TOYOTA NASCAR Notes & Quotes
Week of April 7, 2008

Upcoming Races:
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) @ Phoenix International Raceway:
Thursday, April 10, Qualifying, 4:10 PM (PT) -- SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128)
Saturday, April 12, Race sta rt @ 5:30 PM (PT) -- FOX-TV, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128)
Race 8 of 36

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) @ Phoenix International Raceway:
Friday, April 11, Qualifying, 2:05 PM (PT) - SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128)
Friday, April 11, Race start @ 6:45 PM (PT) - ESPN2, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128)
Race 8 of 35

HISTORY HERE: The Toyota Camry will make its third trip to Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) this weekend for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) events. In 2007, three Camry drivers competed in the spring NSCS race at the one-mile Arizona oval -- Dale Jarrett (29th), David Reutimann (32nd) and Dave Blaney (39th), while four Camry drivers participated in the fall event at Phoenix -- Brian Vickers (21st), Blaney (31st), Johnny Benson (36th) and Jacques Villeneuve (41st).

MORE HISTORY HERE: Current Camry drivers Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin have each had success at PIR. In 12 starts at Phoenix, Stewart has one win (fall 1999) and eight top-10 finishes, including four top-five results in his last five races. In addition, Stewart has recorded runner-up finishes in the past two spring races (2006, 2007). Busch has recorded one win (fall 2005), one pole position (spring 2006) and four top-10s in six starts at Phoenix. In just five Phoenix starts, Hamlin has earned one pole position (fall 2005) and recorded back-to-back third-place finishes in the fall of 2005 and the spring of 2006.

NNS HISTORY HERE: In last spring's NNS race at Phoenix, Blaney (10th) was the highest finishing Toyota driver, followed by Reutimann (12th) and Jason Leffler (18th). Leffler recorded Toyota's best result in last fall's NNS Phoenix race with an eighth-place finish, follow ed by Reutimann (12th), Michael McDowell (14th) and Vickers (27th).

TUNDRA SUCCESS TO TRANSFER: Toyota has earned multiple wins and pole positions at the 'dog-leg' oval in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) competition. Tundra drivers have won two of the four NCTS races they have competed in at Phoenix, including back-to-back wins in 2005 (Todd Bodine) and 2006 (Benson). Mike Skinner, who will drive the No. 84 Red Bull Racing Camry in NSCS competition at PIR, captured the pole position in the 2007 NCTS race and has finished in the top-10 each of the past three years.

TRIO OF TOYOTAS IN TOP-10: Three Camry drivers crossed the finish line among the top-10 in the most recent NSCS race at Texas Motor Speedway (April 6). Busch (third) was the highest Toyota finisher, while fellow Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) teammates Hamlin (fifth) and Stewart (seventh) also recorded top-10s. In seven starts, Stewart leads all Toyota drivers with five top-10 finishes, and Busch has recorded four.

KYLE'S COMMENTS: "We got a win (NNS) and a third-place finish (NSCS) -- my best finish here (Texas) in a Cup car -- so I'd evaluate the weekend as a positive," said Busch, following his weekend in Texas. "Now, going to Phoenix, another place where I tend to run well, I'm pretty excited about that. And, I'm excited to take a couple days off before Phoenix."

POINTS PACE: JGR teammates Busch (third), Stewart (fifth) and Hamlin (seventh) currently rank in the top-10 in the official NSCS driver point standings. Red Bull Racing Team driver Vickers is currently 18th in the standings. Other Camry drivers in the NSCS standings include Reutimann (31st), Michael Waltrip (32nd), J.J. Yeley (33rd), Blaney (37th), Skinner (40th) and McDowell (47th).

LOOKING AT LAPS LED: After seven NSCS races, Camry drivers are only 93 laps shy of hitting the 1,000-laps led mark in 2008. This season, Camry drivers have led 907 laps in the first seven events -- Daytona (138 laps), California (17), Las Vegas (62), Atlanta (174), Bristol (377), Martinsville (89) and Texas (50). In Toyota's inaugural season of NSCS competition in 2007, Camry drivers led a total of 166 laps across 16 different NSCS races.

FIRMLY IN THE FIELD: Teams are now relying on their 2008 on-track performances, and those within the top-35 in owner points will be guaranteed starts at Phoenix International Raceway. Currently, seven Toyota teams are within the top- 35, including the three Camrys of JGR (No. 18, 20 and 11) and the No. 83 Camry of the Red Bull Racing Team. In addition, two Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) Camrys are 28th (No. 00) and 32nd (No. 55), and the Hall of Fame Racing entry sits 33rd (No. 96) in owner points. The No. 22 Bill Davis Racing Camry is 37th -- 23 points out of the 35th position -- while the No. 44 MWR Camry is 38th and the No. 84 Red Bull Racing Camry is 40th.

