Takuma Koga Bio
Takuma Koga (古賀琢麻, Koga Takuma; born April 16, 1977) is a Japanese professional stock car racing driver. He is best known for his long career in the ARCA Menards Series West and his subsequent move into the ARCA Menards Series East. Koga also made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 2025, expanding his presence on the national stock car stage.
Born in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Koga relocated his racing operation to the United States and has spent more than two decades competing in NASCAR’s development ladder. He currently drives the No. 12 Toyota Camry for Fast Track Racing and is recognized as one of the few Japanese-born drivers to build a sustained career in American stock car racing.
Early Life and Background
Takuma Koga was born on April 16, 1977, in Nagoya, a major city in the Aichi Prefecture of Japan. Growing up in a country with a deep motorsports heritage, Koga developed an early fascination with racing culture. His decision to pursue stock car racing in the United States set him apart from many contemporaries who followed Japan’s domestic open-wheel and touring car paths.
Koga’s transition from Japan to American stock cars required learning a new style of racing on ovals and road courses, along with adapting to English-language team environments. His persistence in moving overseas laid the foundation for a career that has spanned more than two decades in NASCAR-sanctioned competition.
Path to NASCAR
Koga began competing in NASCAR in 2001, entering the NASCAR Northwest Series where he attempted six races, qualified for five, and failed to make one event. This debut season introduced him to the structure of NASCAR’s regional ladder and gave him valuable seat time on short tracks across the Pacific Northwest.
Following his Northwest Series introduction, Koga shifted to the K&N West Series, running partial schedules between 2002 and 2016 while balancing logistics between Japan and the United States. In 2017, he committed to his first full season in the series and recorded a career-best fifth-place finish at Orange Show Speedway, a result that validated his long-term investment in American stock car racing.
Takuma Koga Career
Early Career (2001–2016)
Koga’s earliest NASCAR appearances came in 2001 in the Northwest Series, where he gained crucial experience qualifying for races on tight short tracks. He continued to make selective starts in the K&N West Series throughout the 2000s and into the mid-2010s, gradually building a reputation as a reliable international entrant.
During this developmental phase, Koga focused on consistency and learning the nuances of American stock car setups. His willingness to race partial schedules for more than a decade reflected a long-term plan to establish himself within the NASCAR ecosystem rather than chase immediate results.
ARCA Menards Series West Breakthrough (2017–2024)
In 2017, Koga ran his first full K&N West Series campaign and scored a fifth-place finish at Orange Show Speedway, marking his best result in the series at that point. The following year, in December 2018, he announced a move to Performance P-1 Motorsports for the 2019 season, signaling an escalation in his competitive ambitions.
Koga remained with Performance P-1 into 2020 as the series transitioned to the ARCA Menards Series West branding. For the 2021 season, he switched to Jerry Pitts Racing, taking over the team’s No. 7 entry, which converted from Ford to Toyota that year. His best West Series finish of sixth place came in 2022, reflecting steady progress in equipment and consistency across the schedule.
ARCA Menards Series East and Xfinity Debut (2025)
On January 30, 2025, Koga announced a move to the ARCA Menards Series East with Fast Track Racing, where he would run the No. 12 Toyota for the full season. He opened the East campaign at the 2025 Pensacola 150 at Pensacola and finished the year ranked fifth in the series standings, recording two top-ten finishes.
Later in 2025, it was revealed that Koga would make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut driving the No. 53 Toyota for Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen. Although he was not entered for Dover, he did take the green flag at Portland in the No. 35, where he finished 29th in his first national-series start. Koga also made his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity) presence felt with a 69th-place best finish across limited starts in 2025.
Fast Track Racing Era (2025–Present)
Koga’s partnership with Fast Track Racing has expanded his opportunities across multiple ARCA platforms. On December 12, 2025, it was announced that he would drive the full ARCA Menards Series schedule in the No. 12 for FTR, further cementing his role with the team.
His Fast Track Racing program also extends into the ARCA Menards Series West, where he continues to be a regular contender, and into the ARCA Menards Series East, where his fifth-place 2025 standings finish ranks among his most competitive results to date. Driving Toyotas across all of these efforts gives Koga a consistent manufacturer platform and team infrastructure heading into 2026.
Driving Style and Strengths
Koga is recognized for his patience and his ability to complete races consistently, a skill set that has served him well in development series where finishing positions are often determined by attrition and clean pit work. His experience on a wide range of track types, from short ovals like Orange Show Speedway to road courses such as Portland, demonstrates adaptability and race craft. Working with Fast Track Racing and Toyota equipment has given him a stable technical foundation to refine his approach.
Notable Races and Milestones
Koga’s fifth-place run at Orange Show Speedway in 2017 stands as one of his signature K&N West Series results. His 2025 ARCA Menards Series East campaign, capped by a fifth-place championship standing, marked a new high point. Additionally, his Xfinity Series debut at Portland in the No. 35 Joey Gase Motorsports Toyota represented a significant career milestone as he became one of the few Japanese-born drivers to start a NASCAR national-series race.
Takuma Koga Career Wins
Across his regional and national stock car appearances, Takuma Koga has not recorded a victory in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, or NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. His strengths have instead been measured in top-ten finishes and consistent full-season campaigns.
ARCA Menards Series West Highlights
Koga’s best ARCA Menards Series West finish is sixth place, achieved during the 2022 season. Over the course of his long tenure in the West, he has accumulated 28 top-ten finishes across partial and full schedules dating back to his 2002 debut at the Coors Light 200 at Evergreen. His most recent start came at the 2026 General Tire 150 at Phoenix.
ARCA Menards Series East Highlights
In the ARCA Menards Series East, Koga’s best championship result is fifth place in 2025, his first season with Fast Track Racing. He posted two top-ten finishes and opened the year at the 2025 Pensacola 150 at Pensacola, demonstrating immediate competitiveness in the East combination.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Koga made his ARCA Menards Series debut at the 2020 General Tire 150 at Phoenix. His best series finish is 26th in 2025, and his program extends into 2026, with his most recent start coming at the Herr’s Snacks 200 at Berlin. The full 2026 schedule with Fast Track Racing positions him for further development at the national ARCA level.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a major expansion of Koga’s racing program. He ran the full ARCA Menards Series East schedule with Fast Track Racing, opened the year at the Pensacola 150 at Pensacola, and closed the East campaign ranked fifth in the championship standings with two top-ten finishes. He also continued to make starts in the ARCA Menards Series West, maintaining his long-running presence in that series.
Beyond the ARCA platform, Koga made his long-awaited NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 2025 with Joey Gase Motorsports, driving the No. 35 Toyota at Portland, where he finished 29th. His NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series best result stood at 69th in the standings. With December 2025 confirmation that he would contest the full 2026 ARCA Menards Series schedule, Koga enters the new year with momentum, manufacturer continuity in Toyota, and a stable seat at Fast Track Racing.