a winning project like the GR Cup Series. We are happy to be a part of it.”
“Our partnership with the OMP and Racing Spirit brands has been instrumental to the success of the GR Cup Series in its first two seasons”, said Mike Norem, Manager, Customer Racing at Toyota Racing Development. “OMP and Racing Spirit’s commitment to safety and quality equips our drivers and track support staff with top-tier equipment and apparel year-round. With a strong foundation from the first two seasons, we look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with OMP and Racing Spirit in the upcoming 2025 season and beyond.”
Now it is already time to look ahead to 2025. The next TGRNA GR Cup Series calendar, with OMP and Racing Spirit still serving as official partners, will again feature seven double-header events. Sonoma Raceway will host the opening weekend, March 28-30, followed by Circuit of The Americas, Sebring International Raceway, Virginia International Raceway, Road America and Barber Motorsports Park. Indianapolis will again be the grand finale venue, on October 17-19.
