Toyota Triplets
Three Rad-Era Rally Icons
STORY & Photography | KARL NOAKES
True rally fans know the story of Carlos Sainz, Sr., who pirouetted a Toyota Celica GT-Four through the hard 90-degree, cliff-edge turns at the Rally de Catalunya, dazzling the course-crowding spectators of the Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo. It was a breath-catching feat – the stuff that road races can’t replicate.
Motorsport enthusiasts, particularly those who follow rallying, have a deep love for the 1990s era. Snub-nosed rally cars wore sharply contrasting, primary-colored liveries – a heyday of all things currently gauche: cigarettes, booze, and big oil. With time, the fondness for Group B has only grown stronger and continues to be remembered with great nostalgia. Sainz, suitably nicknamed El Matador, left indelible marks on those fortunate enough to witness his gravity-defying feats behind the wheel. Nowadays, the only way to relive the glory days of this legendary generation is by watching grainy, shaky clips on YouTube that have been remastered from old Betamax or VHS tapes.
This connection with a romantic notion of our racing past often appears in pristine museum pieces: glossy, spotlighted liveries of retired rally cars, the cowbell-clanging fans replaced by well-heeled auto show observers. Except, that is, for frosty winter weekends in Washington’s Snoqualmie Valley. A case in point is an unexpected, old-school Toyota – or three – staged proudly amongst a vast sea of Subarus at a recent Northwest Rally Association event held at the DirtFish Rally School. The three distinct yet strangely similar cars stand out like a pack of awkward, distant relatives at a reunion: one has a wedge face, the second appears to be a more rounded individual, and lastly we find a younger sibling strutting around with an angular jaw.
Meet the Toyota Triplets, dressed to impress in their period-best attire: a Celica GT Coupe ’84 ADVAN, a GT-Four model ’90, Repsol, Starlet ’94 Castrol. Owners and rally drivers Logan Sorter, Daniel Sipes-Brandt, and Ben Schepper stand near, clad in the go-to uniform of frosty rally days: wooly hats, gum boots, and ski gloves. With breath hanging in the near-freezing air, we chat about everything wondrous about the Toyota rally car. Moreover, we realize how the influence of an era goes beyond its time, inspiring some to devote their energy and resources to build their version of it.
The bold, angular ‘80s and ‘90s graphics of the Triplets instills a romantic throwback vibe for many rally fans. Twenty or 30 years ago, recognizable versions of road cars were used for racing. These cars had a huge fan following, which still exists today. The halcyon days of Group B leave us lasting memories of Audi, Lancia, and Peugeot, all of whom have long since exited the sport. Toyota thought to continue to rally at the highest level: their GR branded road specials garner a cult following today.
With the Celica, Toyota won four manufacturer’s and driver’s titles. Carlos Sainz won WRC titles with the ST165 variant in 1990 and the ST185 in 1992. The ST185 also won titles in 1993 and 1994 with Juha Kankkunen and Didier Auriol, respectively. Three legends with 30 wins in total for the Celica.
Controversy surrounded the 1995 World Rally Championship season; Toyota was caught using illegal turbo restrictors at the Rally Catalunya, resulting in the FIA issuing a one-year ban. Not until 2019 did Toyota reign supreme again with the Yaris, piloted by Ott Tänak in 2019, Sébastien Ogier in 2020/21, and Kalle Rovanperä in 2022/2023. Toyota remains undefeated to date.
Friendship is a universal and central theme to all our lives, and for Logan, Daniel, and Ben, so is the bond formed through their shared passion. A mechanic, a UPS delivery driver, and a geotechnical engineer, the trio looks forward to regular gatherings where they bring their treasured Toyotas to compete against and ‘beat all the Subarus.’ and share their stories.
The three men agreed that finding their perfect rally cars took determination, patience, and luck. Daniel’s pursuit of acquiring his relatively rare AWD Turbo Celica took him to Canada: “I drove nine hours, one-way, to Revelstoke, BC, to purchase after seeing the Celica advertised.” Logan’s acquisition, on the other hand, had a hint of fortune. “On my delivery rounds, I frequently passed by a kid with a decent-looking Sambar Kei truck on his driveway. One day, the car was gone, and in its place was a Celica GT Coupe on 27” tires with a striking Advan period livery.” Suffice to say Logan stopped, struck up a conversation and made the deal. He’s now the proud custodian of a third-generation A60 Celica.
Photo credit: Josh Sikora
Photo credit: Josh Sikora
Building on their sporting success, Toyota became the first Japanese manufacturer to introduce a high-performance variant of a humble ‘subcompact’ city commuter car (1986-89 Turbo S and 1990-95 GT Turbo). Ben, an avid collector of JDM rally cars, has experienced the trials and tribulations of owning a fully-fledged WRC car and was drawn to the Starlet GT Turbo as a more practical alternative. “I acquired the Starlet while campaigning my ST205 Celica GT-Four WRC in two seasons of rallycross,” he recalls. The humble Starlet is the young upstart, a competitive platform of mostly readily available standard parts.
A common trait for our aspiring rally brothers in choosing Toyota is the manufacturer’s reputation for reliability and parts availability. It is a significant attraction for Logan. Toyota’s legendary 22RE engine powers his steed. “The car just works,” he says, and Daniel echoes the point: “My Celica currently serves as a daily driver and a rallycross car. And It’s comfortable and easy to drive on the street and reliable enough to rally.”
The Toyota 22RE engine is seen by many as the embodiment of the manufacturer’s dedication to reliability and quality. Many industry experts consider it one of the most reliable engines ever made. Daniel’s 3SGTE four-cylinder turbo is equally revered amongst the race, rally, and tuner market. Ben’s love affair with cars began at a young age with a collection of models and toys, and now he shares a lifelong passion with Logan and Daniel. Ben rallies his car hard and shares his confidence in the little brethren: “I know the thing will run even if it’s on three cylinders with a wheel missing. It’ll finish!” His 1994 Toyota Starlet GT Turbo- 1997, with Castrol livery from the Australian round of the WRC, is understated yet armored and is fit for purpose.
For the triplets, a friendship cemented through their love of Toyota Rally Cars and Rally Cross days are moments to treasure. Post-race, they naturally gravitate to each other, sharing big smiles, having made more stories that they are only too eager to share. Somewhat whimsically, with their arms flailing around, they mimic on-track maneuvers, a universal language of race car drivers. Their journeys to this joyous (albeit sometimes freezing) place have similar waypoints. For Ben, it’s the “classic liveries, their stories, and their history.” For Logan, it’s a “love of expression. The addiction to competition.” Daniel agrees, summing it up with “wanting to be a little different than the norm.”
By daring to be different, they’ve found a bond by being similar.