KYLE CARES: Busch will make a surprise visit to the Sunshine Acres Children's Home in Mesa, Ariz., on Wednesday as a part of his work with the Kyle Busch Foundation, which he established in 2006. Busch plans to throw a surprise pizza party, discuss life as a NASCAR driver, sign autographs, take pictures and invite the entire home to be his VIP guests at the NNS race on Friday at PIR. "I'm really excited about going there and seeing those kids," says Busch. "We've been able to visit a lot of children through the foundation over the past couple of years, and I'm looking forward to going there before racing at Phoenix. It really makes you look at what people take for granted every day, and it's nice to put a smile on those kids' faces."

CAMRY CONNECTIONS: Toyota drivers McDowell and Yeley both hail from the Phoenix area. McDowell is making his third Cup appearance overall, but the first in front of his hometown crowd at PIR in the No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine Camry, while Yeley is in his third year in the Cup series and his first season driving the No. 96 DLP HDTV Camry for Hall of Fame Racing.

HOMETOWN HERO: "It's going to be a lot of fun," says McDowell, of racing at Phoenix. "It's more of a rewarding experience to be able to race with my friends and family there. It's a big deal to run in the Sprint Cup Series -- it's a dream come true for me and for my family and friends. It's going to be a cool moment to see my name on the car and to see me out there in front of my hometown. It's definitely not taken for granted -- it's going to be really fun and I'm really looking forward to it."

CAMRY CURVEBALL: Toyota driver Yeley, a Phoenix native and driver of the No. 96 DLP HDTV Camry, will be on hand at Wednesday's Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Hall of Fame Racing's two principal owners are affiliated with the Diamondbacks -- Jeff Moorad (General Partner and Chief Executive Officer) and Tom Garfinkel (Executive Vice President, COO). "It's going to be interesting and exciting," says Yeley. "I used to play Little League baseball, so I've played the game, but it's been a really long time. I already had a glove, but I went out and bought a ball so I don't go out there and make a fool of myself. It's going to be a cool thing to get to do, and it's going to be an honor to throw out a pitch there. I've seen plenty of games there, so to stand on the field and throw the opening pitch is pretty cool."

MILE-HIGH McDOWELL: NSCS rookie McDowell, who grew up in Glendale, Ariz., is set to go through extensive egress training for a ride-along flight in an F-16 at Luke Air Force Base on Wednesday. McDowell grew up near the base and frequently watched air shows when he was younger. "I think I'm more nervous about the flight than I am about the race," says McDowell. "That's a once-in-a-lifetime experience to go up in an F-16. It's cool because I'm from Glendale and Luke Air Force Base is in Glendale. It's awesome to be able to do that."

MANAGEMENT REORGANIZATION AT BDR: Bill Davis Racing (BDR) announced on Monday the addition of several key personnel and shifted several others within the organization. NASCAR veteran Marty Gaunt has been named Vice President of Bill Davis Racing. Mark Chambers, who previously served as team manager of BDR's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series effort, will now assume the role of the general manager of Bill Davis Racing. Chambers, who has been with the team since 2006, takes over the GM role from Mike Brown, who will move into the position of Chief Financial Officer. In addition, BDR has hired Jim Thomas as the organization's Director of Marketing.

DOUBLE DUTY: Three Camry drivers will compete in both the NSCS and NNS races at the Arizona oval this weekend. Busch (No. 18) and Hamlin (No. 20) will drive JGR Camrys in the NNS race. Busch will also run the No. 18 in the NSCS race while Hamlin will step into the No. 11 Camry. Aside from competing in his No. 44 Toyota for MWR in the NSCS race on Saturday night, Reutimann will also be behind the wheel of the No. 99 MWR entry in the NNS race.

CAMRY CAPTURES ANOTHER: Busch earned the third win for a Toyota Camry and JGR in NNS competition this year with a dominating performance at Texas on Saturday, leading 125 of the final 130 laps. The win is Busch's fourth NASCAR victory this season -- and his first in NNS competition. He has one NSCS win and a pair of NCTS victories. Busch's victory marks the fifth Camry NNS win since Toyota joined the series at the beginning of the 2007 season.

TEXAS TRIUMPH TALK: "It's been so tough this year," said Busch, following the race. "We've been snake-bitten. I have to thank my fans for helping me get through it -- being in victory lane is for them. It was a great job by all of these guys on the Joe Gibbs Racing team. I've finished second (at Texas) twice before, but I've never won. I proved that because I didn't know where victory lane was -- I got lost on the way."

