NASCAR to Experience the H2 Future First Hand with Mirai

Mirai will pace the Toyota Owners 400 in Richmond this weekend.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - April 23, 2015

Toyota Mirai FCV and NASCAR join forces for a little high speed drive this weekend.

Earlier today Toyota announced that its 2016 Toyota Mirai FCV will be the first H2 fueled car in history to pace this Saturday’s Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

The Mirai sedan will pace the 43-car NASCAR field at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) while using no gasoline and emitting nothing but water vapor. Powered entirely by H2, it can be refueled in five minutes and travels up to 300 miles on a full tank. It will be made available to Californian’s later this year.

The Mirai was tested and approved by NASCAR to pace the Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race after a test session at RIR earlier today. In the test session, the Mirai met NASCAR’s performance requirements to pace the race.

Which means it can run like the wind. ;)

2016 Toyota Mirai FCV


Wrapped and ready.

Almost 6 years ago we covered a new but proven technology called a “hybrid” in the form of the Camry Hybrid that was chosen and approved to pace the Coca Cola 600. At that time, it was also a first for NASCAR.

2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid


Anyone remember this newfangled hybrid technology when it hit the NASCAR scene?

Although I am not a fan of NASCAR with its waste of fuel using technology more aligned with a 1990 automobile than a modern 21st century one, at least one OEM is strutting its automotive technological prowess in front of the “Good Ole Boys” on the grandest stage available.

NASCAR to Experience the H2 Future First Hand with Mirai