Toyota Announcement and Peterbilt Appearance Highlight Texas Weekend

Auggie Vidovich

Fort Worth, Texas (November 4, 2006) – Auggie Vidovich and the Biagi DenBeste Racing team had an exciting time in the Lone Star State after announcing a huge accomplishment that’s about as big as the state of Texas itself. The team announced that they would be racing Toyota’s full-time in NASCAR’s Busch Series next year in a joint press conference on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway.

“We were looking for committed partners and teams that expressed an interest in being part of the Toyota Camry Busch Series program,” said Rick Lantz, TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) Busch Series Program Manager. “Biagi DenBeste Racing’s interest in being part of the program, coupled with their experience and success in the Busch Series, will definitely be valuable assets. We look forward to seeing the team’s progress and development throughout next season.”

Development has been the cornerstone of the team’s focus since June when Auggie Vidovich joined the team. Competition Director, Mike Harvick, along with Team President, Lenny Batycki have been focused on building the team and developing their driver to make a competitive run in NASCAR’s Busch Series in 2007, and with Toyota’s support, that goal is surely within reach.

A rookie this year, Vidovich has never seen many of the tracks on the Busch Series circuit and Texas was on that long list. Even though he had never seen inside “The Great American Speedway!®”, Vidovich adapted well to the 1.5-mile tri-oval even “flat-footing” the gas pedal around the track in qualifying. Unfortunately, the speed posted in qualifying was not what the driver and team were hoping for. Forced to work his way through the field from a 40th place starting spot, Vidovich battled into 32nd before a broke valve spring sent the No. 4 car to the garage on lap 87. The irreparable mechanical failure resulted in a 38th place finish for Vidovich, on a weekend that was full of promise for the Biagi DenBeste Racing team.

“What a disappointing end to a great weekend,” said Vidovich after climbing from the GEICO machine. “We had a good car and everyone on the Biagi DenBeste Racing team has been working really hard. It’s unfortunate that an engine failure cost us a chance to close out the weekend on a good note.”

Vidovich’s enthusiasm for NASCAR racing is as obvious as the team’s transporter driver’s passion for Peterbilt trucks. Vidovich joined his transporter driver’s Timmy Rogers and Brent Terry at the Peterbilt plant in Denton, Texas on Wednesday for a personal tour of the assembly plant and an autograph session for the fans. Just as Vidovich will rely on his Toyota next year, Rogers and Terry also rely heavily on the team’s Peterbilt truck to ensure that the #4 cars and equipment get to the track each week. Vidovich shared his enthusiasm for both Toyota and Peterbilt in a live radio broadcast on KDOK 94.9 FM out of Tyler, Texas on Saturday morning at 10:10 a.m.

Vidovich and the Biagi DenBeste Racing team will travel West for the Arizona Travel 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, November 11th. Live television coverage begins on NBC at 3:30 p.m. and radio coverage will be provided by MRN and XM Satellite Radio.