Kobayashi, 37, became the first Japanese driver to run a Cup race in 20 years when he made his debut at the Indianapolis Road Course last year.
He started 28th and finished 33rd after being involved in a few incidents during the event. The 2021 Le Mans 24 overall winner has previously said that it was his lifelong dream to race in NASCAR, even before aiming to compete in Formula 1.
As an F1 driver, he started 75 races between 2009 and 2014, scoring one podium in the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. However, he found the most success in the sports car racing world, winning two FIA World Endurance Championships along with his LM24 triumph. He's also the current team principal for Toyota Gazoo Racing WEC team. Additionally, Kobayashi is a two-time winner overall in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
Kobayashi will drive the No. 50 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing when he races at COTA. It will be a third entry for the team, which competes full-time with drivers Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick. Reddick is the defending winner of the event.
A dream come true
Before making his debut in 2023, Kobayashi said: “I want people in Japan to know about this amazing world that is NASCAR. The sound of the V8 engine is incredible, and I want people to think, ‘this is what motorsport should be like.' “It’s true that some people might think that it’s not fair because they don’t give penalties for contact, but I think it’s better to put that aside, because the fast guys still win.”
Although his debut didn't go as expected with two spins, including one where he was helped around by 2023 Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr., he still called it "a dream come true."
Talking about his debut, he said: "First of all, I was waiting for a caution. It never happened. I definitely enjoyed it. Thank you. 77 laps, no caution is pretty long – I think I learned a lot. We had some good speed, as well. I got hit by someone, but this is NASCAR. But the racing in the field was great. It’s a really cool championship – I had a great experience here. Thank you to all of the support from Toyota, Toyota Gazoo Racing North America."
