TOYOTA NASCAR Notes & Quotes
Week of February 18, 2008

Upcoming Races:
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) @ California Speedway:
Friday, February 22, Qualifying, 3:40 PM (PT) -- SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128)
Sunday, February 24, Auto Club 500, 1:00 PM (PT) -- Fox-TV, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128) Race 2 of 36

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) @ California Speedway:
Saturday, February 23, Qualifying, 9:35 AM (PT) -- SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128)
Saturday, February 23, Stater Bros. 300, 4:30 PM (PT) -- ESPN2, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128) Race 2 of 35

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) @ California Speedway:
Friday, February 22, Qualifying, 1:40 PM (PT) -- SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128)
Saturday, February 23, San Bernardino 200, 12:00 PM (PT) -- Fox-TV, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128) Race 2 of 25

REGISTERING RECORDS: In the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season-opening Daytona 500, several records were established for the Toyota NASCAR program. Nine Toyota Camrys started the 2008 season-opener -- the most Camrys to ever start a NSCS race. Previously the most Camrys to start a NSCS race was six, which took place six times in 2007 -- at Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Pocono (2), California (2), Texas (2) and Talladega (2). In addition, two Toyota drivers -- Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch -- finished in the top-five, marking the first time ever two Camry drivers recorded top-fives together in a NSCS race. Camrys also led the most laps in the 50th running of the Daytona 500, leading the field for 138 of the 200 laps. Busch led the most laps (86), followed by Denny Hamlin (32 laps), Stewart (16 laps), Michael Waltrip (three laps) and Dave Blaney (one lap).

TONY TIES TOYOTA'S TOP: Stewart's third-place result at Daytona equals Blaney's third-place finish at Talladega last year for the Camry's best finish in NSCS competition. "I didn't know what to expect, in all honesty , because you don't know when you go to a new program what you're going to have until you get it," says the two-time NSCS champion Stewart. "I can say I'm pleasantly surprised, for sure. Everybody has worked hard, and I've mentioned it all week , we couldn't even be here without Mark Cronquist and everyone at the Joe Gibbs Racing engine department. It was a monumental feat to get us in the position that they got us in. We had the fastest cars, both Kyle (Busch) and I, and they flew. That's all horsepower."

DENNY DOES IT: Hamlin scored the first win for a Camry in NSCS competition -- which came in the second qualifying Gatorade Duel race at Daytona. "I'm very proud," said Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Camry. "I definitely was a guy that liked the idea of switching over to Toyota. We knew they had resources that would really help support the 400 or so employees that we have at Joe Gibbs Racing. It's finally starting to pay off. To give those guys their very first win, and so early into the season, is definitely a proud moment for myself and everyone at FedEx."

HISTORY HERE: Four Camrys started last February's Cup race at California Speedway. Brian Vickers earned the first top-10 result for Toyota when he crossed the finish line 10th in his No. 83 Red Bull Camry. When the NSCS returned to California on Labor Day weekend, Vickers earned another top-10 finish with an eighth-place result. In NNS competition, Blaney captured the first pole for the Camry and finished 10th last February. Toyota has also captured the last four NCTS pole positions -- Travis Kvapil (2004), Mike Skinner (2005), David Reutimann (2006) and Jack Sprague (2007) -- at California. Todd Bodine scored Toyota's first NASCAR victory at the Southern California venue when he won the NCTS race in 2004. Skinner, a California-native, took the first of a series-high five NCTS wins a year ago at California.

YOUNGEST EVER: Race car drivers who ascend to the top ranks of NASCAR competition aim for race wins, poles and ultimately championships. Busch, driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Camry, has four NSCS wins and two poles in just 115 race starts -- and almost had another win in this year's Daytona 500. His first pole position (Feb. 2005) and race win (Sept. 2005), both registered at California, were etched in the NASCAR record books as he was the youngest driver to earn such recognition -- all before turning 21. "We ran in the top-five all day long but we really didn't think we had a winning car," says Busch, of his California win. "When we got the lead a few times throughout the race we just pulled away and we were leading by quite a bit. It was really cool to have a really dominant race car."

