(Left to right) Mark Martin, driver of the No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota, Michael Waltrip, owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, and Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, pose for a photo during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday in Cornelius, N.C. - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

Is there more pressure on your team with the changes this year? “I think if you break it down, there was more pressure last year because we basically had the same goals as we have this year. But, we didn’t have the equipment to go do the job with. So, now we still aspire to accomplish the same things but we have a better toy, you know — we have a faster car. We have a more aerodynamically designed, we have a better Toyota Camry to go race with. I’m glad our expectations are high and I’m glad they were this past season, but now we have a car I believe we can go win with. My answer would be no, we’re prepared and we’re ready. I believe we’re going to do the job.”

How important is Twitter to your organization and how was hard was it to get Mark Martin on Twitter? “I was a little unfair to Mark (Martin), I kind of tricked him. I think he’ll love it though. I know Mark, he loves this sport and he’ll see. For example, this morning there was something on Twitter about a sponsor going with another team that I hadn’t heard anywhere before. It’s what’s relative to me, it’s things that matter to me that I can get my news from. It’s instant. So, I explained that to Mark. I said, ‘You don’t have to be controversial, just follow along and let the fans have a peek into who you are. He was happy he signed up. (Clint) Bowyer hadn’t got there yet, but hopefully we can convince him to do the same. I get it, I can tell customers to go to NAPA and get a brake job or an oil filter on a cheap price, for the best price if I choose to. Or, I can tell them to watch a movie that I like. We can share all kinds of different stories. I like it because I think it keeps me in touch with the fans. I get to hear sometimes good, sometimes bad, but I get to hear what they’re thinking. I just enjoy it. Part of my daily routine is to check Twitter, check what’s going on in the world and also see what’s going on in my world which is NASCAR.”

Do you feel it’s important to have drivers that mesh well with your personality? “I just love my lineup. I think that Clint (Bowyer) is a very energetic, engaging guy. I like the way he likes to have fun. That’s a good step up for our organization. Then you have the respected, savvy, tough, committed, dedicated veteran Mark Martin who has had the most fun today making Aaron’s commercials. He never dreamed he could have so much fun making a TV commercial, but the commercials are funny and he was really into it. I like seeing his reaction to the silly things that we asked him to do today. I think both those guys will revive Martin (Truex Jr.). You know, Martin is a really fun guy and he’s a guy that is very popular and won the Nationwide championship twice and made the Chase early on in his career, but he hasn’t had a whole lot to smile about lately. Now, with the cars that we’re building and the way he ended the 2011 season, we’re giving him something to smile about and we’re surrounding him with guys that like to smile and like to have fun. That will help Martin as well. Really cool driver lineup and a lot of fun feelings. I’m not making this up when I tell you all, a year ago to this day I was nervous about where we were going into 2011. I didn’t like our direction, I didn’t like the way our cars were being built, I didn’t like our philosophy on building them. You can’t change things overnight and we cracked toward a new philosophy, we cracked toward partnering closer with Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing), we worked hard at using our relationship with Toyota more effectively. If you look where we are today, it’s facts, it’s science, it’s black and white. We have partnered with Gibbs on the engines. We’re going to have the same engines that they have. We couldn’t say that a year ago. Our aerodynamics have improved to where our cars are as good as theirs, we couldn’t say that a year ago. Our driver lineup, if you just look at the numbers, we have more wins than we’ve ever had before. We have more Chase appearances than we’ve ever had before, so I love our driver lineup. Everything is pointing towards us having a banner 2012 season and I’m confident in that and I couldn’t have said that a year ago.”

Do you think the economy is starting to turn around in NASCAR? “Well, we added a team. Not many people have been able to do that. So, 5-Hour Energy came on board and we were able to go from two teams to three here at Michael Waltrip Racing. Obviously, we know how challenging things are, but NAPA and Aaron’s, Toyota — our key sponsors, our key partners — they see the value in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing, they know how big of a sport this is and they continue to support our team. But, more importantly, they continue to be a part of this sport. Adding another quality partner like 5-Hour and going into this season with a more robust lineup from the number of cars to the number of employees, the commercials we’re making — everything we’re doing is good for our sport. I agree, I think that things are heading in a really positive direction and we ended the 2011 season on an up slope in the ratings as a whole. With the new fuel injection going into 2012 and the amazing battle we had for a championship, I think that momentum will continue.”

What would be a successful 2012 season for your team? “We have to win more than a race, we can’t just win a race and finish 16th in the points. I think we have to win multiple races and we have to make the Chase. We have to be right there fighting for it at least to make it. We’ll reassess our goals weekly, see what we did wrong and see how we can do them better and look at going from Daytona to Vegas, how we can do that the most effective way possible. As a whole in general, multiple wins for our cars and hopefully in the Chase.”

 What does Clint Bowyer bring to your team? “Just enthusiasm, excitement, but the main thing that he (Clint Bowyer) brings is a track record that is very impressive. A Nationwide championship, three Chase appearances in his few years that he’s been in Cup, race wins, sponsors love him, the media love him — he’s just a guy that you’d want on your team. I think it’s important what you are when you’re not behind the wheel. Obviously, it’s more important what you are when you’re behind the wheel, that makes up for a lot of stuff, but when you have the enthusiasm and the attitude that Clint has, he’s engaging, people want to talk to him, people want to hear what he has to say. Then that helps the organization as well. I couldn’t be prouder that he elected to come drive our cars. Personally, I have this desire to give all my boys the tools they need to go win the races with. I think that Clint will find that we have done a pretty good job over the last five years building these cars to the point where he can take them into 2012 and do some special things with them.”

How has Mark Martin been with your humor? “He’s (Mark Martin) perfect. He is just enthusiastic and he’s all in. He’s, ‘What do you need me to do Michael? What are we doing?’ And, I said, ‘We’re going to make these commercials and it’s going to be a little goofy, a little silly.’ ‘No problem, I love it.’ So, today with him being here and making the commercials, he just genuinely loves the experience. I look at him as being pretty versatile while he’s really tight and proper, he’s also very willing to do whatever it takes for the sponsor and team and that’s the kind of attitude that I appreciate as an owner. That’s the way I’ve always been, whatever they want, that’s what I give them. Mark’s the same way.”

How special is it for you to continue to drive part-time? “I’m blessed. I get to run a Ferrari at Daytona. I’m going to get to race in my home state of Kentucky in a car that can win that darn race. Of course, last fall I finished top-10 at Talladega in my last race out. I’m thankful, I’m happy. I’m glad I don’t do it every week. I think that we have a better driver lineup than it would be if I was in it week in and week out. I think that the fact that I get to still race, I get to own this place, I get to still be on TV and I get to participate in NASCAR, all that is a blessing. I will take it. I will take it to any extent I can get it and right now it’s about the perfect mix for me between TV and racing over in Le Mans in Europe and then being able to get behind the wheel of a car of this caliber — it’s special.”

How far has Michael Waltrip Racing come since 2007? “We started it up and it makes me a little sad today to look back and see how naďve I was and how unprepared we were and how much ground we needed to make up in order to be able to ever contend. We missed a ton of races in ’07, we made them all ever since. We’ve been able to make races and consistently and steadily get a little bit better. But I really believe in my heart that we never have gone into a season like we’re going into ’12, we’re ready. We have a great driver lineup, we have great crew chiefs. Our cars are better. The state of Michael Waltrip Racing is very, very positive because we added a team, we’re not two teams any more — we’re three. We added people. We added a great sponsor in 5-Hour. I’m looking forward to this season.”

CLINT BOWYER, No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, speaks with the media during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday in Cornelius, N.C. - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

What has Scott Miller brought to Michael Waltrip Racing as competition director? “That was a huge reason that I was so comfortable coming over here. A lot of the same thought processes — a lot of the same things that I have been used to over the last several years was already implemented in Scott Miller (competition director, MWR). He was the competition director at RCR (Richard Childress Racing). A lot of the things moving forward from here, I’m on the same page because of the relationship with him. I know his mentality, his work ethic, what he expects out of others, his organization — I know the things that are taking place because I’ve lived them out the last several years as he’s been a competition director at RCR. I guess the comforting factor of coming to some place new and not really knowing much about anybody there was kind of put to bed because I know the captain of the ship is somebody that I got confidence in and have a relationship with.”

Do you feel like you are starting over in your career? “In this sport anymore, the cars are so much the same that the only real thing you’re starting over with is the group of people. Sometimes change can be good and bad. There’s no question that last year, I didn’t have the success that I expected and that I wanted. It’s not good enough. That’s the way that I look at that. When you’re thinking about making a change — it wasn’t where I wanted to be standings-wise, statistics-wise — all that isn’t what I wanted and expected out of me and racing. Maybe it was time to make a change and I’ll be able to answer that in a year or so. I really see a lot of potential here — a lot of things coming together at the right time for me to make a change and ride that wave on into the future.”

What makes you feel good about being with Michael Waltrip Racing? “You see the speed in the race cars, the people on my team, the potential. We’ve got a good group of guys. We were able to take advantage of a not-so-fortunate time in this sport — a lot of teams and organizations pulling back. We were able to go out and pick the cream of the crop so to speak and I feel like we’ve done that with our group of guys on the 5-Hour Energy car.”

What is it like working with Michael Waltrip? “It’s been fun and we’re quite a bit the same. It’s kind of weird sometimes and it becomes awkward because it’s like we’re both very outspoken and we kind of hit the same thought at about the same time on something that’s funny that comes up in your mind that somebody said. There’s an awkwardness sometimes in our conversations because we’re stepping on each other about the same thing that we were going to say. It’s been a lot of fun. There’s some history there. I called him the worst driver in NASCAR and I knew that was going to come up at some point in time and it came up the very second that I walked in the door of his office. He was like, ‘Do you still think I’m the worst driver in NASCAR?’ I was like, ‘Well, good way to break the ice.’ That’s when I told him yes, but he could be a very good owner. I hope that he is.”

What did you learn at the Daytona test session? “I’m not 100 percent sure what we learned. I’m not 100 percent sure what they (NASCAR) learned. Only time will tell. I know they did a lot of learning, but I don’t know what they’re going to use and put in place. I’ve heard a lot of things — some things that might be changed and whatever else. I don’t get caught up in that. They’re going to give you a sandbox to play in and you have to go out and make the most of it and put on a show. They’re going to do the right decisions to make it the best show possible for our fans because ultimately, that’s what we’re in this business to do. Racing has always been a great show — it’s always been thrilling to watch. The Daytona 500 has always been an incredible race — always come down to the last wire to determine who is going to be the champion of the biggest race of the year. That’s got to be a good feeling if you’re NASCAR. It doesn’t really matter what you change — somehow, some way that race always comes down to a crazy, wild finish that everybody is like, ‘Oh my God, how are we ever going to top that?’ Every year they do.”

