Toyota NASCAR Notes & Quotes – Daytona

REDESIGNED TO RACE: When NASCAR returns to Daytona International Speedway to kick off the 2015 season, the on-track action will feature the redesigned Toyota Camry — the first of NASCAR’s current generation vehicles to be upgraded. Because the Toyota Camry production model received an upgrade for 2015, the change necessitated a redesign for the Camry race car to maintain continuity between the production model and racing program. Engineers from TRD (Toyota Racing Development, U.S.A.) and Calty Design, an arm of Toyota’s global design network, worked to update the Camry race car to reflect the production model, yet incorporate performance enhancements into the new Camry. The 2015 Camry will compete in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS).

SHOWCASING A NEW LOOK: The bold, new Camry will also serve as the official pace car for the Daytona 500, providing Toyota the opportunity to showcase both its new Camry race car and production model during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. With the Camry built exclusively in Indiana and Kentucky, it seems natural to have the best-selling car in America pace ‘The Great American Race.’ The Camry first paced the Daytona 500 in 2012 and this marks the second occasion Toyota has served as the official pace car for the Daytona 500.

CARL IN A CAMRY:  Carl Edwards will make his debut for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) at Daytona in the No. 19 ARRIS Toyota Camry — a new, fourth team for JGR. Edwards, a two-time runner up in the NSCS standings (2008 and 2011), has captured 23 Cup wins and will partner with championship-winning crew chief, Darian Grubb, for JGR’s 2015 campaign.

TO XFINITY AND BEYOND: Daniel Suarez will run his first full-time season in the NXS in the JGR No. 18 ARRIS Toyota Camry in 2015. Suarez, the first Mexican-born driver to compete full-time in the series, won five races in the NASCAR Mexico Series (NMS) in 2014 and has a combined 13 wins in the NMS and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East over the last three seasons. In addition to Suarez joining JGR, full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) driver Erik Jones will also run a part-time schedule for JGR in the NXS.

TUNDRAS TOWING THE HARDWARE: Tundra drivers have won eight-straight NCWTS races at Daytona.  Former Tundra driver Jack Sprague started the streak with his win at Daytona in 2007, followed by back-to-back victories from Todd Bodine in 2008 and 2009. Timothy Peters crossed the finish line first at ‘The World Center of Racing’ in 2010 and Michael Waltrip won the season-opener at Daytona in 2011. John King earned his first career NCWTS race win in 2012, Johnny Sauter was victorious in 2013 and Kyle Busch crossed the finish line first last year. In addition to the victories at Daytona, Tundra driver Matt Crafton has won back-to-back NCWTS championships for Toyota.

NOTES, QUOTES & NUMBERS

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):  Camry drivers Denny Hamlin (third), Matt Kenseth (seventh) and Kyle Busch (10th) finished the 2014 season ranked in the top-10 in the NSCS point standings … Michael Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 winner (2001 and 2003), will drive the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Camry at Daytona subbing for Brian Vickers who is scheduled to return at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 8) … Kenseth won the 2015 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona and led 21 laps in the event … Camry drivers won all three exhibition races in Daytona in 2014, but are yet to win the Daytona 500 … Hamlin won the 2014 Sprint Unlimited followed by wins from Hamlin and Kenseth in Duel 150 races … Busch captured a Camry NSCS win at Daytona in July 2008 … The Toyota Pit Pass display, the largest in the Daytona midway area, now features a 50-foot tall Ferris wheel with NASCAR Camry-themed gondolas.

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Crispy Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Did the speed of the Joe Gibbs Racing Camrys impress you in qualifying?
“We had some really good teamwork there with all the Joe Gibbs Racing and the Toyota guys there, especially in the final round. It feels good to have all the JGR cars in good shape going into Thursday. I knew we were really tight on time getting to the line in order for our lap to count, and the guys behind us were even tighter getting there. Our M&M’s Crispy Camry is pretty good and now we can hopefully have a clean Duel race on Thursday and get our car ready for next Sunday.”

