Toyota Moves Amateur Riders Forward with TMX Toyota Athlete Program

TORRANCE, Calif., March 20 -- Toyota announced today the formation of TMX, a Toyota athlete program designed to help motocross riders get recognized and move forward in the sport, and to present an opportunity for one fortunate rider to race as a Toyota-backed Pro on the Motoworld Racing PPG Yamaha Team for 2007.

"Toyota wanted to take our involvement in Supercross and Motocross to the next level by really helping the rider move forward in their career," says Brian Smith, TMS corporate manager, truck operations. "There's no better way to do that then to move talented riders from the amateur ranks to the professional circuit with a sponsorship and a place on a great team."

TMX is a great way for amateur racers to increase their exposure, receive Toyota promotional benefits and, for one select rider, may provide a path to move to the Pros in style. The selected rider will not only receive an opportunity to ride with Motoworld Racing PPG Yamaha in 2007, but will also be sponsored by Toyota, receive use of a Toyota truck and be provided additional benefits, including a trainer, sports psychologist and media training.

"Toyota's participation in the sport has been incredible," says Paul Lindsey "Motoworld Racing PPG Yamaha is excited to work with a sponsor like Toyota, one that is so dedicated to the sport and the forward movement of the riders' careers."

The TMX Toyota Athlete Program progresses in stages. The initial stages of the TMX Toyota Athlete Program are open to all racers participating in AMA- sanctioned amateur races between April 1 and July 31, 2006. From there, the rider who will have an opportunity to be a Toyota-backed Pro in 2007 will be open to certain qualifying TMX participants.

Stage one of the TMX Toyota Athlete Program begins the first week of April by visiting the TMX Toyota Athlete Program section of the http://www.toyotacross.com/ Web site. Participation in the TMX Toyota Athlete Program is subject in all respects to the Official Program Rules to be available on the TMX Toyota Athlete Program Web site.

The rider selected via the TMX Toyota Athlete Program will join additional TMX Team members in 2007. Toyota will work with additional Lites teams to place and sponsor amateur riders for the 2007 Supercross/Motocross season. These teams and riders will be announced later in the year.

ABOUT TOYOTA

Toyota established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates ten manufacturing plants including one under construction. There are more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in the U.S. which sell more than 2 million vehicles a year. Toyota directly employs more than 32,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $13 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.