TOYOTA TESTING TALK: The Camrys return to California after completing a two-day test session earlier this month. Teams hope to improve upon what they learned during the test session, including the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) squad. "California is just a fun place to race," explains Busch. "Its wide open racing and you can run from top to bottom. With the new car we had a great test out there and the car handled well. We want to get the car close to the best car out there, which was my teammate Denny (Hamlin)."

JARRETT'S FAREWELL: Dale Jarrett will make the second of the final five starts in his storied NASCAR career at California. In 14 starts at California, he has six top-10 finishes. "I don't know that it's one of the more difficult tracks, but it's a difficult track to get a handle on," says Jarrett, the 1999 Cup Series champion. "After the first year or so the track lost a lot of the grip so that makes it difficult. It doesn't have a tremendous amount of banking for a two-mile track. All of those things put together makes for a track that is very challenging."

TONY TAKES THREE: Stewart gave Toyota its third NNS victory Feb. 16 at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 20 Armor All Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. Toyota earned two NNS wins in its first season in 2007 with Jason Leffler (Indianapolis) and Reutimann (Memphis). Additionally, four Camrys finished among the top-10 at Daytona, with Busch (second), Vickers (fourth) and Hamlin (eighth). "I'm just proud of all the Toyota personnel and all the work they've done in such a short amount of time to get us to victory lane," said Stewart, after his win. "That's twice this week that we've gotten Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas in victory lane. I'm really proud of that -- I'm proud of the effort they're putting into it. This is the only race we're running for Armor All this year so I'm glad we were able to get the pole and win the race for them."

HOMETOWN HERO RECOGNIZED: Long Beach, Calif.-native Leffler, driver of the No. 38 Great Clips Camry in the NNS, will be honored in his hometown on Feb. 20 at Smooth's Sports Grille in Long Beach. His firesuit and helmet will be placed on permanent display as a way to pay tribute to his hard work, success and his Southern California roots. "I always look forward to coming home to California, but this trip is going to be even more special for me," says Leffler. "Smooth's has been a staple in Long Beach for the last 26 years. Owner John Morris has made it a point to celebrate and pay tribute to other athletes from this area and I'm honored to be a part of that history. To be recognized for years of hard work in such a way, with my wife, Alison, and son, Charlie Dean as well as other family and friends there, means a whole lot to me."

CAMRY CAPTURES ONE: California Speedway was the site of the first-ever pole position for the Camry in NASCAR competition. Blaney circled California's two-mile oval with a speed of 180.410 mph last February in a Braun Racing NNS Toyota to capture the Camry's inaugural pole position. Toyota earned four NNS poles in 2007. Along with Blaney's qualifying run at California, Leffler captured the top starting spot at Daytona (July) and Bristol (Aug.), and Reutimann started from the top spot at Texas (Nov.).

DOUBLE/TRIPLE DUTY: A handful of drivers will make multiple starts in Toyota-powered vehicles this weekend at California Speedway. Busch will log 1,000 miles by the end of the weekend as he will race in two events on Saturday -- the NNS and NCTS races -- as well as Sunday's NSCS event. Skinner will compete in both the NCTS race on Saturday and attempt to qualify for the NSCS event on Sunday. Reutimann will take to the track in Saturday's NNS event as well as attempt to qualify for Sunday's NSCS race. Stewart will be on track for both the NNS and NSCS races.

BODINE MAKES IT 39: Bodine, driver of the No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Tundra, secured the 39th win for Toyota in NCTS competition when he crossed the finish line first at Daytona. Four out of the top-five finishers were also piloting Tundras, including Busch (second), Johnny Benson (third) and David Starr (fourth). Justin Marks, who drives a Germain Racing Tundra, was the top finishing rookie of the race with an eighth-place finish. Daytona was the 101st race for the Tundra in the NCTS since entering the series in 2004.