How big of a change is joining Michael Waltrip Racing for you personally? “Obviously, I’ve been with Richard (Childress Racing) since my very first start into NASCAR so it’s a big change and it’s another chapter in my life, my career — a fresh start, a new beginning — new way to prove myself all over again. The challenge is there and it’s fun. It’s nerve-wracking all over again, I’m nervous all over again and worried about things. A lot of times, I perform my best in the early stages of my career when I didn’t know what I was doing and I was nervous about it. Usually, somehow, some way I got some of the best results I’ve ever had. I see a lot of good things, a lot of positive things and a good direction that they are headed at MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing), TRD (Toyota Racing Development). There’s a lot of good things here and I think they’re all coming together at the right time. Timing in anything you do in life is so important, as it was when I got my start and my opportunity with Richard. This is a new opportunity to go out and to make things happen for myself again.”

What do you think of the current Chase format? “You can’t control what happens in that Chase. You can only put your best odds — if I’m NASCAR, you can only put your best odds of putting on a good show for your fans out there and the only way to do that is to put your best teams out there. To qualify for that Chase, you have to be the top-12 best teams out there. The Chase finally paid off and did what they expected of it and intended for it to do this year — what an incredible finish to our season that Tony (Stewart) and Carl (Edwards) had down there. How could you script a battle to a championship any better than that? It definitely made that Chase idea worth the wait and worth the effort.”

What have you learned about Brian Pattie? “I’ve learned a lot about Brian (Pattie, crew chief). I’ve learned that I’m super excited about working with Brian. I think that’s my best opportunity that I’ve ever had to work with a guy that I really, really can truly fit in with and get the most out of each other. Now it’s up to us to go out and make that happen, but from the very first time that I started talking to Brian, I just felt comfortable. I felt like the relationship was there right off the bat and can build so much more than I’ve ever had. I love Shane Wilson (RCR crew chief) to death and we’re very close, but we had a lot of differences. We just weren’t really the same person and didn’t share the same — he liked asphalt racing and I like dirt racing. Brian likes dirt racing — he speaks my language and we get along.”

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Mark Martin, driver of the No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota, and Michael Waltrip, owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, unveil the 2012 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday in Cornelius, N.C. - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

What made you choose to come to Michael Waltrip Racing? “This was the right opportunity because it gave me a chance to run the schedule that I wanted to run and they had really great people here and great equipment. Aaron’s has been a great sponsor of NASCAR for over 10 years, so that’s really important as well. Everything was just right. I never saw it coming. It happened really quick. Took me a minute to think about it, but when I started thinking about the cars, the people, the team and Aaron’s and Toyota’s support, every piece of it was the right fit for me.”

Is it hard for you to run a part-time schedule? “I love racing and I like to race for the events — kind of old school, like (David) Pearson and Cale (Yarborough) did back in the day. Most of their careers they picked the races that they wanted to run and they raced those races and I like doing that.”

Are you enjoying Michael Waltrip’s humor? “I hope that Michael (Waltrip) can rub off on me a little bit. I am very happy right now. I’m so satisfied with the situation. I feel so incredibly lucky to have an opportunity to work with this many great people and have an organization that wants you there, and to work with Aaron’s and everyone here. Maybe he (Michael Waltrip) can teach me how to win a Daytona 500 because he’s done it twice.”

Can you and Scott Miller work together to help Michael Waltrip Racing grow as an organization? “That’s one of the really fun challenges. Challenge is what life is all about. It’s what makes you get up in the morning and it’s what drives you every inch of the way or it does me anyway. It wouldn’t be any fun if it wasn’t a challenge. They have the people here, they have the equipment, they have the sponsors, which I’m very proud to have and support, and Michael (Waltrip) has poured his heart and soul into this place. I could not do what Michael Waltrip has done and would not do it. I’ve got to give him props. You look around here and just think about the payroll every week. He’s built up quite an organization here and they want to compete week in and week out with the big boys and they’re working hard to get there.”

What are your goals at Michael Waltrip Racing? “I want to help those guys build a strong foundation so that they can be competitive week in and week out and realize their potential. I want to be their guy. I want to be the guy that no matter if I’m in their race car or not, I’m out here pulling for them and trying to make their program and their car better and they know that and they support me in the same way.”

Was this one of the first offers you received? “I was not in a hurry to do anything because I didn’t really think that there was really anything perfect out there for me. I didn’t want to race the full schedule anymore. Had I wanted to do that I would’ve re-upped with Rick Hendrick when he asked me about it and I told him he needed to go and get Kasey Kahne, and that 2011 was going to be enough for me. I just waited and waited and waited and all of a sudden out of the blue I got a text from Michael (Waltrip) and a day later we were meeting on it and it just happened really quick. It’s the right fit for me. I really feel comfortable within this organization. I’ve embraced the challenge that we have to make that next step on the performance side and feel real lucky to have the opportunity to work with Aaron’s and Toyota and everybody that supports MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing).”

How long did it take for this deal to come together? “It came together — from first text to signed contract was two weeks. And, that was a signed contract. It took probably five days to get the contract or else it really would’ve been about 10 days, but there was a drag where there was some issues with timing where the attorney’s couldn’t get to it and then there was a weekend and then we were off, so there was some lag time in getting it signed. But, we agreed and shook hands in a week from the first text (from Michael Waltrip).”

Can you describe the difference between the atmosphere at Hendrick Motorsports and Michael Waltrip Racing? “It is a different feel, but it’s a fun change. As long as I live I will cherish my opportunity to be a part of Hendrick Motorsports as well as the opportunity to help Jack Roush build his organization from scratch and my time with Jay Frye and Dale Earnhardt Incorporated as well. This is another exciting challenge and challenges are what drive me. This is going to be fun. Michael’s (Waltrip) a different guy and if I smile a little bit more than usual that won’t be a bad thing.”

Why did you decide to join Twitter? “I’m new to social media and Twitter. I hope that I will not become obsessed with it, because I have plenty on my plate already and I know a lot of people really get into that. For me, I’ve got a full plate, so something has got to slide off the edge if I add a bunch more. I’m one day in and we’ll take it as it comes. I do want to connect with my fans. I’ve been so fortunate there’s so many great fans. I think we started a count at about 10 AM and as of 6 PM I think we had six-thousand followers already and that’s pretty amazing, but of course Michael (Waltrip) put it out there to his eighty-thousand followers. It’s growing really fast and I don’t think I’ll be the king of Twitter by any means, but I will try to do a good job. When I get a chance to thank some of the fans that are so supportive, I will because I believe in reaching out and touching the people that support me so much.”

How is your relationship with Rodney Childers? “I didn’t know Rodney (Childers, crew chief) personally and I hadn’t paid that much attention. I kept my focus on other things and I think possibly the biggest surprise of the whole organization or the whole deal for me has been my pleasure with getting to know Rodney. I think he’s got it and I really hope that I’m able to produce the kind of results that he deserves because he’s so committed. It’s been a while since I’ve noticed someone that was so far in — he’s all the way in and committed with everything that he’s got and I’d like to see that pay off for him.”

Have you set expectations for yourself this year? “I do, but they are different than most people would expect. I don’t set numbers or whatever. What I really hope to accomplish this year is that everyone within this organization, especially my teammates — the drivers, the crew chiefs and the upper management — I hope that when this year is over with they’re happy, they’re glad that I was a part of their team. If they are, then I will have done well on and off the race track.”

Have you noticed a big difference in the race car between a Toyota and a Chevrolet? “Sitting in the driver seat looking out you probably don’t see much difference unless you see the Toyota decal on the dash, but hardware-wise NASCAR has the box so well defined that there’s not a huge difference in the shape of the car on the outside. The power plants are all similar and NASCAR keeps it that way. If one gets an advantage, the other manufacturers usually get a little extra bump to keep them close together. With racing as it is today, very much like it has been in the past, it’s what you do with what you have that makes a winner. It’s not what you have, but what you do with what you have.”

How concerned are you about the future of NASCAR and the possibly of having less than a 43-car field? “I had a pretty grim outlook on the situation back in the summer and feel very fortunate to have such an incredible situation fall in my lap. I’ve never seen this kind of shrinkage before because it never got so big before. Racing was more like this until the time through the late 90′s and 2007 or 2008. It was more like it is now, so it’s not alarming to me other than everyone tends to get comfortable and used to a certain way and now it’s much tougher and things have thinned out and opportunities are tougher and you have to work harder. You have to work a lot harder for less – everybody does. Everybody has to do more right now because it’s tightened down on everyone. I’m not as grim on the outlook as I was then. I believe that it’s going to hold where it is. I don’t think it’s going to get euphoric again soon, but I feel like we’ve hit our lower threshold there of where the effect of the economy — it just took a long time for NASCAR to feel what happened with the economy because there were contracts in effect that last a long time, years out, and it just took a while for that. I think that has hit its floor and will go along probably where it is for a while. I’m not worried about short fields. I could be wrong, but I see an awful lot of teams and people viewing this as opportunity. You see a lot of new stuff springing up — a lot of them won’t last, but it is an opportunity for some people that they didn’ t see before. I think that will keep us from having short fields because of all of these new upstart deals because they are saying, ‘This is my chance to get in.’ From the drivers standpoint, there’s not a lot of rides. If you don’t have sponsorship strapped to your back, you may not get a ride. It was always like that before.”

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

(Left to right) Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, Mark Martin, driver of the No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota, and Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, share a laugh during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday in Cornelius, N.C. - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

Do you feel like you can make the Chase this year? “You have to look at some of the situations that I’ve been in — in ’08 — the team was kind of falling apart. We had some good runs and we were sitting on the cusp of making it and had a penalty, lost a bunch of points and didn’t make the Chase. In ’09 we switched teams and went to Ganassi and went to two cars, a lot of change and it was a horrible season filled with crashes, cars falling apart and just crazy things. Then I came here and it’s just taken a little more time than I expected it to. We had a performance easily last year to make the Chase. You look at our finishes, we had six finishes worse than 34th or 35th and without those we were in. I made just as many top-fives and top-10s at the start of the Chase as Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. did and he was sitting fifth or something. If you take a step back and really look at it — last year we had the performance to make it, we just didn’t do all the little things right. If you ask Michael (Waltrip, team owner) — he will tell you that we know what we did wrong and now it’s a matter of fixing it. I know what I’m capable of as a driver and I know what my team’s capable of. I know what we’re capable of here as a company and we can put fast race cars on the track, consistently. We just need to get the finishes consistently. That’s a whole different ball game. There’s a lot that goes into that. Every guy in here that touches that race car has to do a perfect job. You can’t have a bolt come loose — you can’t have a truck arm crack and a shock mount fall off. There’s so many little tiny things. I tell people all the time that it takes a million things to go right and only one to go wrong. It takes a million things to go right to win a Cup race, but one little thing goes wrong and you’re not going to win it. It takes a lot and that’s the parts that we’re working on is being consistent. If we can do that, then I have no doubt that we have the speed and the capability to challenge for wins, which we did last year. There was a few races where we had the speed to win and we threw it away so we need to do better at that. We need to be smarter, better prepared and I know what it takes to do it. We just need to do it consistently and we will work on that.”

