23XI Racing taps Kamui Kobayashi for second career Cup Series start at COTA

Kamui Kobayashi will rejoin 23XI Racing and make his second career NASCAR Cup Series start at Circuit of The Americas later this month, the team announced Wednesday.

This marks the second consecutive year the 37-year-old Japanese driver will race in NASCAR’s premier series, with his first stint coming last August at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Kobayashi finished 33rd as pilot of the No. 67 Toyota.

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He’s back 😉

Kamui Kobayashi rejoins 23XI Racing for his second career #NASCAR Cup Series start as he takes on COTA with teammates Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick. #teamtoyota pic.twitter.com/Ifkmss21wE

— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) March 13, 2024

Kobayashi, who has experience in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Formula 1 and Super Formula Championship among other ventures, continues NASCAR’s trend of international stars competing at the highest level of stock car racing. Other international racers to don the NASCAR fire suit over the last year include Jenson Button, Kimi Räikkönen and Shane van Gisbergen.

The Cup Series will race at COTA for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on March 24 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).