BLISSFUL BODINE: Bodine's victory is the 13th of his NCTS career and his first-ever NASCAR victory at Daytona. "This is my 20th year coming to Daytona," says 2006 NCTS champion Bodine. "I came to Daytona for three years as a crew member, and 17 years as a driver. I've finished second and third. I've crashed hard and burned a couple times. We're finally in victory lane -- this is incredible. I owe it to this team -- the Lumber Liquidators team is great. This Tundra was a fantastic 'piece.' This is the same truck that sat on the pole and won at Talladega last year."

MUSGRAVE'S MARK: Tundra racer Ted Musgrave has a near perfect record at California Speedway. In seven starts, the driver of the No. 59 Team ASE Tundra for HT Motorsports has three wins and seven top-five finishes -- and an average finishing position of 2.6. "I'm excited to be heading back to California Speedway," says Musgrave, the 2005 NCTS champion. "I won there back in 2001 in my first truck start at the track, and came back to repeat that win the following two years to make it three in a row. Winning at California isn't always about just having a good truck. There's a lot of strategy with pitting and fuel mileage, and a good amount of luck is involved."

FROM ONTARIO ONWARD: Skinner, the inaugural Craftsman Truck Series champion (1995), was born in nearby Ontario, Calif., and was raised in Susanville, Calif. "I have a ton of family and friends there and just love going there and putting on a good show. Toyota's headquarters are in Southern California as well, and we would love nothing more than to put this No. 5 Tundra in victory lane once again this year," says the 50- year-old Skinner.

NEW RACE DAY: The NCTS race moves to Saturday after being held on Friday night of race weekend for the previous three years, making it a doubleheader race day for fans. "I think the change of the day for the NCTS race is going to help bring more fans out," says Skinner, the 2007 California Speedway race-winner. "It was a good call for the speedway to change it and I think you'll see a lot more people paying attention to the Craftsman Truck Series race this year."

MOTORSPORTS DAY: More than 30 Toyota-powered race car drivers from NASCAR, NOPI, CORR, USAC and Grand- Am will converge at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.'s headquarters in Torrance, Calif., this week for the annual Toyota Motorsports Day. The event, which has taken place since 1996, allows Toyota associates to meet drivers and get autographs, and features simulator games and interactive displays. A total of 23 show cars will be on display .

REUTIMANN'S GRATITUDE: "I've been to Toyota Motorsports Day and it's really a special event," says Reutimann. "Toyota brings all of their Toyota-powered drivers together under one tent at their corporate headquarters to meet employees. I've been fortunate to be with Toyota since their inception (2004) in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and have been to the event a number of times. I'm the only driver that's able to say I've been with Toyota since their first NCTS race, their first Nationwide Series race and their first Sprint Cup Series race. I've won in two out of three Series. Michael Waltrip Racing wants nothing more than to deliver Toyota a victory in their second season in the Cup Series and I'd like to be the one to have the opportunity to do it. Their work ethic and people are incredible and being able to see their employees this week is pretty special to me."

TOYOTA'S BACKYARD: Toyota has a rich history in America that is rooted in Southern California. The Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., headquarters are located in Torrance, Calif., and TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) is based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Toyota sold its first car -- the Toyotpet Crown -- in its first dealership located in Hollywood, Calif., in 1957. In Toyota's first full year selling vehicles in America, they sold 287 Toyopets and one Land Cruiser. Last year, the Toyota brands -- including Lexus and Scion -- sold more than 2.6 million vehicles in the U.S. More than five million Camrys have been built in the U.S. since production began in Georgetown, Kentucky more than 20 years ago, and the Camry has been the best-selling car in America 10 of the past 11 years.

MOVING FORWARD: Looking past California, the NSCS and NNS will head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Feb. 29 - March 2. Red Bull Racing driver AJ Allmendinger was second quickest overall at the Vegas test last month and all three JGR cars were top of the speed charts at the one-and-a-half-mile oval. The NCTS will take next weekend off and get back to action in two weeks at Atlanta Motor Speedway, March 7.