BJ “Ballistic” Baldwin, a living legend of off-road racing best known for his Baja wins and insane “RECOIL” stunt videos, will drive a Toyota Tundra Trophy Truck for the automaker’s factory team in Best In The Desert and SCORE endurance races starting this summer.
SCORE is basically the biggest name in off-road racing, owning the Baja 1000, 500 and a few other contests on the Mexican peninsula.
“Joining the Toyota Racing family in an all-new Tundra is really an honor,” Baldwin said in a Toyota press release quoted on Off-Road.com. “As a kid I’d watch Toyota trucks dominate the field with one of my all-time heroes, Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart, behind the wheel. I’m looking forward to continuing the winning tradition and returning Toyota to the top of the winner’s circle!”
In the same release Toyota Vice President of Vehicle Marketing and Communications said: “BJ’s successful racing record, his adventurous attitude, and his ceaseless dedication to honing himself and his craft speaks volumes to Toyota’s core ‘Let’s Go Places’ and kaizen philosophies.”
“Kaizen,” for those of you who don’t know Japanese corporatespeak, basically refers to an ethos of “continuous improvement.”
Baldwin has most recently been mainly running in shorter course off-road contests, but of course has had plenty of success with SCORE in Baja and other long desert races.
A talented driver without a doubt. Though I will say I’m a little surprised a mainstream family-friendly outfit like Toyota is hitching its brand to a character who tweets things like this [NSFW]. Good for them for breaking out of their shell! Hopefully they don’t go and try to muzzle their new star dirt driver.
At any rate I’m stoked Toyota is finally building real off-road racing vehicles again. No more cowering behind a bullshit “stock” class, this year they’re coming out swinging with a real Trophy Truck and an elite racer!