TEXAS TOP-10s: In addition to Busch's victory in Texas, three other Camry drivers registered top-10 finishes in NNS competition. Vickers finished sixth in his No. 32 entry for Braun Racing while Leffler (ninth) and Stewart (10th) also recorded top-10 finishes for Toyota.

SEASON SUMMARY: Camry drivers have won three NNS races this season, including Busch's win at Texas. Stewart won back-to-back races at Daytona (2-16-08) and California (2-25-08) to open the season. In the first seven NNS races of 2008, Camry drivers have posted eight top-five and 19 top-10 finishes, and led nearly 75 percent of all the race laps (876 of 1,166 laps). Camry drivers have also earned three poles -- Stewart at Daytona, Vickers at Las Vegas and Busch at Nashville.

POINTS POSITIONS: Three Toyota drivers are currently in the top-10 in the NNS point standings. Reutimann remains third in the NNS points chase with his 14th-place finish at Texas, while Busch gained six spots with his victory and is currently fifth in the standings. Leffler (eighth) is also among the top-10 in points.

CAMRY DRIVER HAS BEEN CLOSE: Camry driver Leffler is looking to cross the finish line first in Friday's NNS race after coming close so many times before at Phoenix. In seven NNS starts at the one-mile track, the Long Beach, Calif.- native has two poles (2000, 2006) and three top-10 finishes, including a runner-up finish in 2000. In addition, Leffler has an average finish of 11.7 at Phoenix and has completed every possible lap at PIR, including 121 laps led.

LEFFLER LIKES IT: "If I had to pick one race track as my favorite, it would be Phoenix," says Leffler. "We always seem to be pretty strong at Phoenix. Of course, we go into every race feeling that we can be a contender , but we definitely go out there with a little more confidence given our previous performances there. It's definitely one of those tracks that we look forward to going to for sure."

LOOKING BACK: "I spent a lot of time at Phoenix as a kid and ran the 'Copper Classic' for a number of years," says Leffler. "It's a slick old race track and unique in that both ends are so different and the surface is so wore out. You slide around a lot, but I like that kind of racing. This is a challenging race since you start late afternoon and end under the lights. You start out a little loose and as the night comes you have to adjust for it. You really have to keep up with the changing conditions."

BUESCHER BRAUN DEBUT: Eighteen-year-old James Buescher will make his NASCAR debut in a Toyota Camry for Braun Racing in Friday night's NNS race at Phoenix. "I'm really looking forward to my first race with Braun Racing," says Buescher, who will drive the No. 32 Great Clips Toyota Camry. "It's an honor to drive this No.32 car. It's so competitive each and every week and I just want to make sure we keep it that way when I'm in it. We're looking for a top-15, top-10 in Phoenix. If we run all the laps and end up towards the front at the end (of the race) it will be a very good day! I'm nervous about the level of competition in the Nationwide Series, but I'm also really excited to be a part of it and see how I stack up against everyone else!"

MIKE TO HAVE MORE RACING: Toyota driver Skinner, who competes in the NCTS for Bill Davis racing and has been driving the No. 84 Red Bull Camry in Sprint Cup competition, will join entertainment personalities, media and other sports stars at the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race on April 19 in Long Beach, Calif. The 10-lap race for charity is a part of the 34th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Participants compete in race-ready Scion tCs on a 1.97-mile circuit through the downtown streets of Long Beach. Some of the racers Skinner will compete against include Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson, ex-NBA player John Salley, actor Wilmer Valderrama and ESPN/ABC pit reporter Jamie Little. Toyota will donate $5,000 to 'Racing for Kids' in the name of each celebrity racer, and another $5,000 to the winning racer's charity of choice. Also, Toyota makes a $15,000 donation in conjunction with the 'PEOPLE Pole Award.' Since 1991, Toyota has donated nearly $1.6 million to various children's organizations.

TOYOTA IN ARIZONA: Four Toyota facilities are located in Arizona, the site of this weekend's NASCAR races. Toyota's Arizona Proving Grounds is located in Wittman, Ariz. Toyota conducts vehicle performance evaluations for the North American market at this site. One of three Toyota Financial Services (TFS) national customer services centers is located in Chandler, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix. This is the TFS Western Customer Services Center. Also located in Arizona are the TFS Tech Center Phoenix (TCP) and a Toyota Logistics Services facility, which is responsible for the transportation of vehicles in the region. There are almost 3,000 Toyota and dealer employees in Arizona with more than $450 million invested in the local economy.

MOVING FORWARD: The NSCS Camrys enjoy a week off before racing at Talladega Superspeedway (4-27-08). The NNS Camrys will head south of the border to compete at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course (4-20-08) next week. The NCTS will enjoy two more weeks off before returning to action in Kansas, April 26.