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NASCAR is heading back to Japan for the first time in nearly three decades, with a special demonstration run at the Fuji Speedway later this month. The event coincides with the final round of the 2025 Super Taikyu Series, featuring a mix of American and Japanese motorsport stars, including seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Kamui Kobayashi.NASCAR Insider Steven Taranto reposted the news on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote:“There will be a NASCAR demonstration run at Fuji Speedway during the final round of the Super Taikyu Series, with Jimmie Johnson, Kamui Kobayashi, John Hunter Nemechek and more showcasing NASCAR stock cars... will also be on display at Fuji Speedway throughout the weekend to give Japanese race fans an intimate look at the cars from the top form of racing in the U.S.”The Cup Series last raced there in 1998, when the now-defunct exhibition Coca-Cola 500 was held at the Twin Ring Motegi oval. That race was the final stop in stock car racing’s short-lived international push in Asia, which also saw exhibitions at the Suzuka Circuit in 1996 and 1997.This year’s demonstration serves a different purpose. The run aligns with a broader global engagement push, allowing Japanese fans to experience the stock car’s machinery and racing culture firsthand.According to reports, Jimmie Johnson will drive the No. 24 Garage 56 Chevrolet that he raced in last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. He’ll be joined by John Hunter Nemechek, piloting the No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota Camry, and Kamui Kobayashi will ride in the No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota that he ran in his Cup debut.Others in the demonstration include Takuma Koga, who competes in the ARCA Menards Series, with his Fast Track Racing’s No. 12 Toyota Camry and Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers Kazuto Kotaka and Toshiki Oyu, who will pilot ARCA-spec cars for the showcase.NASCAR to join Japan’s Super Taikyu Series finale(L-R) TRD president David Wilson, Kamui Kobayashi and Jim France, before the 100th 24 Hours of Le Mans, 2023 (Credits: Getty)The Super Taikyu Series is Japan’s leading endurance racing championship, featuring seven rounds each season and race durations ranging from three hours to 24. It's Round 7 finale - the Fuji 4 Hours - provides the perfect stage for NASCAR’s exhibition, blending their endurance racing tradition with American stock car.The Fuji Speedway’s official X account confirmed the news:“On the 16th (Sun), the final day, a thrilling demo run will be showcased by top drivers from Japan and the U.S., including Jimmie Johnson... and Kamui Kobayashi, among others. Furthermore, NASCAR machines will be on display in the event area throughout Saturday and Sunday, allowing you to experience the atmosphere of American motorsports up close.”The track also revealed that a new class, “ST-USA,” will be introduced for the weekend as a trial category, featuring two American GT machines, further strengthening the U.S.–Japan motorsport exchange. While NASCAR itself hasn’t issued an official confirmation, Fuji’s public announcement all but seals the sport’s first return to Japan in nearly 30 years.