How do you feel about your chances to win the Daytona 500? “I’m really looking forward to it — we’re not really sure of what the new rules will bring. I don’t know if we tested with the exact package that we’re going to race. At the end of the day, I think it’s going to be about hooking up with your partner and staying committed to somebody and hopefully we’ll have that worked out by that time and have a shot to put the NAPA Toyota in victory lane. It would be nice to start the year out with a win.”

How has your relationship with crew chief Chad Johnston evolved? “When you’re talking about the car and how you get better — let’s say you need two-tenths on the race track and things aren’t feeling right — he (Chad Johnston, crew chief) doesn’t say, ‘Well, are you tight or are you lose, I don’t understand.’ He goes deeper than that and pulls more out of me. He pulls more from me, he pulls information from me and he’s sitting at the computer and he understands how to take what I say and what the computer says and mesh them. That’s where we’ve really turned a corner with our engineering department, with the sims (simulation) stuff, which I feel like is one of the things that we do really, really well. He’s very good about transferring that information and putting two and two together. Integrating me with the computer and figuring out what we need to do to be faster. He’s done a good job at it. There’s been times where we’ve struggled throughout the weekend and he’s talked to me and asked the right questions and came up with the right solutions by doing that. In turn, making us run better on Sunday. That’s something that is hard to get. At the end of the day, the biggest thing for me is that I have a lot of confidence in his ability and how much he knows about race cars. I’ve never seen anyone who works as much or as hard as he does and that goes a long way too.”

How did you feel about testing with your new teammates? “I thought everything went well and obviously me and Mark (Martin) have been teammates along the way — at DEI (Dale Earnhardt Incorporated). We’ve got a bit of experience working together and I kind of know his deal and how he likes his cars and things like that. I think Mark’s going to bring a lot to the company with his experience and working with a new team and brining in some ideas and some of the feel that he’s looking for with what he has had over the last few years. The same thing with Clint (Bowyer) — we raced against each other for a championship in ’05 and he’s a great guy, fun to be around. Obviously, I think Brian Pattie (No. 15 crew chief) and his whole team that they put together — they have a great bunch of guys. Then Rodney (Childers, No. 55 crew chief) on the 55 — I think we have good team chemistry already. One of the coolest things about the testing we did — it normally takes a while with three teams getting together just to get along and trust each other and saying, ‘Okay, what do you think about this?’ Normally it’s just, ‘I will do my own thing and wait and see how this guy does it.’ It’s not like that here now. I think that’s probably one of the things that I’m most excited about this season is just the way our teams are already working together — hearing ideas, getting along, trusting each other and I think those guys are as excited to work together as we all are. We’re all excited about it. Obviously, the best I’ve felt over the seasons of being at MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing). We’re pumped and ready to go.”

Source: Toyota Motorsports, Press Release

JTG-Daugherty Racing

HARRISBURG, N.C.

“As a car owner, I’ve had more fun this winter than I have had in a long time,” Geschickter said.

Some of those changes included the hiring of Todd Berrier as crew chief and general manager along with Laerte Zatta as engineering director. The team added personnel and made pit crew member changes too. Also, former crew chief Frank Kerr moved into the role of shop foreman while the team ventured out on its own moving from Michael Waltrip Racing’s shop into their Harrisburg, N.C. shop. More importantly, sponsors were retained and new sponsors have been signed that will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We have had a lot of changes and added some great people, such as, Todd Berrier for example,” Geschickter said. “He’s an excellent leader and he’s assembled a very talented group of people that are having fun together getting ready for the season. We are excited because it seems like the team is gelling quickly and everyone is really pulling together.”

2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte agrees with Geschickter. The two buzz words about this year that come to his mind when asked about JTG Daugherty Racing are synergy and confidence.

“Talking to my team yesterday, there is synergy and confidence with each other as far as chemistry goes,” Labonte said. “We’re ready to get the season started. I know right now it’s a lot of work for the guys. They are starting off without a lot of inventory in the shop. I think that is going to be remedied pretty soon. I have a lot of confidence in Todd, our engineering department and our pit crew. I think we are going to be better than we were last year on all fronts.”

“We have a solid pit crew in place and I’ve been pleasantly surprised,” pit coach Gary Smith added. “We had a good team last year, but we were trying to tweak the team. We were able to pick up a few pit crew members that have been in the sport for a while, who can really help us out. Everyone has blended in really well and is getting along. We’re looking forward to a new season and also working with Todd.”

Berrier, who has eight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career wins as a crew chief and spent nearly two decades at Richard Childress Racing, is proving to be a good fit for Labonte and JTG Daugherty Racing.

“Todd is very direct, which is what I love,” Labonte said. “We have a smaller group this year and Todd’s the driving force behind assembling a cohesive unit. I feel like we will perform better.”

“I agree with Bobby,” added Berrier. “I’m looking forward to this season with JTG Daugherty Racing. I was a part of RCR when it was this size and was a part of its growth to where it is now. I know what it takes to get from here to there competition wise.”

Berrier’s résumé includes some major victories including the 2003 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 2007 Daytona 500 with Kevin Harvick. A Daytona 500 victory is something Berrier’s current driver would like to mark off his bucket list. Ironically, the team is not attending testing at Daytona International Speedway this week in efforts to continue preparations for the season at the shop. However, Labonte states his team will not skip a beat.

“As important as the Daytona test is, we have a lot of time there in February and we’ll get more practice there than anywhere else we go,” Labonte said. “I feel like we will be able to miss the test and still be in pretty good shape when we get down there for the race. Time spent in the shop this week will be more valid for us to prepare cars – - not just Daytona, but several weeks after that.”

“I trust Todd and our leadership group,” Geschickter added. “They feel like races are won at the shop. While we would have liked to have been at the Daytona test, we’re really getting started out in our Harrisburg shop and we have quite a bit of work left to do. When Daytona gets here, we’ll be ready to contend for the win again.”

Labonte came close to winning the Daytona 500 last season pushing Trevor Bayne to victory. Labonte admits Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway last season started out a little slow for the team, but in the end he was a contender for one of the most prestigious races on the 36-race schedule.

“We were in the Bud Shootout last year and was kind of like a lost puppy out there and then we found our way,” Labonte said. “In the Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying race, we lost the draft near the end. In the Daytona 500, it was a different story. We were able to stay out of trouble and survive the day through a lot of carnage that went on. We kept in contention and when it came down to the end of the race, we were tucked in behind the leader. We came close to winning and ended up with a top-five (fourth-place) finish. If we can be that fortunate this year and put ourselves in position again, anything can happen.”

- JTG-Daugherty Racing, Press Release

Winfield Motorsports

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 17, 2011) –

“Our plans are to run full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, with a partial NASCAR Sprint Cup Series effort next year” said CEO/principal partner Robert Winfield. “Winfield Motorsports looks forward to working with TRD/Toyota Motorsports who will be supplying technical and engineering support for our programs in an effort to compete at the highest level.”

Winfield Motorsports LLC was established in 2011 fielding the #27 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team will be announcing sponsorship and the driver lineup in the coming weeks.

- Winfield Motorsports LLC Press Release

Toyota Motorsports Logo

Richmond International Raceway – September 9, 2011

- Kyle Busch earned his eighth win of the season in Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at
Richmond International Raceway.

- Busch led four times for 74 laps (of 250) to record his 51st career victory and extended his all-time NNS wins record.

- Ryan Truex (fourth) and Kenny Wallace (fifth) also earned top-five results for Toyota. It marked a career-best finish for Truex, and Wallace’s first top -five behind the wheel of a Camry.

- Camry drivers Joe Nemechek (10th), Michael Annett (11th), Steve Wallace (16th) and Brian Scott were also in the field at Richmond.

- Five Camry drivers are currently in the top-15 in the unofficial NNS point standings following 27 of 34 races in the 2011 season — K. Wallace (seventh), S. Wallace (eighth), Annett (ninth), Scott (10th) and Nemechek (13th).

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

Finishing Position: 1st

Did you think you had a race-winning car tonight?

“Carl (Edwards) was certainly really good there. I thought at first we were probably a third or fourth-place car and then we kind of worked on it and made it a second or third-place car and then there at the end we were keeping up with Carl and thought it was about a second-place car and that final pit stop my guys really put the pressure on them knowing how quick they’ve been on pit road all night and they did it once again. We were able to get off first and I think Carl came off fourth.

When we had the restart there he got mired back in traffic a little bit and kind of gave us some time and some room to get out and then when he and Ricky (Stenhouse) started racing there a little bit obviously it took them a little bit to get by and we kind of stretched it out somewhat but not a lot. These cars are all pretty equal. It’s certainly hard to have an advantage but any time you can get out-front and stay out-front certainly I felt like that helped. Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and these guys made some awesome adjustments all night making the car better for us and just making it a little more drivable. Every run we got closer and then there at the last run we just had track position and a good car.”

Did you have to be patient in tonight’s race?

“Yeah, Jason Ratcliff (crew chief) and these guys — that’s why we just keep digging and we just kept trying to do what we can with these Z-Line Designs Camrys. I can’t say enough about this team and the guys on pit road, Jason making all the adjustments tonight — what a polish job — and again Z-Line is on here with us and having fun and NOS Energy Drink, Toyota, Nationwide Insurance and my wife is around here somewhere, I think. She didn’t want to get wet. Thank Pizza Ranch, Gillette and the fans, too and all of those that we lost on 9/11 weekend. This is for those people and also for their families and all the men and women serving across the country, certainly it means a lot to give us our freedom to come out here to have fun and enjoy it and to celebrate like this in times when its good for us and may not be so great for others.”

How much confidence do you have in Jason Ratcliff as your crew chief?

“When it started out as rough as it did tonight I wasn’t sure that we were going to be able to get anything but a third or fourth place finish. Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) has got the smarts on him. Him and Dave Rogers (NSCS crew chief) both those guys work together so much and they really help me a lot. I wouldn’t be here without the work of great people all around me. It’s cool to have guys like that and to come out here and celebrate another win — win number 51 for Rowdy.”

Why was Carl Edwards able to beat you throughout much of the race?

“We were certainly working on that through the whole night and trying to get our car better. I think it was just we were too loose up off the corner. The first run of the race I was really loose all the way through and then we’d get tight and then I’d start loosing ground in the center. There at the end of the race I was actually really good and could put the power down off the corners and sort of got my gap that I had. But the last eight or five laps there Carl (Edwards) was catching me there again I think and just getting a little bit tight in the center of the corner so not being able to roll it as good as we wanted to. Our car didn’t stay as consistent throughout a run as theirs did, but certainly there at the end the track position mattered and just being able to get out there and get a little bit of a gap helped us.”

JASON RATCLIFF, crew chief, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Were you the car to beat at the race’s midpoint?

“No, we weren’t. Big thanks to the Z-Line Designs team tonight on pit road. These guys did a whale of a job. I mean good pit stops. Kyle (Busch) hung in there and kept communicating well. We probably had a third-place car to start the night. We just kept getting better and kept getting better and, man, the pit crew did what they needed to do in the end and, of course, Kyle Busch did what he did when he needed to do it there at the end. Of course, we’ve got to remember all of our military and all of our armed service people that give us the freedom to come out here and do this, especially on this weekend as we think about all the great people that we miss and then all the great people that suit up and were very courageous to do what they did and they continue to do it today. And that’s the freedom that we have to come out here and race and I’m very thankful for that.”

