Toyota notes, quotes 2009-05-14

Busch Would Like Some Luck at Lowe's
Hamlin and Busch Remember Watching as Fans
Waltrip Wants to Be the One to Win Showdown
Red Bull Pit Crew Ready to Defend

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)

NEWS, NOTES & NUMBERS: Toyota Camry drivers have combined for three wins (Kyle Busch -- Las Vegas, Bristol and Richmond), 10 top-fives and 20 top-10 finishes through 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races this season ... In addition, Camry drivers have led 1,210 laps and earned four poles ... This weekend's Sprint All-Star race and Sprint Showdown are non-points races...Camry drivers Busch and Denny Hamlin have secured starting positions in the All-Star race ... The remaining Camry drivers will have to try to transfer to the All-Star event through the Showdown ... The No. 83 Red Bull pit crew will try to defend their championship from last year's Pit Crew Challenge Thursday night in Charlotte.

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M's Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Do you like racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway? "I like Lowe's Motor Speedway -- it's my favorite race track. It hasn't quite given me the success I need in the Cup stuff, so we'll see how it goes. I look forward to running there -- we have the truck, Nationwide and the Cup cars, and the All-Star race should be fun. Hopefully, we can run like we did last year and actually try to finish it."

Do you have a favorite memory from watching the All-Star race as a fan? "I think my favorite memory of watching as a fan growing up was the T-Rex car with Jeff (Gordon) and being a Jeff Gordon fan. I watched him dominate that night and pretty much take everybody to school. I guess that car probably took everybody to school more than he did. It was fun to be a (Jeff) Gordon fan that day."

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

What do you think about the format changes for the All-Star race? "All I've heard of what's different was the 10 laps at the end and I personally am going to be a big fan of that. I think it's going to add a huge amount of adrenaline rush to those front probably four cars because it's going to be double file. It's going to be very interesting. I think with the 25-lap segments that we had in the past it just kind of got strung out there too much and the fans didn't get as much bang for their buck."

What is your best personal memory from an All-Star race? "For me, it would have to be last year being in contention to win it. We were in the lead with nine (laps) to go and had the engine failure. That was as close as I've ever come. It seems like we've struggled in the All-Star races in years past just trying to learn things for Charlotte. It's not necessarily my best race track so we use it more as an experiment than we do anything. Last year, we had the opportunity to win it and just came up short with the engine."

Do you have a favorite memory of watching the All-Star race as a fan? "Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace -- that one sticks out pretty good -- and Bill Elliott, as well as Dale Earnhardt. There are a lot of different ones. I remember the one where Davey Allison got turned after the race was over, I think by Kyle (Petty), but he still won. There are a lot of different ones and I think they all revolve around those great finishes."

MICHAEL WALTRIP, No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

How stressful is it to have to race your way into the All-Star race? "I've done it before and while it isn't ideal, you want to go there with a plan of racing in the All-Star race. It's not a bad thing either. Not only have I done it, but Ryan Newman's done it before. It's not a death sentence. If you can transfer in, then you're in good shape to try to win. The All-Star race is why you're there. If you run the Showdown then you don't care about that because that's not why you showed up. If you win, then you're in the All -Star race and all of the sudden it becomes a big deal. The haves and the have-nots become separated real quick. They grab the one guy that won and take him off and put him in another race and everybody else is going home."

LANCE MUNKSGARD, Pit Crew Coach, Red Bull Racing Team

What is your approach to this year's Pit Crew Challenge? "Our approach going into the Pit Crew Challenge is still going to be to defend the title. It is a challenge that we are up for, but we will go to have fun and enjoy the competition as well. At the end of the day, we first have to look at competition and put our focus on winning the 600. We have a great group of guys on both crews and I'm glad we have the opportunity to compete in the competition again -- I just wish both crews were in. After all the hard work everyone puts in, they all deserve it."

-credit: toyota motorsports