Toyota Motorsports 100th start

TUNDRA TO MAKE 100th CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES START HOMESTEAD, Fla.

( November 12, 2007) -- When the green flag waves to start Friday night's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, it will mark the 100th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) start for the Toyota Tundra, which debuted in the series at the beginning of the 2004 season. During the past four years, 10 teams and 39 drivers have combined to make a total of 846 starts for Toyota in the Craftsman Truck Series. In 99 races, Tundra drivers have registered 37 victories and captured 49 pole positions.

"It's a great milestone for Toyota to make our 100th start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series," said Jim Aust, vice president - motorsports, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. "When we joined the series in 2004, we knew the key to our success would be aligning ourselves with the right people in the garage. The accomplishments we've achieved in our first 100 races are a result of the dedication of the teams and drivers that have campaigned Tundras over the past four seasons, as well as the hard work of everyone at TRD (Toyota Racing Development)."

Toyota clinched its second-consecutive NCTS manufacturer's championship at Virginia's Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 20), when series points-leader Mike Skinner crossed the finish line first in his Tundra. Toyota also won the manufacturer's championship and driver's title (Todd Bodine) in 2006. Teams that have fielded Tundras since Toyota's debut in the NCTS include Bang Racing (2004), Bill Davis Racing (2004-07), Darrell Waltrip Motorsports (2004-07), Fiddleback Racing (2005), Germain Racing (2004- 07), HT Motorsports (2006-07), Innovative Motorsports (2004), Red Horse Racing (2005-07), The Racer's Group (2007) and Wyler Racing (2005-07).

Heading into the 2007 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Skinner is the only driver to have started every NCTS race in a Toyota, and he will make his 100th start in a Tundra Friday night. Johnny Benson (87 starts), Todd Bodine (82 starts), David Reutimann (75 starts), Bill Lester (74 starts) and Jack Sprague (54 starts) are the other drivers that have made at least 50 NCTS starts in a Tundra. Drivers who have made at least one start in a Tundra include AJ Allmendinger, Dave Blaney, Ken Butler, Chad Chaffin, Terry Cook, Aaron Fike, David Green, Shige Hattori, Justin Hobgood, Shelby Howard, Robert Huffman, Brad Keselowski, Travis Kvapil, Justin Labonte, Andy Lally, Jason Leffler, Donny Lia, Justin Marks, Ryan Mathews, Michael McDowell, Joey Miller, Ted Musgrave, Steve Park, Hank Parker Jr., Ken Schrader, David Starr, Jacques Villeneuve, Tyler Walker, Mike Wallace, Darrell Waltrip, Michael Waltrip , Brandon Whitt and Josh Wise.

Bodine has recorded 12 victories for Toyota in the Craftsman Truck Series, the most of any Tundra driver. Benson and Skinner each have eight wins, and Sprague has visited victory lane three times. Kvapil, who has two wins, is the only other driver to register multiple victories in a Tundra, while Musgrave, Reutimann, Starr and Whitt all have one win apiece. Skinner leads all Tundra drivers with 28 pole positions, including a series-record 11 in 2007. Reutimann (six), Sprague (four), Bodine (three), Lester (two) and Whitt (two) have all earned multiple NCTS poles for Toyota, while Benson, Keselowski, Kvapil and Mathews each have on Tundra pole. Reutimann captured Toyota's first-ever pole in the series at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March of 2004, while Kvapil scored the Tundra's first win at Michigan International Speedway in July of the same year.

-credit: toyota motorsports