Toyota’s Longtime Motorsports Manager Les Unger has Passed
Over most of the past half-century, if you were at a race and Toyota vehicles were entered, Les Unger would be on-site, with his love for Toyota and its racing activities omnipresent. Gruff on the outside, Unger’s kindness and generosity belied the image of toughness he always tried to project. Les Unger passed away on October 16, 2025; his age was not revealed in statements from Toyota.
Les Unger paved the way for Toyota in its motorsports activities; it was he who led the Japanese vehicle manufacturer to motorsports in the United States and got them to sponsor racing in Long Beach, CA. For more than 40 years the rite of spring race was known as the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, and if a writer failed to note the full name, that person suffered the wrath of Les.
National Motorsports Manager at Toyota MotorSales USA from 1984 through 2014, Unger was the one who shepherded the company into CART and later INDYCAR, into IMSA, into USAC, into NORRA and SCORE, and finally into NASCAR and NHRA. He was responsible for so many acronyms’ racing activities with Toyota entries that the sanctioning bodies owe a great debt to him. With his leadership, Toyota secured 27 championships in the variety of of motorsports activities he led with undeniable passion.
One of Unger’s favorite entities was the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race at Long Beach. For 40 years, professionals raced against famous (or occasionally infamous) celebrities around the nearly two-mile Long Beach race circuit, many of both the pros and celebs becoming intimate friends with the concrete walls that line the circuit. It was his baby and it was such a success that the area where the Pro/Celeb paddock once lived should be dedicated to his memory.
Unger partnered with The Big Eagle, Dan Gurney to place Toyota in IMSA’s top prototype category and the company nearly won its first race at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. He was devastated when the lead Toyota dropped out of the race; they won that race the following year.
Although Unger retired in 2014, he could be seen at INDYCAR, IMSA, NASCAR and off-road races. He was more than a motorsports manager for Toyota; like so many of us, it’s what he lived for. “We join the entire Toyota and motorsport community in mourning the loss of Toyota motorsports pioneer Les Unger,” Toyota Gazoo Racing stated upon learning of Unger’s death on October 16, 2025. “Les was a passionate, innovative leader of Toyota’s motorsports efforts for decades.
“He guided our successful early racing involvement in many series, including INDYCAR, IMSA, Off-Road Racing and the Toyota Atlantic Series,” the latter a feeder series for CART. Les Unger “later supported our entrance into NASCAR as the national motorsports manager. Les also loved to give back, with one of his biggest passions being the annual Pro/Celebrity race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach,” whose proceeds went to local charities.
“After retiring in 2014, Les continued to be a big fan and supporter of Toyota’s motorsports efforts. Les’ guidance, perseverance and dedication to Toyota was second-to-none, and we extend our condolences to the entire Unger family. We will truly miss Les cheering us on,” the statement concluded.