How much did the track change tonight?

“Usually you kind of get a feel for what it’s going to be in the morning. Nationwide cars always practice in the morning and then the Cup cars go out there and you pretty much run a full race out there on the race track so it’s always different, but you kind of anticipate what it’s going to be — how much to adjust your car — from the previous notes we had from this race track. Tonight, I anticipated that forward drive would be a big deal tonight and we made some adjustments for that, but it was a much bigger deal when the race started than I thought it would be. That was the main thing that we had to work on all night and I didn’t feel like it would be. The center would be what I thought we would need to work on all night. It kind of caught me off guard and went a little further than I anticipated on losing drive off from practice to race. Some of it can just be this new car. We don’t have a lot of laps on this new car — just our third event here on this new car.We’re still learning with it, but the track went further tonight than I anticipated.”

RYAN TRUEX, No. 20 Schick Xtreme 3 Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

How was your race?

“It was crazy. I just can’t thank these guys enough for giving me such a good car. It’s just so cool to be here. This is my first top-five and to have Schick Xtreme 3 onboard and everybody here it’s pretty cool. I’m having a lot of fun out here and being able to run good is pretty cool so I’ve got to thank these guys and just thank everybody for sticking behind me.”

What does this top-five finish mean to you?

“What a pleasure to drive this car. It’s so cool to be able to run this good and have such a good crew and team and everyone behind me. To have Schick Xtreme 3 on the car and just everybody that’s behind me has put a lot into this to have me out here running and it’s really, really cool. To get a reward like this is just really nice.”

How did your car handle during race?

“Those long runs were hard. Our car was loose, but I just had to really be easy on the right-rear tire and try to conserve tires so I could be there at the end. We did that and were able to pass guys longer in the run so it was cool.”

How were you able to recover and have a career-best night?

“It helps when you’ve got a good car. These guys at Joe Gibbs Racing just work so hard and they build such great race cars. It’s just a pleasure to be able to drive them and be out there racing with these guys. We started off and I had to from 42nd and I just took my time. I was patient. I made my way up to the front. Like I said, we had an awesome car. I can’t thank these guys enough. Schick Xtreme3 — I’ve got to thank them for being on the car. Our car looked awesome and it’s just a good night. I’m happy.”

What were you able to learn in tonight’s race?

“I think it helped me a lot with just tire strategy and being able to save my stuff. In the long runs, we were really good and it was just from me saving the right rear the whole beginning of the run. We weren’t the fastest car in the short runs, but as we would run and keep going and making laps, we would start catching those guys and they would all come back to us. Can’t thanks these guys enough and just happy to be here.”

KENNY WALLACE, No. 09 Federated Auto Parts Toyota Camry, RAB Racing with Brack Maggard

Finishing Position: 5th

How was your race car tonight?

“I’m just mentally happy to be back in the top-10. That was my top-five. Eleven top-10s this year. Mentally, that’s exciting to me after three years of misery. We had a really fast race car. I’m up there racing Penske, Roush, Gibbs and they just outrun me up off the corner. I could get in through the middle and they’d pull me up off the corner. That was a really good run for our team. Our pit stops weren’t where we needed them, but I want to thank Federated Auto Parts for sponsoring myrace car. They mean a lot to us so if you find a Federated Auto Parts go and by some parts from .”

Are you excited to get a top-five finish?

“It was a good night for the Federated Auto Parts Toyota Camry. It’s nice to have a top-five and my 11th top-10 of the year. It means a lot to me. We put a lot of effort into this year to come back. This top-five means a lot. We’ve given away about three or four this year so I’m really excited.”

How hard did you fight for this top-five tonight?

“I drove every lap as hard as I could drive. When you’re racing Penske, Gibbs and Roush, they’re just good teams. They beat us out of the pits every time and I just had to really muscle my way past the cars that are beating me out of the pits. We made a couple of changes to the car, but it was mostly air pressure. We worked really hard. This is the same car that ran top- three all night here last time.”

How were you able to post your first top-five since 2008?

“Hard work and perseverance. I want to thank Federated Auto Parts and my Toyota Camry. That’s the key to it — a team determined like me losing weight and getting physically fit. Mentally this is a big comeback for me. I’m excited.”

JOE NEMECHEK, No. 87 NEMCO Toyota Camry, NEMCO Motorsports

Finishing Position: 10th

MICHAEL ANNETT, No. 62 Freightliner Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 11th

STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 16th

BRIAN SCOTT, No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 32nd

What happened to take you out of the race?

“I just got turned by the 88 (Aric Almirola) getting into turn 3. We were having a rough night. We didn’t have our No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota where we wanted it. The guys were doing an awesome job in the pits, gaining me position and keeping us in the game. We were making adjustments and it was going to be a night we had to battle. Kevin (Kidd, crew chief) was making good adjustments, we were starting to hit on it and unfortunately we’re not going to see how our night goes.”

Are you upset with Aric Almirola after the contact?

“Yeah. He’s (Aric Almirola) ran into the back of me a couple of times on restarts. Bristol comes to mind. I don’t know what it is, but when you turn somebody before you get into the corner, you hit the outside wall pretty hard. It was a tough hit. Killed our car. We weren’t having the night that we wanted with our No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota. Guys were doing an awesome job on pit road keeping us in the game. Kevin (Kidd, crew chief) was making good adjustments. We were starting to hit on it, but now we’re not going to see how our night ends.”

- Toyota Motorsports Press Release

Toyota Motorsports Logo

DOVER DOMINANCE: In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Dover, Busch earned his third victory of the season — and the fourth win of the year for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM). Busch started third in the KBM No. 18 Traxxas Tundra and led the field three times for a total of 128 laps. It was his inaugural win driving a Tundra at the Delaware oval. The victory was Busch’s third of the season, and the fifth win of the year — in six events — for Tundra drivers. The win by Busch marked the fourth straight win at Dover in the Camping World Truck Series for a Tundra driver — following wins by Aric Almirola (2010), Brian Scott (2009) and Scott Speed (2008). Since the start of the 2004 season, Tundra drivers have recorded 85 wins.

ALL-STAR CAMRYS: Four Camry drivers are scheduled to compete in Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte — Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne and David Reutimann. Three of the six Camrys that competed in last year’s All- Star race earned top-five finishes — Truex (second), Joey Logano (third) and Hamlin (fourth). Truex won last year’s All- Star Showdown to transfer into the All-Star race, and finished runner -up to race-winner Kurt Busch.

HOMEGROWN TALENT: As a Des Moines-native, Michael Annett is looking forward to his third trip to Iowa Speedway in Nationwide Series competition. The 24-year-old spent his youth playing ice hockey in Iowa and advanced through the ranks to play for the AAA Team Illinois. At the age of 16, Annett was part of the team’s 2002 Calgary Mac’s AAA hockey tournament championship. He later joined the Waterloo (IA) Black Hawks in the US Hockey League where he played through the 2005 season. Annett, who drives the Rusty Wallace Racing No. 62 Camry this season, finished seventh at Iowa Speedway last year. During his brief racing career, Annett has two ARCA victories (Talladega 2007 and Daytona 2008).

RUSTY’S DESIGN: Toyota Nationwide Series team owner Rusty Wallace was an integral part of the overall design and layout of Iowa Speedway. Wallace, owner of Rusty Wallace Racing (and an ESPN broadcaster), served as a consultant to the track during construction of the facility, which began in June 2005. Wallace, worked with architect Paxton Waters to pattern the venue after Richmond International Raceway — where Wallace had six wins — with a few modifications. NASCAR held its first event at Iowa in May 2007 with a combination Camping World East/West Series race, and followed that up with inaugural Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races in 2009. Rusty’s son, Steve, will compete in the NNS race at Iowa in the Rusty Wallace Racing No. 66 Camry.

KIMI RACING FOR KYLE: Former Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen is scheduled to make his debut in Friday’s NCWTS race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, competing in a second Tundra for KBM. Team owner, Busch, will also compete in the race. Raikkonen comes to NASCAR with a resume that includes the 2007 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship. Over his nine year career in Formula 1, the Finnish driver registered 18 wins and 62 podium finishes.

NOTES, QUOTES & NUMBERS

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):

Since the start of the 2011 season, Toyota drivers have combined for two victories, 11 top-five results, 24 top-10 finishes and have led 1,227 laps … After 11 races, Kyle Busch is third in the NSCS point standings, trailing leader Carl Edwards by 37 points … Denny Hamlin (13th), Kasey Kahne (18th) and Martin Truex Jr. (19th) are also in the top-20 in the standings … This year, Red Bull Racing Team is giving fans the chance to enter photos at www.redbullracingusa.com/shutterspeed and have their picture placed on one of the two Red Bull Racing Camrys that will participate in the 600-mile race at Charlotte, May 29 … Deadline to enter is May 22 and the Camrys will be revealed on May 27 at the Red Bull Racing Fan Day at the EpiCentre in Charlotte … In May 2008, Kahne became the first driver to be voted into the Sprint All-Star race by the fans and go on to win the race … The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 FedEx Camry pit crew will look to defend their Sprint Pit Crew Challenge Championship from last year on Thurs., May 19 in Charlotte.

KASEY KAHNE, No. 4 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team

Do you approach the All-Star race differently than other ‘points’ races? “I don’t really approach it much different. I know that when you are out there you don’t have to worry quite as much about points, so that’s kind of a good thing once in a while. I’m pretty sure we race just as hard everywhere anymore. You just always have the points in the back of your head. It’s a little different not having the points, but it’ll still be an intense race. There will be some different things going on and people with strategy and everybody will try really hard, that’s for sure.”

MIKE FORD, crew chief, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Do you think your pit crew can defend their championship title? “I think athletically they’re very good. The thing with that competition is it rewards athleticism, and we’ve got a very good group when it comes to athletes. The guys that I worry about, and they kind of made a mistake last year, are the 18 guys. They have a really strong group. They were really good in practice last year out there and they made a mistake and got disqualified early in the going. I think between the two of us, we’ll make a strong run.”

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS):

Since the start of the 2011 season, Toyota drivers have combined for six wins, 16 top- five results, 28 top-10 finishes and have led 1,011 laps … Kenny Wallace (seventh) is the top Toyota driver in the NNS point standings … Brian Scott (eighth), Steve Wallace (ninth), Joe Nemechek (12th) and Michael Annett (13th) are also in the top-15 in the standings … K. Wallace will make his 500th career NNS start at Iowa … Eric Groen, the rear tire carrier on the JGR No. 20 Camry, hails from Sioux Center, Iowa, which is approximately 275 miles northwest of Iowa Speedway … Grimes, Iowa- native Brett Moffitt will drive the Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) No. 00 Camry in the NASCAR K&N Series race.

