Toyota tidbits 2010-07-13

REUTIMANN'S WINNING RUN HAS NO RAIN: In Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Chicagoland Speedway, David Reutimann ran among the leaders throughout the race and led the final 32 laps around the 1.5-mile Illinois oval en route to his second career series victory. Reutimann's first victory in the Sprint Cup Series came a little more than a year ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway in a rain-shortened event. After starting seventh in the Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) Toyota Camry, Reutimann ran at the front of the field three times for 52 laps in the 267-lap race. The win marks the third for a TRD U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) built engine from Costa Mesa, Calif., and the 29th for Toyota since entering the series in 2007.

ALL TOYOTA TOP-FIVE: In Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Chicagoland Speedway, Camry drivers swept the top-five finishing positions in the 203-lap race. Kyle Busch captured the checkered flag and was followed to the finish line by Joey Logano (second), Brian Scott (third), Reutimann (fourth) and Jason Leffler (fifth) -- marking the first time Camry racers swept the top-five in a NNS race since Toyota entered the series in 2007. Busch's victory was the 37th of his career in the Nationwide Series -- including 26 wins behind the wheel of a Camry -- and moved him into second-place on the NNS career win list behind Mark Martin (48 wins).

TWO TUNDRA TOP-10s IN IOWA: In Sunday afternoon's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Iowa Speedway, Randy Moss Motorsports teammates Mike Skinner (seventh) and David Starr (10th) were the highest finishing Tundra drivers at the 0.875-mile track. Skinner started 15th and worked his way through the field to lead 13 (of 205) laps at the Newton, Iowa oval. Starr, who made his 250th series start on Sunday, started 23rd after battling a loose race truck throughout the weekend and was able to record a 10th-place result.

ST. LOUIS SUCCESS: This marks the fourth year that Camry drivers will compete at Gateway International Raceway, just outside St. Louis, in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Last July, Busch earned the pole for the NNS race. Two years ago, Logano led 42 laps in the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) No. 20 entry and finished runner-up in his first start at the 1.25-mile paved track. Braun Racing's Leffler earned back-to-back fourth-place results at Gateway in 2007 and 2008.

TIME FOR TRUEX: Ryan Truex will make his first career NNS start at Gateway International Raceway. Truex, the defending NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPS) East champion and younger brother of Toyota Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr., will drive the No. 00 NAPA AUTO PARTS Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing. The 18-year old Mayetta, N.J. native has four wins, 11 top-five results and 12 top-10 finishes in 17 NKNPS East starts.

WINNING WAYS: Toyota drivers have three Camping World Truck Series wins at Gateway International Raceway. Skinner won last year's event, the fourth of what became five consecutive wins for Tundra drivers in the NCWTS (Bristol, Chicago, Iowa, Gateway, New Hampshire). In his 2006 championship season, Todd Bodine was victorious at the 1.25-mile Illinois oval, leading 66 of 160 laps. The following year, Johnny Benson drove his Bill Davis Racing Tundra to victory lane.

-source: toyota motorsports