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• Reutimann Running ‘Crimson Tide’ Colors
• Camry Drivers Talk Superspeedway Spoilers
• Denny’s Daily Therapy
• Leffler and Bayne Like Talladega Chances

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)

NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: This year, Toyota drivers have combined for two wins, seven top-five results, 16 top-10 finishes and one pole after eight of 36 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races … Kyle Busch (sixth), Denny Hamlin (11th) and Joey Logano (12th) are the top Camry drivers in the NSCS point standings, 228, 275 and 307 points, respectively, behind leader Jimmie Johnson … It marks the first time that these three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have all been in the top-12 in the point standings at the same time … Toyota drivers Martin Truex Jr. (17th), Brian Vickers (19th), and Scott Speed (20th) are also in the top-20 in points … Hamlin proved that he is ‘Mr. Monday,’ winning Monday’s rain-delayed NSCS race at Texas Motor Speedway only 19 days after having ACL surgery on his left knee … Hamlin has earned wins in three of the four NSCS races run on Monday over the past two seasons — Pocono (August 2009), Martinsville (April 2010) and Texas (April 2010) … David Reutimann will run a special paint scheme on the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 00 Camry recognizing the University of Alabama National Championship football team.

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 Alabama National Champions Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

How did the idea of a special paint scheme to recognize the University of Alabama football team come about? “It was all Aaron’s. Aaron’s has a relationship with both the University of Texas and the University of Alabama, so they decided to have some fun with the national championship game when they saw that those were the two teams playing for the title. They said that they’d dedicate their Aaron’s Dream Machine paint scheme to the national champions. If Texas would have won we were going to run a special paint scheme at the April race at Texas Motor Speedway. But, as luck would have it, we get to run an Alabama National Championship Crimson Tide paint scheme during the Aaron’s ‘Dream Weekend’ in Talladega. Aaron’s has a bunch of creative people and they like to have some fun.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

What are your thoughts on going to Talladega with the spoiler? “We did the spoiler test there and were able to feel some differences, but for the most part they weren’t way different. I have fun going to Talladega. I kind of think it’s a halfway off-weekend because you’re car is not going to be different the next day when you wake up. The cars are pretty much bolted to the ground and you can do little things to help them handle a little bit, but mostly you’re worried about how you’re sucking up and how the cars are pushing you and stuff like that. You’ve got what you’ve got. I have fun there and we’ve had two good runs there, so hopefully we’ll be able to do that again — stay out of trouble and be there at the end.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Pedigree Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Will the spoiler make a big difference at Talladega?“Yeah, from what I heard. I wasn’t at the test but there’s a significant difference in how the cars suck up and how they run in the draft. Without being there, I don’t know anything further than that.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Do you enjoy racing at Talladega Superspeedway? “In the Nationwide Series, we have always seemed to find a way to get ourselves in contention to win at Talladega. I enjoy racing there. For some reason, Cup Series racing at Talladega hasn’t been good to me. I have had good runs going, but I always seem to get caught up in the big wreck. It’s been kind of a crap shoot. It’s a lot of fun to race, I just need some luck.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

What is a typical day of therapy for you right now? “My day usually starts off with my personal trainer will get me out of bed in the morning, and I’ll do upper body stuff. I haven’t been in the gym for the last three or four weeks. I’m just starting to get back into the gym and do stuff like that. Trying to do some cardio as much as I can — upper body. I’ll go to OrthoCarolina, to their offices or go to the shop where they’ll meet me, and I’ll just go through usually about an hour-and-a-half of rehab. Just trying to get on a bike and somewhat try to move. I’ve just gotten to where I can make one revolution on a bicycle, because my range of motion is so bad right now. So just doing that, extensive, extensive leg workout. I have a machine, which is icing and compression that I stay on pretty much for the rest of the 18 hours a day I’m not doing rehab or in a gym. It’s very frustrating, and it’s easy to get down. I mean, it’s borderline depressing to not be able to do anything. I have to just sit on my tail when I’m not rehabbing every single day. When it’s nice weather outside and everyone’s outside doing stuff, it’s frustrating. But this was something I was going to have to do no matter what. I put myself in the situation, and I’ve got to deal with the consequences. It’s just going to make me stronger.”

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS)

NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: This year, Toyota drivers have combined for three wins, 13 top-five results, 29 top-10 finishes and three poles after seven of 35 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) races … With his Texas victory, Kyle Busch etched his name in the NASCAR record books by earning a fifth consecutive win at the 1.5-mile oval … Busch is only the third driver in NASCAR history to earn five consecutive wins at the same track — a mark previously accomplished by Dale Earnhardt and Jack Ingram … Toyota drivers Busch (first), Joey Logano (seventh), Brendan Gaughan (10th), Jason Leffler (11th), Steve Wallace (12th), Brian Scott (13th), Michael Annett (15th) and Trevor Bayne (16th) are in the top-20 in NNS points.

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Will you consider running for the Nationwide Series championship this year? “I’d like to, but we know how difficult it is to run both and what it takes away from the premium spot, which is the Sprint Cup Series title. I don’t want to take anything away from those guys. The summer months get tough. When you have the companion races, I don’t think it does anything. But, when you go from Sonoma (Calif.) to the new road course race in Wisconsin, you are going to have to skip all of Saturday in Sonoma to be there for that event in the Nationwide Series. You really hinder your chances to get a good race car setup for the race that’s going to be on Sunday out in Sonoma. That’s the biggest thing that I look at. All the other ones aren’t too bad. Maybe we skip one and can still win the deal, I don’t know.”

JASON LEFFLER, No. 38 Great Clips Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Do you think a Nationwide Series-only driver has a better chance to win at Talladega? “I think everybody has a better chance there because anything can play out on the last lap or so. You have to have a fast car and you have to put yourself in the right position, but sometimes you don’t even have to put yourself in the right position — it just happens. I feel like our chances are great, but a big part of that is that the car is so good and I’ve got some good teammates to work with. I think your chances of seeing a different winner at Talladega are better than they would be at a standard race track.”

TREVOR BAYNE, No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Diamond-Waltrip Racing

What are your expectations for your first race at Talladega Superspeedway? “I haven’t raced at Talladega yet. However, I did get to make some laps there last season at the new car test. It was cool to get to make laps there and see how smooth the track was compared to Daytona. I really don’t know what to expect because I hear it’s a lot different than Daytona. I know that Diamond-Waltrip Racing will have a good car for me to drive. They always tend to bring really strong race cars to superspeedway tracks.”

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS)

NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: This year, Tundra drivers have combined for two wins, 12 top-five results, 19 top-10 finishes and one pole after the first four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races … Kyle Busch won the most recent NCWTS race at Nashville and Timothy Peters was victorious at the Daytona season-opener … Peters currently leads the NCWTS point standings with a 82-point advantage over fellow Tundra driver Aric Almirola … Todd Bodine (third), Tayler Malsam (ninth) and Busch ( 10th) are also in the top-10 in points … The NCWTS returns to action at Kansas Speedway, May 2.

- Toyota Motorsports, Press Release