Toyota Gazoo Racing’s North American racing series, the GR Cup, has unveiled its plan to award digital trophies and record driver performances using the Polygon blockchain. The new on-chain awards system will grant digital trophies to podium finishers (drivers who secure first, second, or third place) while also capturing race statistics and driver achievements.
The integration of blockchain technology aims to provide fans with a permanent digital record of drivers’ accomplishments that can be easily shared with friends, family, and supporters. By immutably storing these achievements on the blockchain, Toyota intends to enhance fan engagement and explore new opportunities to connect race fans with the company’s partners.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing league and the GR Cup prioritize fan involvement, drawing inspiration from popular racing video games. In this real-world racing series, drivers begin with a stock vehicle, the Toyota GR86, equipped only with factory-available options. These vehicles are then sent to a TRD garage—where “Gazoo” stands for “garage”—to be fitted with official Toyota racing gear. This standardized approach ensures that all drivers have equal hardware capabilities, creating fair competition on the track.
Toyota has been actively exploring blockchain technology since 2016 when it joined the R3 Consortium for blockchain research and development. In 2019, the company established the Toyota Blockchain Lab to further its involvement in the blockchain space.
While it is currently unclear whether fans will have direct interaction with the digital trophies or if Toyota plans to mint digital collectibles, drivers will have easy access to their previous accomplishments before and after events. The upcoming races in the series will take place at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, Tennessee, from August 4th to 6th.
Summary
In summary, Toyota’s adoption of the Polygon blockchain for the GR Cup introduces digital trophies and enhanced record-keeping capabilities, offering fans a more interactive and engaging racing experience. By leveraging blockchain technology, Toyota aims to showcase and celebrate the achievements of its drivers while fostering connections between race fans and partners.