TOYOTA TIDBITS – October 4 – 10, 2010 Here Are the Headlines: Camry Chasers Still in Contention Toyota Takes Seventh Manufacturer’s Title Camry Drivers Have Five Consecutive California Checkers Six Tundras in Top-10
CAMRY CHASE CHANCES: A 12th-place finish at Kansas Speedway on Sunday moved Toyota driver Denny Hamlin to second (eight points) behind current points leader Jimmie Johnson after three of 10 races in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Chase championship playoff. Kyle Busch is now seventh after a 21st-place result at Kansas, currently 80 points out of first. The two divers have now combined for 10 appearances in the 10 race playoff since it’s inception in 2004 with Hamlin’s best result being third in 2006 and Busch’s best of fifth came in 2007.
TOYOTA TAKES TITLE: When Joey Logano’s Camry crossed the finish line first in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Kansas Speedway, it enabled Toyota to clinch its third consecutive (2008-2010) NNS manufacturer’s championship in just its fourth year of series competition. It marked the seventh NASCAR manufacturer’s title Toyota has earned since the start of the 2004 season. The other four manufacturer’s titles came in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
CALIFORNIA COOL: In seven NSCS races at California’s Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., the best results by Camry drivers have been third-place finishes by Busch (Feb. 2009) and Hamlin (Aug. 2008). In 2009, Toyota drivers swept the Cup pole positions with Brian Vickers in February and Hamlin in October. Overall, Camry drivers have combined for 11 top-10 finishes at the two-mile race track. Fontana is one of only four tracks Camry drivers have not won at in the NSCS in addition to Indianapolis, Kansas and Phoenix.
NNS HIGH FIVE: Camry drivers have won the last five NNS events at Auto Club Speedway. Busch has three victories at the two-mile oval, including the February race earlier this year, the February 2009 race and the Labor Day weekend race in 2008. Logano was victorious in last year’s October race while Tony Stewart won the February 2008 event behind the wheel of a Toyota. In seven races at the Fontana, Calif., track since 2007, Camry drivers have combined to lead 709 of 1,054 laps.
NCWTS ROUND-UP: Tundra drivers have recorded 46 top-five finishes and 97 top-10 results, and led 1,696 laps during the 2010 NCWTS season. In addition, Toyota drivers have recorded 12 triumphs in 2010 with Busch (five), Todd Bodine (four), Aric Almirola (two) and Timothy Peters (one) each taking trips to victory lane. Tundra drivers have also captured nine poles this year. Six Tundra drivers are in the top-10 in this year’s NCWTS points standings with Bodine leading followed by Almirola (second), Peters (fifth), Mike Skinner (eighth), David Starr (ninth) and Justin Lofton (10th) with five races remaining. The NCWTS takes two more weekends off before returning to action at Martinsville Speedway, October 23. SPONSAFIER2: Ten national finalists in the Sponsafier2 contest will be announced on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010.
TOYOTA’S BACKYARD: Toyota has a rich history in America that is rooted in Southern California. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., headquarters are located in Torrance, Calif., and TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) is based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Toyota sold its first car — the Toyopet Crown — in its initial dealership located in Hollywood, Calif., in 1957. More than five million Camrys have been built in the U.S. since production began in Georgetown, Kentucky more than 20 years ago. The Camry has been the best-selling car in America 12 of the past 13 years, and last year Toyota produced its 20 millionth vehicle in North America.
TOYOTA 2010 NASCAR STATISTICS: Series Races Starts (Drivers) Wins Top-5s Top-10s Poles Times Led Laps Led NSCS 29 373 (30) 10 32 64 5 160 2,188 NNS 29 309 (33) 15 62 123 15 151 2,951
NCWTS 20 190 (26) 12 46 97 9 91 1,696
WEEKEND RACE SCHEDULE: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series @ Auto Club Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 10 @ 12:00 PM (PT), ESPN — Race 29 of 36 NASCAR Nationwide Series @ Auto Club Speedway, Saturday, Oct. 9 @ 1:30 PM (PT), ESPN2 — Race 29 of 35
