Toyota NASCAR Richmond Advance

Toyota NASCAR Richmond Advance
Week of April 24 – 30, 2017

Toyota Spotlight: For a fifth year, Toyota has partnered with Richmond International Raceway to sponsor the NASCAR race weekend featuring the NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400. Toyota will recognize its Toyota owners and NASCAR fans throughout the weekend with special on-site activations. In addition to the Toyota Owners Parking Lot, where select Toyota owners are provided passes to hassle-free parking, Toyota will have the Toyota Owners Hub and Toyota Owners Express Lanes. All owners have to do is show their Toyota, Lexus or Scion keys and they’ll gain access to refreshments, driver appearances and giveaways before gaining quick-and-easy access into the race. Toyota PitPass will also be available to all fans and Toyota owners where they can enjoy driver appearances and check out the latest Toyota vehicles, including the new radically redesigned 2018 Toyota Camry. And finally, making its return to Richmond is the Toyota Green Space, a beautified area that includes nearly 38,000 square feet of grass where fans are able to enjoy a relaxing environment and picnic area or play a game of badminton, spike ball or cornhole.

The Richmond Factor: Toyota has experienced much success at Richmond since the Camry entered MENCS and NXS competition 10 years ago. In 20 Richmond Cup races since 2007, Camry drivers have the most wins (10) among NASCAR’s three competing manufacturers. In just the last three Richmond races, Toyota has reigned supreme with wins from Matt Kenseth (September 2015), former Camry driver Carl Edwards (April 2016) and Denny Hamlin (September 2016). Hamlin and Kyle Busch alone hold seven combined wins and the duo helped Toyota claim the first sweep of the top-three positions at Richmond in 2011 when Busch finished first followed by Hamlin and former Toyota teammate Kasey Kahne.

Sweet Virginia: Chesterfield, Virginia native Hamlin knows his way around Richmond. The winner of last year’s September race at Richmond, Hamlin boasts three MENCS victories at the short track and has led the most laps (1,594) at the Virginia facility. In Virginia alone, Hamlin is NASCAR’s all-time wins leader with 28-career victories, while also claiming the most wins (eight) by a Virginian in the Old Dominion State. Also hailing from Virginia in the Toyota MENCS lineup is 19-year-old Colonial Heights native Gray Gaulding.

New Face at Richmond: Joe Gibbs Racing announced 19-year-old Kyle Benjamin will make his NXS debut in the No. 20 Toyota Camry at Richmond. While Benjamin is new to the series, this won’t be his first appearance at the 0.75-mile track, where he finished ninth in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2015. Earlier this month, Benjamin collected his fifth career-series win and first in a Toyota at Greenville-Pickens Speedway (SC). Benjamin joins full-time championship contender Matt Tifft, who has one previous start at Richmond in 2016 when he finished 33rd following an accident.

Staying Connected: You can follow Toyota Racing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter by using #ToyotaNation and online at www.toyotaracing.com. For media images, please visit www.toyotaracingmedia.com.

Toyota at Richmond – Notes & Numbers:
Toyota also owns eight wins at Richmond in the NXS, with Busch capturing four Richmond Toyota NXS victories (six career) including last September’s race … Denny Hamlin (three) and former NXS Camry driver Kurt Busch (one) also won in the NXS at Richmond … TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) president David Wilson is a graduate of Virginia Tech.
Toyota 2017 Statistics: