Week of May 8 – 13, 2017
Defending Kansas: Toyota Camry drivers have experienced the most success at Kansas Speedway in the spring with all three of the manufacturer’s victories coming in the first-of-two annual appearances by the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) at the track. Camry driver Kyle Busch returns to Kansas as the defending winner of last year’s spring MENCS race. The 2016 win was the first for Busch at the 1.5-mile track, leaving only two active MENCS tracks where he has yet to visit victory lane – Charlotte Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway. While Busch captured the victory, Toyota teammate Martin Truex Jr. led a race-high 172 laps before being relegated to a 14th-place finish. Other Toyota Camry race winners at Kansas include Denny Hamlin (2012) and Matt Kenseth (2013).
The First of Many: Rookie Camry contender Erik Jones returns to the site of his first career MENCS start – Kansas Speedway. In 2015, Jones substituted for an injured Kyle Busch, making his series debut at Kansas before competing in two additional MENCS races that season. Also returning to the site of his first-career series start is Denny Hamlin, who made his MENCS debut in Kansas with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2005. Hamlin has since captured one win, four top-five and five top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile track.
Built to Do it All: Toyota Tundra drivers will look to make it five wins in a row at Kansas Speedway as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) returns to racing after a four-week break. Toyota drivers have won back-to-back events in the Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas since the Tundra became the race’s title sponsor in 2015 – and Tundra drivers have won the last four NCWTS events at Kansas. Two-time NCWTS champion Matt Crafton has two victories at the 1.5-mile track (2013, 2015), while Kyle Busch, who will pilot the No. 51 Cessna Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports, won the NCWTS race in 2014. Former Kyle Busch Motorsports driver William Byron took the checkered in last year’s event.
Tundra Drivers Give Back: NCWTS drivers representing Toyota teams Kyle Busch Motorsports, Red Horse Racing and ThorSport Racing are giving back to the local Kansas community with WorldVision, a humanitarian aid and advocacy organization dedicated to helping people in need, on Thursday, May 11. The Tundra lineup will participate in an event to benefit five local women’s shelters and drivers will assemble Women’s Hope Kits.
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 Kansas – Notes & Numbers:
Following Talladega, Martin Truex Jr. is second in the MENCS point standings and continues to have the most stage wins (five) this season … In 2017, Busch has the most laps led in MENCS competition with 462 … Truex Jr. is third in MENCS laps led with 432 … Matt Kenseth leads the series in laps led at Kansas Speedway with 774 circuits led in 22 starts … Kenseth is one of two MENCS drivers that has posted consecutive wins at Kansas (Fall 2012, Spring 2013).
Toyota 2017 Statistics:
| Series | Races | Starts (Drivers) | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Poles | Times Led | Laps Led |
| Cup | 10 | 87 (13) | 1 | 8 | 22 | 1 | 51 | 1,202 |
| XFINITY | 9 | 62 (19) | 3 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 31 | 383 |
| Truck | 3 | 35 (16) | 1 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 17 | 257 |
