By Vincent Delforge, Staff Writer
A native of Nagoya, Japan, 48-year-old Takuma Koga is now a veteran of NASCAR racing. Since 2001, when he made his debut in the NASCAR Raybestos Northwest Series, he has competed in various series. In 2002, he joined the NASCAR West Series (now the ARCA Menards West Series) and competed in 125 races until 2024, holding the all-time record for West Series races by a non-American driver. He earned 28 top-10 finishes and four top-5 finishes. The first was at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, CA, and all the others at the Portland, OR road track.
This year, he has moved to the ARCA Menards East Series and is gaining momentum with the Fast Track Racing team led by Andy Hillenburg. He recently achieved his best career result there, finishing third at Flat Rock Speedway in Flat Rock, MI. This oval, like the Orange Show, is a 0.250-mile bullring. “I love short tracks” Koga said. He performs well there and aims to finish in the top three in the championship. He is currently in fifth place. But this third-place finish is the best result ever achieved by a Japanese driver in a NASCAR series above the Super Late Model level.
Many Japanese drivers have competed in NASCAR races, in all series up to the Cup Series. Japanese interest in NASCAR racing is not new, but it was in 1996 and the arrival of the Cup Series for an exhibition race on the Suzuka road track that the phenomenon really took off. Big names in motorsport from the Land of the Rising Sun have since raced in one or another of the NASCAR series in the USA. Examples include Hideo Fukuyama (including four Cup races between 2002 and 2003), Keiichi Tsuchiya (GT and Le Mans 24H driver), Akinori Ogata (currently in Craftsman Truck and Xfinity Series), and the late Shigeaki Hattori. The latter even founded the Hattori Racing Enterprises team, which won the NASCAR Craftman Truck Series championship in 2018 with Brett Moffitt.
Another Takuma is well-known in the USA: Takuma Sato. The former Formula 1 driver won the Indy 500 twice, in 2017 and 2020 and leading lot of laps in the 2025 edition. It’s worth noting that Koga and Sato were both born in 1977.
Takuma Koga has made NASCAR history more than ever, and he could still break more records. He will soon make his Xfinity Series debut at Dover in July. God only knows how far he’ll go. A man whose smile never leaves his face, as does his zest for life, makes him a favorite driver of NASCAR fans around the world.
We had the opportunity to ask him a few questions.
1) Takuma, you achieved your first career podium in a top-tier NASCAR series at the short track of Flat Rock Speedway. A superb third place in the ARCA Menards East Series, which is the best result ever achieved by a Japanese driver in a NASCAR series* above the Super Late Model level. How did you feel when you took the checkered flag? Because once again, you’re making the Japanese history in NASCAR.
Takuma Koga: “Honestly, I was so focused on catching up to the top two that I didn’t even realize the race had finished — suddenly, I saw the checkered flag and found myself in third place. On the cool-down lap, I became emotional thinking about everyone who has supported me along the way — my family, my sponsors, all the teams I’ve been a part of, and the fans who continue to cheer me on. It was a deeply sentimental moment for me.”
*This includes the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, Craftsman Truck Series, Canada Series, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards West Series, and ARCA Menards East Series.
2) It was your first time on this short track. It’s very different from the ones you’ve raced on before. You seem to be in sync with your new team, Fast Track Racing. How did you make the transition from the West Series to the East Series? New team, new car, new tracks,…The only thing they have in common is the presence of your faithful friend, Hiro Miyaji.
TK: “As many of you know, I’ve spent most of my NASCAR career in the West Series. I’m truly grateful to everyone involved in that series, because they made it possible for me to chase my NASCAR dream. One of the biggest factors behind my move to the East and national series was the opportunity to compete at Daytona. After I made the decision to switch, Hiro negotiated with Fast Track Racing, and that opened the door for this next chapter in my career. I am grateful to have Hiro by my side all these years. We have been through a lot together so I would like to think my third place finish was for the both of us.”
3) How are your achievements in the USA perceived in Japan? Another Takuma, Takuma Sato, has also achieved tremendous results in the USA with his two Indy 500 victories. Japanese fans must be happy to see the Japanese flag flying proudly on the other side of the Pacific?
TK: “This year, NASCAR Cup Series races began broadcasting in Japan on ABEMA TV, which has really boosted NASCAR’s popularity there. I also serve as a commentator for the Cup races in Japan, so that’s helped people become more familiar with the sport. After my recent result, I received an overwhelming number of congratulatory messages from fans through social media — it was honestly more than I ever expected.”