MICHAEL ANNETT, No. 62 Pilot/Flying J Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Are you happy there are two races at Iowa Speedway this year? “With Iowa Speedway being my home track, I was extremely excited to hear that they secured two races for 2011. They proved that ‘America’s Heartland’ has a passion for motorsports by packing their grandstands with sold-out crowds for their first two Nationwide Series events. It was an amazing feeling when I circled the track and the stands were packed with fans from my home state. Having the support of all those fans makes our sport what it is today, and I’m really excited to see how well NASCAR is being embraced by the fans at Iowa Speedway. I can’t wait to hit the track again in 2011.”

KENNY WALLACE, No. 09 Family Farmers Toyota Camry, RAB Racing

Are you looking forward to your 500th career Nationwide Series start? “And, 855th NASCAR start — so I’m proud of all of them. The reason I’m proud is because it’s an accomplishment, it’s hard enough just to run one year in NASCAR. In Iowa, I’m going to bring my wife and my three daughters. We’re going to go treat it like it’s a normal race, except for maybe two hours before the race we’ll celebrate that accomplishment. We’ll have the car we had at Richmond and had a good run there. Besides it being my 500th start, I’m really looking forward to a good top-five run.” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS): Since the start of the 2011 NCWTS season, Tundra drivers have registered five wins, 11 top-five results, 19 top-10 finishes and have led 577 laps … Timothy Peters (fifth) is the top Toyota driver in the NCWTS points standings after six of 25 races … Max Papis (seventh), Todd Bodine (ninth) and Brendan Gaughan (10th) are also in the top-10 in the point standings … Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) has finished no worse than fifth (Daytona) in the first six races of 2011, including four victories (Phoenix, Darlington, Nashville and Dover) and one second-place result (Martinsville) … Kyle Busch’s NCWTS win at Dover marked his 96th career victory across the three national series placing him fifth on the all-time win list — tied with Mark Martin … Peters will make his 100th career NCWTS start at Charlotte Friday night … Tundra drivers will participate in an autograph session on Friday, May 20 at the Toyota PitPass display at Charlotte Motor Speedway from 1:30 to 2:00 PM.

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

What does it mean to be making your 100th career NCWTS start? “Making my 100th Truck Series start at Charlotte is a huge career milestone for me. I’m really thankful to have been able to make 100 starts — most drivers never get to make one. This is a testament to all of the hard work put in by my family and friends, many who will be at the race this weekend. I have to thank Tom DeLoach (team owner) for believing in me and giving me a home for the past three years. I can’t think of a better place to make my 100th start.”

ERIC PHILLIPS, crew chief, No. 18 Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Has it been a challenge for KBM to prepare two trucks for Charlotte? “The biggest thing is we haven’t brought any people on to do it. All the crew guys on the 18 have put the two trucks together. We built a brand new truck for Kyle (Busch) for Charlotte — a lot of effort went into that. We have some other new things that we’ve been working on — some Nationwide cars that we’re trying to get put together for the end of the year, and we’ve been working hard on that the last couple weeks, too. We’ve been focusing on getting a lot of stuff built. The guys have been working hard and working a few extra hours, but it’s all worth it when you win races.”

- Toyota Motorsports, Press Release

Date: May 6, 2011

Event: Royal Purple 200 (Round 10 of 34)

Series: NASCAR Nationwide Series

Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (1.366-mile oval)

Start / Finish: 1st / 1st (Running, completed 147 of 147 laps)

Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Kyle Busch celebrates winning the Royal Purple 200 with the No.18 team in Victory Lane at Darlington Raceway - Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

The win, which came via an impressive 3.677-second margin over JGR teammate Denny Hamlin, put the 26-year-old Busch just one win away from the Nationwide Series record of 49 career victories held by veteran Mark Martin. It was the fifth Nationwide Series victory of the season for Busch and his first career Nationwide Series win in eight races at Darlington, where the 52-year-old Martin visited victory lane eight times in 29 Nationwide Series starts – second only to his 11 career wins in 25 career Nationwide Series starts at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway.

“I just can’t thank Z-Line Designs enough,” said Busch from victory lane. “These guys do an awesome job for us – Jim and Monica (Sexton, Z-Line Designs president and his wife) here with us tonight, and Toyota, and Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil. We love racing here. It’s fun, we love it. We wouldn’t be able to do it without those guys, most importantly this team. Jason Ratcliff (crew chief) and the guys brought me an awesome racecar. They did such an awesome job for me. All we had to do was bide our time a little bit and see how it shook out.”

In the end, it all shook out just fine for Busch and the Z-Line Designs team. But, it didn’t necessarily look like it would for the lion’s share of the 147-lap race.

With the afternoon qualifying session getting washed out by rain, Busch started from the pole by virtue of his fastest lap in the morning’s two-hour practice session, per new NASCAR rules for the 2011 season. But after the green flag flew for the race, Busch and the Z-Line Designs crew saw their share of minor, but significant, struggles in the early going. Busch had trouble getting his racecar to turn during the opening run, which saw him drop quickly from first to third behind Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne by lap 18.

After track bar and wedge adjustments during the first round of pit stops under caution on lap 27, Busch quickly drove himself into the lead when the race restarted on lap 31. He held the point by a comfortable margin until Edwards slipped past him heading into turn one on lap 54 as handling issues returned. That prompted the team to make similar adjustments to the ones it made during the first stop when Busch pitted under caution on lap 76.

Busch resumed in third place but reported a vibration from the rear of the car shortly thereafter. He dropped out of the top-three for the first time all night on lap 80, then pitted a third time on lap 91 under another caution so the crew could take its time to investigate the cause of the vibration before sending Busch on his way. With several other competitors having taken on just two tires, Busch dropped all the way back to 14th place. But he was able to immediately pick up five spots – elevating him to ninth place – when he slipped past several cars on the lap-94 restart just as a multi-car accident happened in front of him.

Busch’s Camry did not emerge unscathed as it made its way through the melee, having made contact with JGR teammate Brian Scott from behind with nowhere else to go. And he made contact several times with the legendary red-striped Darlington wall with the right side of his Camry. Nonetheless, Busch found the race was coming to him as the closing laps approached.

“It seems to be my best style here at Darlington – beat it up as much as you can and see if you can win with it,” said Busch, who finished second in last year’s Nationwide Series race at Darlington to Hamlin in a two-car Z-Line Designs entry. “We didn’t mean to. There was that one run there that we all started getting tight and it kind of came out, unexpectedly, and I drove it out into (turn) three one time and it didn’t stick and went right into the fence.

“I love coming to Darlington and it’s a really tough, treacherous place for me. We kind of proved that because the right side doesn’t look so great, but we still were able to win today. I just can’t say enough about this team. It’s cool to be here in victory lane – my first time in the Nationwide Series here in Darlington – so this feels pretty good.”

When the race restarted a final time on lap 103 after track workers cleared the aftermath of the multi-car accident, Busch was on the move. He moved from ninth to the top-five by lap 108, the top-three by lap 112, and second place by lap 116 behind race-leader Elliott Sadler. Busch chased Sadler for several laps before finally making his way by for the lead on lap 124.

“I was taking my time and being patient,” Busch said. “I got there kind of fast and, when I did, I made a move through (turns) three and four and my car was just too tight around the bottom line. It overheated the right-front tire, so I just got back in line and waited a couple more turns and was just seeing if I could get Elliott to bobble or make a mistake, and it would be easier on me to get by him. I was just waiting. He got slowed up with a lapped car off of turn two and I kind of built a run through (turns) one and two and got to his inside down the back and was able to clear him into (turn) three. It was a good race, there, for a little bit and kind of interesting. I did try once and then I just waited because there was still time and still laps left. I was trying to make sure I got by him before Denny (Hamlin) got too close. I figured if we had a three-way battle that sometimes, when there are two cars racing, it just leaves room for the third car to just blow by the both of them. We see momentum carry guys by you so easily here, sometimes.”

Once Busch got by Sadler, he methodically clicked off the final 23 laps without a threat from behind and also clicked off his first career win at “The Track Too Tough to Tame.”

“It is special because it’s so tough and so demanding,” said Busch of the mystique of Darlington Raceway. “To beat the guy we beat tonight –

Denny Hamlin – that’s pretty cool, too. We had a flawless racecar today. It was really awesome. The guys did a really good job working on it in practice this morning. We made some changes that made it better, which made it a better racecar than what Denny had today. It goes to Jason (Ratcliff) and the guys who make smart calls and put something fast underneath me every week.”

Busch now has 95 victories across NASCAR’s top three divisions (Sprint Cup – 21; Nationwide – 48; Camping World Truck – 26).

Scott, driver of the No. 11 Toyota Camry for JGR, fended up 29th after getting caught up in the multicar accident on lap 94.

Sadler finished a distant third, while Justin Allgaier and Steve Wallace rounded out the top-five. Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Reed Sorensen, Jason Leffler and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., comprised the remainder of the top-10.

There were five caution periods for 28 laps, with 18 drivers failing to finish.

The next event on the Nationwide Series schedule is the May 14 5-Hour Energy Drink 200 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. The race starts at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by ESPN beginning with its pre-race show at 1:30 p.m.

- True Speed Communication Press Release

Kasey Kahne celebrates his third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win in only his fourth series start and second Truck win at Darlington Raceway on Saturday in Darlington, S.C. - Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

“I came here this weekend wanting to win — that was the plan,” said Kahne, in victory lane. “This is a tough series. These guys do an awesome job. That restart there with Todd (Bodine) — our truck was really good once I could get rolling. He tried to get me all the way up to the wall and I think he got himself loose by trying to squish me into the wall. We had a good run down the back and some good laps after that. It was a solid run. I have to thank Kyle Busch for letting me drive the No. 18 Toyota Tundra. It’s a lot of fun driving for his team and working with Eric (Phillips), Rick Ren and the rest of the guys. I’d also like to thank Toyota, Flexco, ASE, M&M’s, Triad, Camping World and all the fans. What a great crowd out here tonight! This is one of my favorite tracks and I’m really glad I came here.”

From the time the trucks hit the track for practice on Friday morning, the No. 18 Toyota Tundra proved to be the truck to beat. Kahne paced first practice, touring the famed oval at a speed of 172.541 mph. The 30-year old driver took the track 23rd for qualifying and sat on the provisional pole until rookie driver Cole Whitt knocked the veteran out of the top spot late in the session with a new track record.

Kahne cleared Whitt heading into Turn 1 shortly after the green flag waved, but an accident in the middle of the pack brought out the first caution of the race. The field was reset with Whitt back on the point. In the early stages of the race Kahne, who ran second to Whitt for the first 27 laps, communicated to crew chief Eric Phillips that his No. 18 Toyota Tundra was a touch free in Turns 1 and 2 but very balanced in Turns 3 and 4.

A Brendan Gaughan spin on lap 25 brought out the third caution of the race. When pit road open, Kahne brought his Tundra down pit road where the KBM crew put on four fresh tires and filled his No. 18 with fuel. Two trucks, including the No. 2 of Elliott Sadler, elected to take just two tires enabling them to be at the front of the field for the restart.

