TOYOTA NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS)
Post-Race Notes & Quotes
Michigan International Speedway – August 18, 2012
Dakoda Armstrong (third) was the highest-finishing Toyota driver in Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Michigan International Speedway.
Tundra drivers Parker Kligerman (fourth) and Kurt Busch (ninth) also finished in the top-10 in the 100-lap race.
Busch led a race-high 57 laps (of 100) in his first NCWTS start since 2001. Other Tundras leading laps in today’s race included Kligerman (two) and Todd Bodine (four).
Other Tundra drivers in the field included Johnny Sauter (11th), Timothy Peters (13th), Matt Crafton (16th), Ross Chastain (18th), Bodine (24th), John Wes Townley (25th) and Johnny Chapman (26th).
Peters continues to hold the NCWTS point lead following Michigan, but is in a tie with Ty Dillon.
DAKODA ARMSTRONG, No. 98 EverFi.com Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing Finishing Position: 3rd How did the fuel mileage work out in today’s race? “Really worked out with good strategy there. We were having problems in the pits today. I did mess up and then the guys kind of messed up a little bit, but to come back and get that good finish it was awesome. We were actually about three laps short there and we kind of fell back a little bit and were losing the draft, so we kind of decided to go into conservative mode. So, I have to thank my fellow competitors for not throwing out a yellow there. I don’t know how there wasn’t more cautions with this kind of crazy racing, but a lot of fun here at Michigan. Glad that we could get the No. 98 EverFi Toyota up front.”
How was your Tundra in today’s race? “I think we had a pretty decent truck — it was just the way this racing went. It was definitely just kind of unique. We started to make a move up there and I think we were up to ninth and then we had to come in and pit. I knew we were fast enough to stay up there, but it was a good strategy to pit early. I really didn’t think it was going to go green all that way, so I have to thank all the other guys for not wrecking, especially even more cautions for how crazy of racing that was. Good job there — we were actually short, but somehow we were able to make it there just by the little bit we saved. I have to thank Toyota for good fuel mileage and good power.”
What does this top-three finish mean to you? “It means a lot to this whole team — we really needed this. I feel like we’ve been making steps in the right direction ever since Iowa and we’ve been getting closer and closer to just getting more consistent with better finishes. Really glad the guys were able to get this — it’s good for everyone. We didn’t have a great day in the pits either, but still to come away with a good finish will leave everyone with high hopes going to Bristol.”
PARKER KLIGERMAN, No. 7 Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing Finishing Position: 4th Did you think you won the race? “Yeah, I thought passing the 31 (James Buescher) there — no one had told me there was fuel mileage racing going on — so when we passed the 31 off four I was like, ‘Last lap pass for the win? This is awesome. Woo,’ but then we didn’t win. We were fourth, but it’s a great start for this number 7 Red Horse team. Thank you to Toyota, TRD (Toyota Racing Development), Tom DeLoach (team owner) and everyone that has made this possible — all the people that have got me to this point in my career. You know, I look at this run right here and say that this is a team that can go win this championship and I’m just thankful for the opportunity and I just can’t thank my teammates enough also for the work they put in practice to get this truck as fast as it could be.”
Does this speak to the work put in by Red Horse in the last two weeks? “Yeah, absolutely. We just worked hard and I can’t think this whole team enough for the effort they put in over the last two weeks to get these trucks together and all these things and all it took to get here — Toyota and Tom DeLoach and the opportunity they’ve given me and all our supporters out there. It’s just awesome. This number 7 Red Horse Toyota Tundra was just awesome. I thought we won there off of four because I was like, ‘I got the 31 (James Buescher).’ No one had told me we were doing fuel mileage. I was like, ‘Woo!’ We didn’t win, so we finished fourth, but it’s a good start and we can go contend for this championship and win this thing.”
KURT BUSCH, No. 18 Shore Lodge Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports Finishing Position: 9th Did you enjoy racing in the Truck Series today? “It was fun to get back in the trucks. I really enjoyed myself out there and wanted to do a good job for Kyle (Busch, team owner) and I think we got that done as far as evaluating our program — his program. I say, ‘Ours,’ because we’re brothers and it’s fun to do this together. Thanks to Shore Lodge and Dollar General and Toyota — it takes a lot of sponsors in this day and age to make a program work. They are there supporting us. I feel like we showed that in the seat today is an improvement from where we were and now we have to find little things to make the truck better to be able to close the deal. Today was a little fuel mileage game — I thought we did good on our strategy, but maybe we just topped off with too much fuel at the end and were too conservative. Just shows that you have to stretch everything to the final ounce in any series no matter if it’s Cup, Nationwide or Truck.”
JOHNNY SAUTER, No. 13 Hot Honeys/Curb Records Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing Finishing Position: 11th How did the fuel mileage play out at the end of the race? “I had a feeling we were going back green with 41 (laps) to go and whoever pitted there was going to be able to make it to the end. I just had that feeling and sure enough that’s the way it was. We ran top-five most of the day and had a great truck. This Toyota Tundra was good and it’s one of the best trucks we’ve had in a while, so I was happy.”
TIMOTHY PETERS, No. 17 Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing Finishing Position: 13th How was your race today? “These guys on this Toyota Tundra did a great job. All in all — we’ll leave here and go to Bristol — go to my house and just redeem ourselves and do what we did at Iowa. These guys do a great job and they’re behind me week in and week out and I couldn’t be any prouder of them than what I already am. Just frustrating day when you’re wide open the whole race and you just don’t go anywhere. We’ll go back to the drawing board.”
MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing Finishing Position: 16th
ROSS CHASTAIN, No. 08 Melon 1/Engine Parts Plus Toyota Tundra, Green Light Racing Finishing Position: 18th
TODD BODINE, No. 11 Toyota Care Tundra, Red Horse Racing Finishing Position: 24th What happened that took you out of the race? “I don’t know what happened on the first deal. I don’t know who pushed up into me or whatever. The aerodynamics on these trucks are so sensitive that you get really aero-pushy and real aero-loose. Got into the corner, probably got aero-tight and pushed into me — it happens. Our Toyota Care Tundra was fast. Just a little free getting in, but right there I was on old tires compared to those guys on the fresh tires. I was just going to get in the top groove and let them all go under me. I knew I wasn’t going to hold them off. I wasn’t going to lead the race, but we were going for some track position and a little strategy. Rick (Gay, crew chief) did a great job calling that and just didn’t pay off. This 11 team is tough. It’s a great team. We’ve been fast every week — you’ll have years like this. Nothing goes right.”
JOHN WES TOWNLEY, No. 09 Toyota Care Toyota Tundra, RAB Racing Finishing Position: 25th
JOHNNY CHAPMAN, No. 07 Wear Your Gear/BOBBER.info Tundra, Green Light Racing Finishing Position: 26th