4) You love short tracks; you even achieved your very first top-five finish in the West Series on another tiny 0.250-mile short track, a “Bullring”, in 2017 at the Orange Show Speedway. How do you explain being so comfortable on these tiny ovals, given your background as a road track driver (karting, GT, etc.) from Japan?
TK: “On short tracks, you really need solid braking technique to rotate these high-horsepower NASCAR cars through the corners. Tire management also becomes absolutely critical in the second half of the race. These are skills that align with road course driving, so I feel my experience in Japan has helped me adapt well to these kinds of tracks.”
5) Let’s go back to your race at Flat Rock. You had a great qualifying session, driving at the front but were pushed by one of your opponents. You spun on lap nine. You restarted last but quickly climbed back into the top five. Then you even caught up with the leading duo of Max Reaves and Tyler Reif. You were flying around the track like a fighter jet! You found the strength in adversity to enhance your driving. How did you experience your race behind the wheel?
TK: “With Flat Rock being the shortest track on the schedule and most of the tracks this season being new to me, I knew going into this race that finishing in the top five would be crucial for the season. When I got spun on lap nine, I immediately steered the car toward the gravel to avoid damaging the tires — I knew I’d need to go the full 150 laps without a tire change. Throughout the race, I remained incredibly calm, which even surprised me. A big part of that came from the experienced feedback I was getting from Andy, our team owner and spotter. Also, the brain training I’ve been doing with NeuroTracker really paid off — it helped me stay sharp and react quickly, especially when avoiding crashes ahead of me.”
6) You’re firmly established in the top five in the championship. What is your goal for the end of the season?
TK: “My goal is to finish at least third in the overall standings. I also want to go into every race fully prepared — from training to nutrition — so that I can drive without any regrets.”
7) Aside from Iowa Speedway, three of the next four East Series races will take place on oval tracks that you’ll be discovering (Dover, IRP, Bristol). How will you prepare? In a simulator? Your goals?
TK: “One of the biggest challenges in my career will be racing at Dover — especially since I’ll be doing double duty with the Xfinity Series that weekend. I’m stepping up my physical conditioning and continuing with NeuroTracker for vision and brain training. I’ll also be using VR simulators to learn the tracks. My goal is to be on the lead lap and in the top five in every race.”
8) You should be racing in Phoenix in the West Series at the end of the season. But in the meantime, aside from the East Series, do you have any other races planned in the ARCA national series or another NASCAR series?
TK: “I’m confirmed to race in the Xfinity Series at both Dover and Portland. I’m also working on plans to race ARCA at Kansas and Toledo, and of course, make a return to the West Series at Phoenix. Right now, I’m actively working on sponsorship deals in Japan to make these races possible.”
9) You’re 48 years old but look younger than ever. You have a huge smile; we can see that you’re happy to be racing in NASCAR. What’s your secret to becoming more and more competitive?
TK: “This year, I’ve been more focused than ever on physical training and a healthy diet, along with keeping a regular daily routine. And as I mentioned earlier, the NeuroTracker brain training has really helped elevate my performance this season. It’s a new approach that’s made a big difference.»
10) I’ve already told you about this, but I’m looking forward to the day you race in the West Series alongside your son Eiki. He competes in karting in Japan. Will you soon take him to discover short track racing in the USA (karting, quarter midget, bandolero, etc.)?
TK: “Eiki is 9 years old and currently racing in the ROTAX MAX Asia karting series. But starting this year, he’ll begin training on short tracks in the U.S. through midget racing. Once he turns 12, we plan to have him move into Late Models and start racing in stock cars. If we want to race together in the West Series, I’ll need to stay active for at least another six seasons — so that’s my new goal. I want to keep racing so we can share that moment on track together.”
11) Finally, if you want to thank people, sponsors, or even give us a scoop, go ahead, you have freedom of speech!
TK: “I want to thank all the sponsors who have supported my NASCAR dream over the years, every team owner and crew member I’ve worked with, the NASCAR and ARCA officials who keep us safe, the media — including Vincent — who take an interest in a Japanese driver like me, and of course, the fans who cheer me on at the tracks and through social media. And most of all, my family, for supporting this lifelong dream.
I owe a great deal to Becky McBride from NASCAR. After a 10-year break from racing, she helped me come back in 2016 — I wouldn’t be here today without her support. And I’m forever grateful to Bob and Kathy Bucher from MRO. They’ve shown constant love and care, not just to me but to my entire family. Their kindness has taught me the depth of American generosity and love — I’ll never forget it. My dream isn’t over yet — so please keep cheering for me!”
Takuma Koga will be competing in the ARCA Menards Series (combined with the East Series) at Dover on July 18. The following day, he will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at the Monster Mile.