When the race went back to green flag conditions on lap 31, Sadler paced the field with Kahne scored in third with four fresh tires. The Enumclaw, Wash. native had made his way back in the second spot when the fourth caution of the race occurred on lap 36.

Sadler chose the top line, placing Kahne on the inside when the race restarted on lap 40. The three-time Cup Series pole award winner at Darlington Raceway made his way around Sadler and led for the first time when the field crossed the start finish line. He had stretched the lead over the second-place truck to half a straightaway when debris on the backstretch brought out the fifth caution of the race on lap 59.

When pit road opened, the KBM crew put four fresh tires on Kahne’s No. 18 and filled with fuel, Cole Whitt’s crew elected to take two tires, putting the rookie back up front, When the race resumed on lap 63, Kahne was scored in second followed by James Buescher in third. Buescher got by Kahne and Whitt and went on to pace the field for the next six laps. Kahne was able to make his way and Buescher to retake the lead on lap 70.

“The Lady in Black” collected three more victims on lap 73. When pit road opened, Phillips elected to keep the No. 18 Toyota Tundra on the track and keep valuable track position. Kahne chose the outside line for the restart on lap 79 and by the center of Turns 1 and 2 had the field his rear view mirror once again. He remained at the point until Chase Mattioli brought out the seventh caution of the race on lap 89.

Kahne brought the No. 18 Toyota Tundra down pit road for four tires and fuel and returned to the track scored in the second position behind the No. 2 of Elliott Sadler, who once again took just two fresh tires. When the race restarted, Kahne made quick work of Sadler recapturing a lead that he wouldn’t relinquish on lap 96.

“This No. 18 Toyota is awesome on restarts,” the eleven time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner boasted to his crew during a red flag stoppage brought on by a three-car wreck on the frontstretch.

Already having ample fuel to make it to the end of the race, Phillips elected to keep the field behind his veteran driver by and stayed out when pit road opened. Debris would bring out two more cautions before the end of the race, but Kahne held serve on each restart en route to his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at the famed raceway.

Ron Hornaday finished second, followed by Todd Bodine, Matt Crafton and James Buescher. Rounding out the top 10 were Timothy Peters, Elliot Sadler, Cole Whitt, Johnny Sauter and David Starr.

The 147 lap race featured 10 cautions for a total of 44 laps.

The KBM No. 18, which has won five of the last seven Camping World Series truck races, will be back on the track when the NASCAR Camping World Series resumes action on April 2 with the running of the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway at 2 p.m. ET.

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

Eddie Sharp Racing Logo

Started: 26

Finished: 16

In the first race of the 2011 NCWTS season, rookie Craig Goess was ready to take on the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway in the No. 46 Greenville Toyota of N.C. Tundra.

Lining up in the 26th position, Goess looked to gain experience on the newly-paved track. The green flag waved on the Friday night race, and Goess fell in line in the draft and held close to the bottom line. By lap 17, Goess moved up to the 11th position, and continued to find speed on the track.

Crew chief Trip Bruce called for a green-flag pit stop on lap 28 to follow suit with other Toyotas coming in on the same lap. The No. 46 crew gave the Tundra fuel, and Goess got back on the track before the leaders came around. By lap 37, Goess ran in the 14th position and moved to high-side of the double-file racing.

The yellow flag waved again on lap 37, and Bruce called the No. 46 down pit road for the second pit stop of the night on lap 39 for right-side tires and fuel. The green flag waved on lap 42, and Goess stayed calm in the three-wide draft.

The caution flew again on lap 53 for debris, and Goess came down pit road in the 11th position for a pit stop. As the crew fueled the truck, miscommunication led Goess to leave the pit box before the crew was able to remove the fuel can. Goess came back around the track and down pit road to get the rest of the fuel, but was served with a penalty from NASCAR officials.

When the green flag waved on lap 57, Goess had to start at the back of the pack in the 30th position because of his penalty, but he was determined to work his way back to the front.

By the time the next caution flag flew on lap 65, Goess battled his way to the 24th position. The No. 46 came down pit road for fuel only, and came out in the 20th position. “Continue doing what you are doing, and just try to save fuel,” spotter David Green encouraged.

The green flag waved on lap 69, and Goess moved up to the 16th position. As the trucks began to align in a drafting pack in two- and three-wide, the No. 5 of Travis Kvapil blew a tire, causing a 14-truck wreck. Goess caught the tail end of the accident, causing damage on the right-front of the truck.

Goess came down pit road and the crew went to work fixing the damage on the right side. Running in the 16th position at the time of the accident, the crew changed the right-side tires, and Goess went back out to the track and came back around to pit road again to work on the damage.

Once more, the No. 46 went out to the track and came back into the pits on lap 78 as the race was still under caution. Although the truck went one lap down, the crew was confident in their efforts to make the truck driveable for the rest of the race. The green flag waved on lap 81 with the No. 46 in the 24th position.

The caution came out again on lap 84, and Goess came down pit road to get more fuel and allow the crew to survey the right-side damage again. The green flag waved on lap 88 with Goess in the 22nd position, but it wasn’t long until the second big wreck of the race caused havoc on 10 trucks. Goess was able to avoid the wreck ahead of him, and the red flag dropped on lap 96.

NASCAR officials cleaned the debris from the track, and the field was set for a green-white-checkered finish. The green flag dropped on lap 100, and Goess’ goal was to stay out of trouble as he was only truck one lap down in the 16th position.

Elliott Sadler and Michael Waltrip battled to the checkered flag, with Waltrip bringing home the win. Goess finished in the 16th position.

“I’m disappointed we were not able to race at our full potential because of the damage we sustained,” said Goess. “I think we had a great truck and the guys worked really hard to get here. The newly-paved track and the changes in the restrictor plate made everything less racey for a larger portion of the race. I was surprised that there was more double-file racing than the two-by-two that we have seen at the track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series racing this week. Overall, it was a good finish for Daytona, and I’m looking forward to going to Phoenix next week.”

Goess will be back in action at Phoenix International Raceway on Feb. 25, 2011 for the running of the Lucas Oil 150 in the No. 46 Greenville Toyota of N.C. Tundra.

Mike Skinner | No. 45 Cushman Paytas Homes Toyota Tundra
Started: DNQ

The No. 45 Cushman Paytas Homes Toyota Tundra failed to qualify for the NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona International Speedway after a string of problems plagued the truck throughout the weekend.

During the first practice on Wednesday, the starter shorted out and caused problems throughout the entire truck, which led to a minor fire. The team worked hard to restore the damage to the Tundra, from the chassis to the battery to the ignition.

The No. 45 Cushman Paytas Homes truck was able to get back on the track for the final practice session but struggled to find much speed. Troubles continued for the team when the No. 45 did not have a fast enough time to qualify for the event.

Although Skinner is a past NCWTS champion (1995), a glitch in the paperwork disqualified the usage of the past-champion provisional as Skinner was a last-minute addition to the team.

“I’m disappointed that we did not make the race,” said Skinner. “We started off with a problem at the beginning of practice Wednesday and could not recover. Unfortunately, due to a problem with the entry blank, since our deal was so last minute, I was not able to use my champions provisional, and we missed the show. I think all of our guys worked really hard to get the truck prepared for this weekend. I have to thank everyone at Eddie Sharp Racing for all of their help. I’m really thankful to Toyota for always supporting me and providing great resources, including motors. I really wish that we could have gone out there and raced the No. 45 Toyota Tundra, especially for Cushman and Paytas Homes, our great sponsors who came on board. We’re looking to come back, compete for the win, and continue to grow this program.”

Team owner Eddie Sharp, also disappointed in the missed start, looks ahead for Skinner and the team. “As our first season in the NCWTS, it is a learning experience. We tried to put together this deal for Skinner to drive with us in a very short turn around but were not able to make the appropriate changes on the entry blank. Our week started with problems with the shorted starter and the minor fire. The guys worked their tails off to get the truck faster, but it just wasn’t there. There is no one who takes more fault for missing the race than me. Thanks to Toyota, Skinner, Cushman, Paytas Homes and our team for all of their work to get us here. The next event, we will compete at our highest level.”

- Eddie Sharp Racing Press Release

RAB Racing with Brack Maggard

Independent Nationwide car owners Robby Benton and Brack Maggard, the guys who pulled off a major upset when they won at Montreal this past season with Boris Said driving their No. 09 entry, appeared to have gained much of the stability they’ve been seeking. Their RAB Racing team has signed veteran Kenny Wallace to drive their car, which will be a Toyota next year. And that manufacturer alliance also means they’ll have more resources to pull from, including some possible information sharing with the Nationwide teams owned by Wallace’s brother Rusty.

Plus, there are sponsors already in place for many of the upcoming races, something RAB often didn’t have this past season.

The latest step comes on the heels of a season where Benton and Maggard recovered – but struggled in doing so – from the loss of their primary sponsor from 2009. Back then, Georgia-based Zaxby’s was sponsoring the car and John Wes Townley, the son of Zaxby’s co-founder Tony Townley, was doing the driving.

But Zaxby’s and the Townleys took their money to Richard Childress Racing, leaving Benton and Maggard to regroup. The team started the season with veteran Scott Riggs as their driver. In an interview back at Daytona in February, Riggs said that when he was first contacted by RAB, he expected to find a team in disarray. Instead he saw a shop with well-prepared race cars and owners with a real feel for the sport.

- Read More At RacinToday.com

Toyota Motorsports

Holmes won five of 12 events during the season, including victories at Phoenix International Raceway, Oregon’s Douglas County Speedway, Montana Raceway Park, Colorado National Speedway and California’s All-American Speedway, to win the championship by 124 points over second-place David Mayhew.

“I’m just so proud to be part of this series and it’s special to win a third championship,” said Holmes. “I love the history of the West Series and remember watching races as a kid. It means a lot to be associated with these great drivers.”

Driving the Bill McAnally Racing (BMR) No. 20 Camry, Holmes recorded eight top-five finishes and 10 top-10 results in 2010 to earn his third series title. The 36-year-old Escalon, Calif.-native previously won NKNPSW championships in 2006 and 2008.

Holmes joins two-time defending NKNPSE champion Truex to become the first Camry drivers to sweep the NASCAR regional series titles in the same season since the manufacturer joined each series in 2007.

Truex had two wins and nine top-10 finishes in 10 NKNPSE races. The 18-year-old Mayetta, N.J.-native posted both of his victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 00 Camry en route to his title.

“Both Eric and Ryan have demonstrated the ability to run consistently at the front of the field, competing for race wins and championships,” said Lee White, president of TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development. “NASCAR’s regional series provide a great opportunity for drivers of all ages and experience. On behalf of everyone at Toyota, I would like to congratulate both Eric and Ryan for their outstanding championship seasons.”

The duo has combined for all four of Toyota’s regional series championships.

