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Aug 20, 2011
Saturday
Toyota NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Michigan International Speedway Post Race Notes & Quotes
Press Release
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Toyota Motorsports Logo
TOYOTA NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS)

Post-Race Notes & Quotes

Michigan International Speedway – August 20, 2011

- Three Tundra drivers — Timothy Peters (second), Miguel Paludo (third) and David Starr (fifth) — registered top- five finishes in Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Michigan International Speedway.

- It marks the second time this season that Red Horse Racing teammates Peters and Paludo have both recorded top- five finishes in the same event. It happened earlier this season at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis.

- Paludo’s third-place result is his best career NCWTS finish.

- Three Tundra drivers led laps in today’s NCWTS race at Michigan — Kyle Busch (seven laps), Paludo (three laps) and Justin Lofton (one lap).

- Other Toyota drivers in the field included Brendan Gaughan (eighth), Todd Bodine (11th), Lofton (15th), Max Papis (19th) and Busch (25th)

TIMOTHY PETERS, No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

How was your race today?

“It was a great day. I can’t say enough about the guys on this Crescent Hand Tools Toyota Tundra. Our Red Horse Racing team did a great job on pit road. We were just a little too loose on the start. We went just a little too far and got a little too tight. We had a run on the 2 (Kevin Harvick) down the back, but he (Harvick) can cut through the center better than we could with our Tundra. Great points day. How about Miguel (Paludo) — great run for him and his Stemco Duroline Tundra as well. Apex family of brands was on the deck lid, Tom DeLoach (owner) gave me an awesome opportunity — it doesn’t getany better than this.”

How was your truck handling towards the end of the race?

“We just started off our runs just a little too tight. We had a great push by our teammate (Miguel Paludo) down the back straightaway on the outside of the 2 (Kevin Harvick). He (Kevin Harvick) could just get through the center of the corner better. Just a little snug there, but the guys on this Red Horse Racing Tundra team do a great job week-in and week-out. Butch Hylton (crew chief) was doing a great job on the box, the pit crew, the guys at the shop — everybody’s just doing awesome. Just glad to be a part of this team. It was a brand new truck for us. Looks like I got a new favorite one.”

What did you say to your teammate Miguel Paludo after the race?

“Second and third — it doesn’t get any better. Not only as a company. He’s (Miguel Paludo) fixing to have a baby Monday. It was an awesome day — just an awesome day as far as the points and everything. I don’t know what to say — this is like a win.”

Where was it difficult to catch the leader?

“He (Kevin Harvick) was good through the center of the corner. We were just a little too tight. We’ll take it. For the way the month of July went — towards the end we started running better. We got a win. We’ve been on a roll. So, hopefully we can carry this into Bristol Wednesday night.”

MIGUEL PALUDO, No. 7 STEMCO / Duroline Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

How does it feel to be patient in these races and again finish in the top-five?

“You’re right, I’m being really patient, saving my stuff until the end. Today was a great day for us. We had an awesome truck — this is the same truck we used at Dover with a new body. These guys did great. We did small adjustments. I was on the longer runs a little bit snug and then I was perfect. I couldn’t get (Kevin) Harvick on the second restart but I went and raced with him. I’m really proud of my guys on this Stemco-Duroline Toyota Tundra. We just need to keep moving forward. We have Bristol on Wednesday, it’s my first race track that I’ve been to last year, so let’s keep digging.”

Any news from your wife as she approaches the due date of your first child?

“No, not yet. She just said, ‘Be calm because I’m fine, I’ll be waiting for you.’”

How was it battling for the lead late in the race?

“It was okay. The last restart I wasn’t as good as the first one. But, I learned with (Kevin) Harvick different stuff. I was just — on the longer runs — a little snug. We made awesome adjustments and in the end I was good. This race track — the draft is so big when you lost a little bit of the momentum it’s hard to catch up again. Good third-place finish. Two trucks in the top- three — it was top-five before.”

DAVID STARR, No. 81 ASI Limited Toyota Tundra, SS Green Light Racing

Finishing Position: 5th

How was your race?

“Our Zachry Toyota Tundra wasn’t very good when the race started. You have to run wide open here at Michigan, it’s a momentum track. I was running there deep, getting out of the gas a little bit and turned the wheel and it just snapped off from underneath us. Jason Miller (crew chief) and Matt Faulkner, my engineer, they just kept working on it and right through that last pit stop they did a couple changes and man that thing came alive. What an awesome day for us. We’re excited, we just keep getting better and better every weekend. That was a great race for the fans — pretty awesome.”

BRENDAN GAUGHAN, No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Toyota Tundra, Germain Racing

Finishing Position: 8th

JUSTIN LOFTON, No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Toyota Tundra, Eddie Sharp Racing

Finishing Position: 15th

MAX PAPIS, No. 9 GEICO Toyota Tundra, Germain Racing

Finishing Position: 19th

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Traxxas Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 25th

What happened to force you from the race early?

“We had such a great Traxxas Tundra today. We were running third, biding our time and seeing if there was going to be a late yellow to come out to get ourselves track position back. Somebody’s side window went through our lower radiator duct and went through the radiator and knocked a hole in it. I saw it when I ran it over. I didn’t know what it was. But, I watched my gauges and everything, and none of the gauges did anything. I didn’t think that there would be a problem and then all of the sudden it started missing. By that point, you’re running on a steam machine, so you’re done — it’s over. I just hate it for all these guys. This will really hurt us in the points.”

Was there any warning about trouble from inside the truck?

“Yeah, I ran it over, so I knew when I ran it over. I kept an eye on the gauges to make sure nothing like that was happening and it snuck up on us — it just happened. The water pressure gauge didn’t do anything until the motor started missing and by that time it was too late. Water temp didn’t change. I hate it for all the guys — Traxxas, Dollar General, M&M’s, Flexco — everybody that supports us. It’s going to hurt us in the owner’s championship. I just hate it for all our guys. We really worked hard and thought we had a good truck and thought we were going to have a decent day out of it. We were just waiting for this caution to come out and get our track position back to see if the changes we made were better because it seemed like our truck was better.”

- Toyota Motorsports Press Release


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