CARL EDWARDS, No. 19 ARRIS Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
How will you approach Thursday’s Duel races?
“Now we can be more aggressive because if something were to happen, I keep saying this, but I’m pretty sure we’re locked in. That was a pretty complex chart they gave us, but we can be more aggressive and just hope that we get a good starting spot. We want to start up front, lead as many laps as we can and win the Daytona 500.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
How strong are the Joe Gibbs Racing Camrys for the 150s and the Daytona 500?
“I feel like all our Camrys have been real competitive since we got here – we’ve got a lot of speed and that’s encouraging, but its speedway racing and anything can happen. We got through the first two processes and now we need to get through the 150s with a good finish and get ready for Sunday.”

NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS):  Camry drivers Elliott Sadler (third) and James Buescher (10th) finished the 2014 season ranked in the top-10 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings … Erik Jones will make his fourth-career NXS start at Daytona … The 18-year-old driver has finished in the top-10 in each of his first three NXS entries with a best finish of sixth at Phoenix in November 2014.

DANIEL SUAREZ, No. 18 ARRIS Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Are you eager to get to Daytona to start the season?
“Ever since the deal with ARRIS and Joe Gibbs Racing was announced last fall, I’ve been waiting for the start of this season and now we’re only a few days away. I’m very excited to start this next chapter of my racing career and for the first race to be at the ‘World Center of Racing.’ This season is all about learning and getting comfortable in these cars, but I think the teams behind the No. 51 ARRIS Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the No. 18 ARRIS Camry in the XFINITY Series are strong and you’ll see us competing for wins soon.”

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS):  Tundra driver Matt Crafton won the 2014 NCWTS championship and Toyota drivers Darrell Wallace Jr. (third), Johnny Sauter (fourth), Timothy Peters (fifth), German Quiroga Jr. (sixth) and Jeb Burton (eighth) also finished in the top-10 in the standings … Daytona Beach native Ben Kennedy joined Red Horse Racing during the off-season and will pilot the No. 11 Toyota Tundra … Kyle Busch’s victory in the 2014 NCWTS event at Daytona kicked off the first of 10 straight Tundra wins to start the 2014 season … Tundra drivers won 18 NCWTS races in 2014, tied for the series record by a manufacturer, and earned the manufacturers championship.

TOYOTA 2014 NASCAR STATISTICS

Series Races Starts (Drivers) Wins Top-5s Top-10s Poles Times Led Laps Led
NSCS 36 336 (23) 2 37 79 9 143 1,513
NXS 33 324 (44) 10 47 82 10 117 2,595
NCWTS 22 229 (25) 18 65 119 8 150 2,359

TOYOTA DRIVER ROSTER – Daytona International Speedway (NSCS, NXS and NCWTS)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Camry
Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Camry
Kyle Busch, No. 18 Camry
Carl Edwards, No. 19 Camry
Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Camry
JJ Yeley, No. 23 Camry
Jeb Burton, No. 26 Camry
Justin Marks, No. 29 Camry
Michael Waltrip, No. 55 Camry
Mike Wallace, No. 66 Camry
Johnny Sauter, No. 83 Camry

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Blake Koch, No. 8 Camry
Jeff Green, No. 11 Camry
Cale Conley, No. 14 Camry
Tanner Berryhill, No. 17 Camry
Daniel Suarez, No. 18 Camry
Scott Lagasse, No. 19 Camry
Erik Jones, No. 20 Camry
Eric McClure, No. 24 Camry
Mike Wallace, No. 26 Camry

JJ Yeley, No. 28 Camry
Justin Marks, No. 29 Camry
David Starr, No. 44 Camry
Kyle Busch, No. 54 Camry

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Erik Jones, No. 4 Tundra
Ben Kennedy, No. 11 Tundra
Cameron Hayley, No. 13 Tundra
Timothy Peters, No. 17 Tundra
Matt Tifft, No. 25 Tundra
Justin Marks, No. 35 Tundra
Daniel Suarez, No. 51 Tundra

Justin Boston, No. 54 Tundra
Matt Crafton, No. 88 Tundra
Johnny Sauter, No. 98 Tundra

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