A pair of current Toyota drivers in the upper levels of NASCAR competition previously won regional series championships. Brendan Gaughan, who competed for Rusty Wallace Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) in 2010, won the NKNPSW title in 2000 and 2001. Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) driver Joey Logano was the 2007 NKNPSE champion.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of more than 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.77 million vehicles in 2009. Toyota directly employs more than 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development)

Powering all of Toyota’s American racing programs is TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Salisbury, N.C. A subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., TRD serves as the North American racing arm for design, development and assembly of Toyota’s factory racing engines.

- Toyota Motorsports Press Release

Toyota Motorsports

Homestead-Miami Speedway – November 20, 2010

- Kyle Busch earned his 13th win of the season in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Homestead-
Miami Speedway.

- Busch’s win enabled Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) to earn its third straight NNS owner’s championship — the second
consecutive title for the No. 18 Camry. The No. 20 Camry earned the title in 2008.

- Busch led seven times for a race-high 153 laps (of 200) at the 1.5-mile oval.

- Camry drivers earned 17 series victories in 2010 and have won 54 races since the manufacturer joined the series in 2007.
Joey Logano (seventh), Brendan Gaughan (eighth) and Jason Leffler (10th) also earned top-10 results for Toyota.

- Other Camry drivers in the field included Martin Truex Jr. (12th), Reed Sorenson (14th), Steve Wallace (15th), David
Reutimann (16th), Cole Whitt (17th), Brian Scott (18th), Michael Annett (24th), Kasey Kahne (38th) and Kevin Lepage
(41st).

- Eight Toyota drivers ended the season in the top-15 in the unofficial NNS driver points, including Busch (third), Logano
(eighth), Leffler (ninth), Wallace (10th), Gaughan (11th), Sorenson (12th), Annett (13th) and Scott (14th).

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

Finishing Position: 1st

Can you describe what it means to you to earn your second win and owner’s championship this weekend at Homestead?

“You don’t right now. You just come out here and enjoy it. All of these guys from Joe Gibbs Racing, everybody from Z-Line Designs — Jim and Monica (Sexton, Z-Line Design owners) are here to help us celebrate. This Toyota was fast, man. I just can’t thank these guys enough. They do a great job at Joe Gibbs Racing — the chassis shop, the body shop, everybody. They put it all together for us in these last three seasons. It’s a shame to see this car go, but we’ve got a new priority here next year. It will be fun. It will be a new challenge for us. I can’t thank NOS Energy Drink enough, Combos, M&M’s, Interstate Batteries, Nationwide Insurance for a great series. This has been so much fun. It’s been cool to come out here and enjoy and celebrate with all of these guys. They deserve to celebrate as much as anybody. I can’t thank the fans enough of course.”

What happened on the last pass for the lead?

“It was a battle. Kevin (Harvick) was a great race tonight and he had a great race car. I just can’t thank these guys at Joe Gibbs Racing enough — the engine shop, the chassis, bodies, everybody that builds these race cars. All of the guys that are standing here behind me that come out here and pit these things. They do a wonderful job and they deserve to celebrate and they deserve to celebrate long and hard for this one. Being the owner’s champion is really special to us. That’s what we set out to do at the beginning of the year. A great race out there. (Kevin) Harvick was strong and I just got a good restart there on that last one. I had to work for it, it wasn’t easy. I started getting tight there at the end of the race, but I had just enough there to beat him out.”

Would you have thought you would win 13 races in 2010 at the beginning of this year?

“I would’ve said I wish. I thought eight or nine (wins) is doable, but 13 that’s really hard to do. I couldn’t do it without all of these guys. I’m going to be selfish and say that I wish we had 15, you know, because I feel that we could’ve won that many this year. We’ve had a few taken away from us, but it wasn’t due to lack of effort. These guys gave it their all. Now we can go to the banquet on Monday night and have a really good party with all of us on stage too.”

Do you think you win tomorrow’s Cup race and sweep all three races this weekend?

“The Cup car is pretty good. I like it. Dave (Rogers, crew chief) has done a really nice job. It’s just going to be all about
patience and coming through the heat of the day. We’re going to have a lot of sun out there tomorrow and it’s going to be hot and it’s going to be slick so you’ve got to have a car that definitely handles well at the beginning of the run, but one that definitely handles well at the end of the run as well.”

J.D. GIBBS, president, Joe Gibbs Racing

How much does it mean to your organization to win another owner’s championship?

“It’s a huge deal for us. You kind of look back, and we started it in the first year with Bobby Labonte. All we learned over the years was what not to do and what to do. Watching Kyle (Busch) and Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and those guys coming together, and Brad (Coleman) in there as well, it’s just a blessing for us.”

JOE GIBBS, team owner, Joe Gibbs Racing

How exciting is this for your organization to win its third straight owner’s championship?

“We’re thrilled. I think that’s been well documented. Our struggles the first years in Nationwide Series and how hard it was for us. I really appreciate Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief), the team here, Brad (Coleman) — Safeway Driving Schools. I also want to say thanks to Combos, Interstate Batteries and NOS. It’s really hard to put together a team like that to allow us to race in the Nationwide Series. But with Kyle (Busch), we really appreciate it. We’re thrilled to be a part of it. J.D. (Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing president) works mostly on the Nationwide side, and I take the credit for it. In any case, it’s a thrill for us and I appreciate it. One thing I left out front, too, is Toyota. I really want to make sure that the championship there and what they’ve done for us, we couldn’t be up here if it wasn’t for Toyota. I really appreciate them.”

JASON RATCLIFF, crew chief, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

How exciting is it for your team to win another owner’s championship and end the season with a win?

“It was obviously a tremendous blessing for us to have the opportunity to be close to winning another owner’s championship with Kyle (Busch) and Brad (Coleman) this year in the car, both of them did an outstanding job. Last week, we felt like we had a pretty good — as far as the point’s lead goes last week — we had some trouble at Phoenix, kind of like we did last year. So it’s very gratifying to come into Homestead and have the kind of run that we had tonight. We were able to close the deal. The guys again did a great job on pit road. The guys, the mechanics that turned the wrench on this car, they did a great job preparing it at the shop. Lot of effort went into this car this week, lot of studying, lot of notes, and it paid off for us in the end.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 GameStop / MASTIFF Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 7th

How was your race today?

“We ran eighth or ninth all day. The car went from too loose and can’t drive the thing to being so tight that you can’t go
anywhere. We were at both ends of the spectrum today and didn’t go anywhere. It’s disappointing to end the season that way.”

BRENDAN GAUGHAN, No. 62 Aspen Dental Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 8th

JASON LEFFLER, No. 10 ABF U-Pack Moving Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Finishing Position: 10th

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Diamond Waltrip Racing

Finishing Position: 12th

REED SORENSON, No. 32 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Finishing Position: 14th

STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 15th

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 11 Rexall / Dollar General Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Finishing Position: 16th

COLE WHITT, No. 84 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team

Finishing Position: 17th

BRIAN SCOTT, No. 09 Shore Lodge Toyota Camry, RAB Racing

Finishing Position: 18th

MICHAEL ANNETT, No. 15 Germain.com Toyota Camry, Germain Racing

Finishing Position: 24th

KASEY KAHNE, No. 38 Great Clips Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Finishing Position: 38th

What happened to take you out of the race?

“It looks like (Justin) Allgaier just lost it to me. I’ve been in a couple of his wrecks this year as far as the Nationwide side goes. I passed the 99 (Martin Truex Jr.) on entry and I was passing the 22 (Brad Keselowski) and I was on the inside so I went left. I wish I would’ve went right — I probably could’ve missed it. It was just a bad decision or the track was kind of blocked out. Our Great Clips car was fast and I think we were going forward. It’s just kind of discouraging that our race is over.”

KEVIN LEPAGE, No. 56 Sunshine Plumbing / Mitchell Swaback Charities Toyota Camry, Mac Hill Motorsports
Finishing Position: 41st

- Toyota Motorsports Press Release

Kyle Busch is presented the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner's Championship trophy by NASCAR President Mike Helton - Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

Event: Ford 200 (Round 25 of 25)

Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)

Start/Finish: 2nd / 1st (Running, completed 134 of 134 laps)

Winner: Kyle Busch of Kyle Busch Motorsports (Toyota)

Just as he has for much of his NASCAR career, Kyle Busch put an exclamation point on his latest triumph – the owner’s championship in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – by winning the season-ending Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The driver of the No. 18 TRAXXAS Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) needed only to finish 29th or better in Friday night’s season finale at the 1.5-mile oval, but never one to settle for anything, Busch led six times for a race-high 57 laps to notch his eighth Truck Series victory of the year and the 24th of his career.

The effort allowed Busch to secure the Truck Series owner’s championship with an iron fist, as the No. 18 KBM team ended the season with a 150-point margin over the No. 30 truck of Germain Racing, which finished second in the owner’s standings but won the driver’s championship with Todd Bodine. Bodine drove the No. 30 Toyota Tundra throughout 2010, while KBM split the season among Busch (16 races), Brian Ickler (seven races), and Johnny Benson and Kasey Kahne with one race apiece.

Any championship is a monstrous achievement for an organization, but perhaps more so for KBM, as 2010 was its first season in the Camping World Truck Series. With the owner’s title now in hand, the No. 18 KBM team is the first rookie squad to take the series’ owner’s championship since Richard Childress Racing won the inaugural Truck Series title with Mike Skinner in 1995.

“I feel like I won with my people this year, and the guys that we have on board were just tremendous supporters of mine and worked long, hard hours in the shop, never gave up, never held their head down, never pouted about how much we were working, but just kept working and made sure we were always ready for the next race,” said Busch, who at this time last year was only in the planning stages of building his Truck Series team, with still employees to hire and trucks to build. “This is what we set out to do at the beginning of the year – to come out here and work as hard as we could, to work with two different drivers at first, myself and Brian Ickler, but when Brian got the call to go drive for Roush Fenway Racing, we brought in Johnny Benson for a race and we brought in Kasey Kahne for a race, and without all those guys being able to give us good, solid finishes, we wouldn’t be in this position.”

Playing a big role in developing KBM from a start-up operation to a championship-caliber outfit was its array of partners, which includes TRAXXAS, Toyota, Z-Line Designs, Interstate Batteries, M&M’s, Dollar General, Heluva Good!, Flexco, NASCAR.com RaceView, Viasystems, Toyota of Scranton (Pa.), Toyota of Warsaw (Ind.), Triad Technologies, NOS Energy Drink and Electric.

“I feel like we’ve got a great product,” Busch said. “I can’t thank everyone who supported us this year enough. It’s fun to come out here and participate in the Truck Series. We’re still looking for sponsors to do it some more next year. It’s real tough. Hopefully, we can find some.”

Adding to the aura of the owner’s championship was that it also served as the first racing title of any kind for crew chief Eric Phillips.

“I don’t know if I’ve quite come down from what’s went on yet,” said Phillips, who first worked with Busch in 2003 as the then 18-year-old’s car chief during his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, where Busch finished second. “For this to be a brand new team, with all new guys, basically nine months ago, it’s a huge thing. Kyle didn’t own a screwdriver when he left here last year, and to win an owner’s championship with four different drivers, we pulled together and made it work. It’s been a pretty fun year.”

