Toyota NASCAR Notes & Quotes California March 2014

TOYOTA NASCAR NOTES & QUOTES
March 17 – 23, 2014

TOYOTA TIDBITS

TOYOTA TERRITORY:  Headquarters for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., are located in Torrance, Calif.  Toyota sold its first car — the Toyopet Crown — in its initial dealership located in Hollywood, Calif., in 1957.  Sales began in 1958 and totaled 288 vehicles that first year.  Since production of the Toyota Camry began in Georgetown, Ky., more than 25 years ago, over seven million Camrys have been built in the U.S.  The Camry has been the best-selling car in America for 12 straight years, and 16 of the past 17 years.

POWER PRODUCED IN THE O.C.:  TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) is based in Costa Mesa, Calif.  The 47,000 sq. ft., Southern California facility employs about 180 associates and is in charge of design, development, testing and production of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) engines.  The Camry V8 engines — which are used by Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) drivers — will travel approximately 4,800 miles before ever firing up at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, as engines are shipped to teams in North Carolina in advance of the race for installation in the team’s Camrys and transported back across the country on the team haulers for the Auto Club 400.  Several Toyota drivers have visited TRD’s Costa Mesa facility.

JGR CAMRYS HOLD RECORD:  JGR Camry drivers have won nine consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) races at California’s Auto Club Speedway — a series record.  Toyota driver Kyle Busch has the most wins at the two-mile race track with six — Aug. 2008, Feb. 2009, Feb. 2010, Oct. 2010, March 2011 and March 2013.  Former Camry drivers Joey Logano (Oct. 2009 and March 2012) and Tony Stewart (Feb. 2008) also contributed to the current streak that started in 2008.

TOYOTA’S 10 YEARS IN NASCAR:  Toyota is celebrating its 10th anniversary in NASCAR this year.  Here is another highlight from Toyota’s first 10 years in the sport.  Toyota driver Busch took the checkered flag at Southern California’s Auto Club Speedway in the NSCS race to earn the first Sprint Cup win at Toyota’s ‘home’ track and first victory at the speedway for Joe Gibbs Racing (March 24, 2013).

NOTES, QUOTES & NUMBERS

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):  Toyota drivers Denny Hamlin (seventh) and Matt Kenseth (eighth) are in the top-10 in NSCS point standings following the first four races of the 2014 season … Camry driver Kyle Busch is the only driver to earn a trio of top-three finishes in the last three races at the two-mile speedway

… In 2011 he finished third, was runner-up in 2012 and the Las Vegas-native was victorious in last year’s event

… Hamlin, who earned the most recent pole position at Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway, has three poles at Auto Club Speedway, including the two most recent (2012 and 2013) and another in 2009

… Hamlin returns to California, the site of his back injury in 2013 which resulted in him sitting out four NSCS races

… Busch (2005 and 2013) and Matt Kenseth (2006, 2007 and 2009) have multiple NSCS wins at California’s Auto Club Speedway

… Toyota drivers — from NASCAR, NHRA, off-road and Scion drift racing — will visit Toyota headquarters for the annual Toyota Motorsports Day for associates on March 20.

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

What would it mean to win at California — where you sustained back injuries last year?

“Every race is important to win.  Maybe they will spend a little more extra effort on that particular race track and for me, California is number one simply because we never made it to the finish last year.  While we had a great shot to win it, we never made it.  It would feel like you do have some redemption and it would make a great story.  You’ve got to work hard to make it happen.  It’s not just going to be given to you.  I’ll go there extra focused — whatever that means.  I always put in 100 percent every weekend, but there’s little things you can do as a driver to put in that extra 20 or 30 minutes of time debriefing and looking over tape and statistics and doing everything that you can to make sure you’re doing the best job possible.  I’ll treat the weekend that way.”

MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Is California a driver’s track?

“There’s a lot going on — the seams are a big deal there.  The track is really worn out so there’s a lot of fall off on the tires.  It’s definitely one that you can change your line, change your approach, find grip, lose grip, find speed and all that kind of stuff.  It’s like every track where you have to have the car right, but certainly there’s a lot of options when you go there of where you can run.”

What did you think of your first visit Toyota Motorsports Day and TRD Costa Mesa last year?

“It was neat to go out there and I got to go to TRD too and see the engine facility.  That was the first time I was there.  I enjoy getting to meet a lot of the employees, going to see some of the facilities and to see TRD as well, that was fun being my first year and my first trip out there.”

CLINT BOWYER, No. 15 PEAK Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

What does it take to get around California’s Auto Club Speedway?

“High, wide and handsome!  To be fast there you have to be able to roll into the corner and drive through the corner on the throttle right up against the wall.”

How much do you enjoy attending Toyota Motorsports Day?

“For me, that day is special because those are the people that make our world whole.  They make what we do possible and help us do all of this.  To be able to go there and give back and see a lot of those people — we see the managers and those people, but we don’t ever see the army underneath of them.  To go there and just give thanks for the day is super special.  It’s neat that they do it.  It’s not just us NASCAR boys, it’s all of motorsports and that’s pretty cool.”

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS):  Camry drivers Elliott Sadler (fifth) and James Buescher (eighth) rank in the top-10 in the NNS point standings … In addition to his six California victories, Toyota driver Kyle Busch has led approximately 39 percent (520 of 1,343 laps) of all laps in the last nine NNS events at the two-mile track … Camry driver Matt Kenseth also has four NNS wins in Fontana — 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2007 … Team Toyota athlete Amy Purdy and her ‘Dancing with the Stars’ partner Derek Hough are planning to attend Saturday’s NNS race … Purdy recently earned the bronze medal in snowboarding at the Paralympics in Sochi.

JAMES BUESCHER, No. 99 Rheem Toyota Camry, RAB Racing

Is California a fun track for drivers?

“At times it is — it’s fun to drive if your car is right.  I’ve had fun there.  I really enjoy going to Michigan and California is the closest thing to Michigan.  I think if I figure California out a little bit — it’s been a few years since I’ve been to California and I didn’t used to like Michigan either and now I do.  Hopefully, when we get out there I can figure it out a little bit better than what I have in the past.  It is a cool place and it is fun.  It’s an interesting race track for sure.  Trying to find a good line with the seams when you’re working your way through the corner with a ton of banking can be kind of difficult.  Finding a good lane to consistently run in — I’ve got some studying to do before we get there.”

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS):  Tundra driver Timothy Peters leads the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) standings with 43 points … Johnny Sauter (second), Jeb Burton (fifth), German Quiroga (seventh) and Matt Crafton (10th) also rank in the top-10 … The NCWTS returns to action at Martinsville Speedway (March 29) next weekend after five weeks off.

TOYOTA DRIVER ROSTER – Auto Club Speedway