Many manufacturers encourage customers to race their cars, but Scion is putting its money where its mouth is.
As pointed out by LeftLaneNews, the Toyota youth brand’s Canadian arm runs a racing contingency program that pays owners to race, and pays them even more if they win.
Under the scheme, which has been in place since 2012, drivers can get paid to participate in up to five races – even if they finish last. The payouts range from $40 per event for autocross to $350 for road races.
In addition to autocross and road racing, the program also covers drifting and time attack, two more areas where Scion’s small, nimble cars excel.
Drivers get more cash for winning, from $100 in autocross to $800 for a road race. Last year, 13 drivers received the maximum payout of $4,000.
Racing is expensive, and while the Scion contingency payments will only cover some of the costs, they do at least offer an incentive for drivers to test out their skills on the track.
At the same time, Scion gets its cars in front of the holy target demographic by letting someone else do the work. It’s good to see the brand demonstrate that its commitment to performance is more than just marketing hype.
Suddenly, Canada is looking like a great place to go racing.