For KBM director of competition and general manager Rick Ren, winning the title was still special, even though it was old hat for him, as he nabbed Truck Series championships as crew chief for Ron Hornaday Jr., in 2007 and 2009.

“I’m proud, personally, but I’m also very proud for all of our guys,” said Ren, who also has 16 career Truck Series wins as a crew chief. “We all aimed for the same goal. We didn’t have a truck in the shop until after the first week in January and we only had about three or four people. But we got to Daytona and we had the fastest truck and it was because people believed in each other.

“I’ve got enough experience in racing for championships that I don’t let things bother me. You still maintain your focus. You have to race to win races, every week. If you points race, you’ll rattle yourself. And if the cards fall right, you win. I just made Kyle a promise that I would act like this was my race team and my money, and here we are.”

The championship capped a banner rookie season for KBM, as the team scored eight victories, six poles, 16 top-fives, 21 top-10s and led 1,099 laps in 2010. It will return to action Feb. 18, 2011 for the season-opening race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with SPEED again carrying live, flag-to-flag coverage.

Finishing .577 of a second behind Busch in the Ford 200 was Hornaday, while Johnny Sauter, Bodine and Aric Almirola took spots three through five. The rest of the top-10 consisted of Matt Crafton, Justin Lofton, Skinner, Miguel Paludo and Tayler Malsam.

The event featured six caution periods for 26 laps, with three drivers failing to finish the 134-lap race.

- True Speed Communication Press Release

Toyota Motorsports

Homestead-Miami Speedway – November 19, 2010

- Kyle Busch won Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season-finale at Homestead-Miami
Speedway. He led six times for 57 laps (of 134) on the 1.5-mile track en route to victory lane.

- The victory enabled Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) to win the 2010 NCWTS owner’s championship in its inaugural season
with the No. 18 Tundra.

- Todd Bodine — who clinched the 2010 NCWTS driver’s championship last week at Phoenix — finished fourth in the Germain Racing No. 30 Toyota.

- Tundra drivers Aric Almirola (fifth), Justin Lofton (seventh), Mike Skinner (eighth), Miguel Paludo (ninth) and Tayler Malsam (10th) also recorded top-10 finishes Friday night.

- David Starr (11th), Craig Goess (12th), Timothy Peters (17th), Max Papis (18th), Johanna Long (20th) and Tom Hessert (29th) were also in the field for Toyota.

- Tundra drivers recorded 15 wins in 25 NCWTS races this season — the most wins for Tundra racers in a single season. The previous mark was 14 wins by Tundra drivers in 2009.

Kyle Busch - Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images

Finishing Position: 1st

How do you feel after tonight’s victory?

“This is so cool. To come out here and to win in our last race and to do it in the style that we did it — it wasn’t without some excitement, that’s for sure. I can’t thank these guys here enough at Kyle Busch Motorsports — everyone like Rick Ren (competition director) and Eric Phillips (crew chief). Eric made some great race calls today and kept my head on and got me back in the race. I can’t thank Traxxas enough, Toyota, M&M’s, Flexco, NOS Energy Drink, Gillette, Camping World for this series and all the fans. It’s fun to come out here and participate in the truck races. We’re still looking for sponsors to do it some more next year. It’s real tough. Hopefully, we can find some.”

Where does this win rank on your list?

“I don’t know. I’ve lost track. For me, it’s great to be able to get this opportunity and come out here and race in this series, to race with these competitors. Guys like Ron Hornaday and Todd Bodine. Congratulations to Todd (Bodine) on the driver’s championship. Like I said, I can’t thank everybody on this team enough. They do such a phenomenal job. We barely made it to Daytona with a couple trucks. We went through a lot of adversity. These guys worked some long hours this year. They’ve done a phenomenal job for me. I just can’t thank them enough. Thank the SPEED Channel too for helping me with my announcement earlier this year and be able to cover our series as good as you guys do it. Thank you.”

How concerned were you after the contact with Johnny Sauter?

“I was pretty concerned. I just knew that we were gonna be back in traffic and my truck wasn’t great out front. It was really loose. But back in traffic, Eric (Phillips, crew chief) and these guys made another great call to tighten it up, and we were able to have a really good driving truck there at the end to come back up through there. There was a lot of trucks, man. You go back and watch the replay on that second to last restart or whatever it was, I don’t even know where I was. You go out there and you try to get the win and you try to do what you can and hopefully these guys celebrate for a long time. They deserve it an awful lot.”

Todd Bodine celebrates his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, leading Aric Almirola by 202 points with one race remaining. Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

Finishing Position: 4th

How does it feel to be a two-time NCWTS champion?

“I never thought that I’d be a one-time champion, let alone two-time champion. I don’t know what to say. It’s because of these guys up on the stage and all the guys back at the shop that (aren’t) here, I appreciate the hard work. It’s hard in a career to be a part of a group that cares as much as this one, and is as good as this one. I’m fortunate now, this is our fifth year together and we’re going strong and I count my blessings every day to be a part of a group like this — that care and want to win and want to run up front and can do it every week.”

What did you guys do different this year compared to last year to win the title?

“We didn’t really do anything different. Last year, we just had bad luck. Wrong place, wrong time. A lot of times, we just weren’t handling well. But, everybody stuck it out. They dug deep, they dug within themselves to build trucks last winter. That is one thing, last winter we went to work and re-did our trucks, re-engineered them. We made them a lot better. All the guys at KHI (Kevin Harvick Inc.) are the ones that put us to that because they raised the bar so high.”

How does it feel to win the championship?

“It’s pretty awesome. Everybody at Germain Racing has done such a great job all year long. Great trucks, Jr.’s (Mike Hillman, Jr., crew chief) done a heck of a job with this team. He’s the backbone. He’s the reason we run like this. I’m proud to be a part of this race team. It’s not often in a career that you get to be a part of this, and we’ve been fortunate now for five years, and have great owners and great guys that work for us, and I couldn’t be prouder of this team.”

What does it mean to have the Germain family put their confidence in this team?

“When three guys get together and decide, ‘We’ve got enough confidence in this race team and we’ve got enough confidence in our driver and we’re going to put the funds behind it to do this,’ that says a lot for the people that work for them and the respect that they have for those people. And it goes both ways. We respect the hell out of them. They’re great guys. They’ve put their heart and soul into this team and this year came out of their pocket. We had Valvoline on board for four races, but they basically came out of their pocket to pay for this season and to be able to come out of here with four wins and a championship, I’m glad we could pay them back with that.”

How important are Mike Hillman (general manager) and Mike Hillman Jr. (crew chief) to this team?

“They’re about as ‘racer’ as you can get. Everybody on this team. Obviously, the Hillmans are the backbone. Mike (Hillman) Sr. (general manager) got this thing going and (Mike Hillman) Jr. came in and took over and he’s done a hell of a job with this team. He does more than just work on this 30 truck. He helps take care of this whole team. It is a family. It’s hard to describe when you get a group of guys together. We all squabble and quarrel and have our differences, but every family does. But, the one thing about this group is if one of them falls down, there’s three of them there to pick him up and brush him off. That’s what it takes to be champions.”

Aric Almirola - Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood / Getty Images for NASCAR

Finishing Position: 5th

How was your race tonight?

“We had a good truck, it just wouldn’t take off very good. Our truck was really good after about 10 or so laps on the tires and we just didn’t have the speed we needed right at the get-go, which is a shame because that’s what it came down to at the end, was the restarts. I’m proud of my guys. We had a great year. We won a couple races, finished second in the points. It was really, really a great year. We were very consistent. Had a lot of top-fives, a lot of top-10s. I wanted to win tonight bad, though.”

JUSTIN LOFTON, No. 7 visitPIT.com Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing

Finishing Position: 7th

MIKE SKINNER, No. 5 International Trucks / Monaco RV Toyota Tundra, Randy Moss Motorsports

Finishing Position: 8th

MIGUEL PALUDO, No. 11 Stemco Duraline Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing

Finishing Position: 9th

TAYLER MALSAM, No. 25 Iron Horse Jeans Toyota Tundra, Randy Moss Motorsports

Finishing Position: 10th

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

Finishing Position: 11th

CRAIG GOESS, No. 46 Greenville Toyota Tundra, Eddie Sharp Racing

Finishing Position: 12th

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

Finishing Position: 17th

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

Finishing Position: 18th

JOHANNA LONG, No. 20 Panhandle Grading and Paving Toyota Tundra, Panhandle Motorsports

Finishing Position: 20th

TOM HESSERT, No. 77 Cherry Hill Classic Cars Toyota Tundra, Germain Racing

Finishing Position: 29th

- Toyota Motorsports Press Release

“We had a good weekend,” Lucas said, “I’m extremely pleased with it and it makes me really excited for next year.

“I haven’t felt this good ending a season in a long time. There’s still going to be a road to get the car exactly where Dickie and Kurt want to be, and I have some work to do to become a better driver, but as a team we’ve improved tremendously. We’re going to do some damage next year.”

Having the support of his family and the hundreds of Lucas Oil, GEICO Powersports, and Toyota employees on hand also made the day special, even after Lucas was retired by Antron Brown in the semifinals.

“It’s so great to see the confidence and the positive outlook on my dad’s face, on all the guys on the team, and everyone else involved with what we do,” Lucas said. “Having a weekend like this is a good way to go into off-season and all the preparations that need to take place before the 2011 season.”

A frustrating season for Lucas’ GEICO Powersports teammate Karen Stoffer ended in the quarterfinals of Pro Stock Motorcycle when she lost on a holeshot to Underdahl. Stoffer’s .057-second starting line deficit was too much to overcome on the strip, allowing Underdahl’s 6.950 at 193.18 mph to beat her quicker 6.923 at 191.32 mph.

“Ultimately, we struggled this season,” Stoffer said. “We came out of the gate strong and earned the national record at the first race but after that we had chassis issues that basically lasted until about three races ago.

“On the bright side, we’ve qualified well in the last three races. The bike has been going straight as an arrow. I wish I could have gone more rounds today because I know I had the bike. What’s tough for me is being beat on a holeshot. No excuses there, an .80 light just isn’t going to cut it.

“It’s the first year since 2003 that we’ve had a Suzuki on the (champion’s) podium. That’s huge for our team and the class. It shows that the rule changes the NHRA made are working.”

Earlier in the day, Stoffer handily beat a red-lighting Bailey Whitaker with a 6.937 at 189.79 mph.

- Geiger Media Press Release

Tony Kanaan

“I told him that with Toyota’s support and with the support of the Trucks Series, I think it would be kind of fun to see him,” Busch said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway.

“Test him a little bit, get his feet wet. Get him in some good equipment, go out there and run some races and get some experience. Maybe next year and maybe 2012 go on in a full year. That’s kind of what I explained to him.”

Busch said Kanaan has yet to decide if he’s interested in competing in the Trucks Series.

Kanaan, the 2004 IndyCar champion and winner of 14 races, is currently looking for a job in the IndyCar Series. He was released from Andretti Autosport at the end of the season because the team does not have a sponsor for him in 2011.

- Ready more at ESPN.com