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Kansas: Toyota teams race notes, quotes

Joey Logano earned his second consecutive win at Kansas Speedway Saturday in the 300-mile NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race. The victory enabled Toyota to clinch its third straight NNS manufacturer's championship. Logano started from the pole ...

Joey Logano earned his second consecutive win at Kansas Speedway Saturday in the 300-mile NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race. The victory enabled Toyota to clinch its third straight NNS manufacturer's championship.

Logano started from the pole and led five times for 18 (of 200) laps en route to his second win of the season.

Kyle Busch (third), Martin Truex Jr. (fifth), Brendan Gaughan (ninth) and Jason Leffler (10th) also earned top-10 finishes.

Busch led five times for a race-high 65 laps at the 1.5-mile Kansas oval.

Other Toyota drivers in the field included Steve Wallace (11th), Ryan Truex (15th), Michael Annett (16th), Ricky Carmichael (18th), James Buescher (35th) and Reed Sorenson (36th).

Seven Toyota drivers are in the top-15 in the unofficial NNS driver points following Kansas -- Busch (third), Wallace (seventh), Leffler (eighth), Logano (10th), Gaughan (11th), Annett (12th) and Sorenson (14th).

***

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finished: 1st

What were you thinking before the final restart after you and Kyle Busch battled on the previous restart? "We never touched each other. But, that was a tough decision because I started on the bottom the whole time and I figured I had to start on the top. Everyone was starting up there all day and I felt like it was the thing to do. Last time I was put in that situation was California -- I was thinking about it -- how I got beat that race. So, I was like, 'I need to win this thing and start on the outside.' The guys just did a good job today. The pit stops were awesome. Kevin Kidd (crew chief) set me up with a good race car -- a good Sport Clips Toyota. Man, it's just cool to get back here in victory lane after we've been finishing second lately. It's cool to get on a little hot streak right now, with both cars right now. I'm pretty excited about it."

***

KEVIN KIDD, crew chief, No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

What are your thoughts on Joey Logano's performance today? "I'm very fortunate to have this kid sitting beside me driving our car. He's really good at a lot of race tracks, but when it comes to Kentucky and Kansas and California -- the flatter mile-and-a-half's with a lot of speed -- there's nobody out there that's better than this guy, in my opinion. I was very pleased with our performance today, but to be honest with you being a little bit of a pessimist I thought we kind of sold ourselves a little short today. I thought we had a better car yesterday than today. We had to work on it some during the race and probably worked on it harder than I was anticipating. Just pleased that we were able to get it there at the end and be a contender there at the end and be able to put Joey (Logano) in a spot where he could do what he did."

***

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finished: 3rd

How was your run? "We had a lot going on. We were all over the place there from the middle stages of the race being really loose, but we made a lot of changes to get the car back to where I could drive it again and where it was controlled and I could get into the corner with it. Just unfortunate there at the end to not be able to pull out a win. Just really, really tight on the last couple restarts. I just couldn't get the thing to turn on the exit of the corners like I had been doing when I was by myself. Just didn't quite have enough for those guys. Knew that going into the race and thought we had a shot to beat them, but with the cautions there late Joey (Logano) is always really good -- especially here and with the flat tracks like Kentucky -- at being able to get going."

***

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 00 Out! Pet Care Toyota Camry, Diamond-Waltrip Racing
Finished: 5th

How did it feel to be back competing in the Nationwide Series today? "It feels good. We're proud of what Ryan (Truex) did today. A little bit of pit strategy hurt him at the end, but he did a fine job. Just fun to run upfront there. We had an up and down day. We had a pit road speeding penalty, had a couple bad pit stops -- pit strategy was kind of funny there at the end, but it all worked out. That was probably about where we were going to run -- fourth or fifth anyway. A couple of the guys were just a little bit better than us all day. I'm proud of all of the guys. I've got to thank Diamond-Waltrip and everybody there for this opportunity. The Bechtels (team co-owners), Out! Pet Care and everybody on this race car. This was a lot of fun. I hadn't run one of these cars in probably five years on a track like this and I remember how much fun it was. I'm looking forward to California next week. I'm looking forward to Ryan (Truex) running a few more races. He did a fine job today and I'm real proud of what he was able to do."

***

BRENDAN GAUGHAN, No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing
Finished: 9th

JASON LEFFLER, No. 38 Great Clips Toyota Camry, Braun Racing
Finished: 10th

STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing
Finished: 11th

***

RYAN TRUEX, No. 99 Out! Pet Care Toyota Camry, Diamond-Waltrip Racing
Finished: 15th

How was your race today? "It was alright. I just learned a lot about restarts and learned a lot about these cars. I haven't really run the older style Nationwide car on a big track like this and I learned a lot about it. I had a lot of fun out there. Made a few mistakes. We were running real good there and I got in the back of the 62 (Brendan Gaughan) or the 66 (Steve Wallace) -- one of them guys -- and ended up caving in the hood a little bit and had to come in and pit and fix it. That cost us a lot of spots and just had to work my way back up from there. I'm pretty happy with 15th."

Were you planning to stay out on the race track during that final long run before the caution came out? "We were going to stay out and we were going to try to make it, but that caution came out and it fell our way. It was good for us because we could come in and get tires with not a lot of laps to go and try to make up some spots at the end there. The car was just a little off there at the end and got a little wild there, but I'm pretty happy with a 15th-place finish."

What was it like racing in the same race with your brother Martin? "I didn't see him (Martin Truex Jr.) that much. I was ahead of him one time and that was pretty cool. It was just a good race. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun."

***

MICHAEL ANNETT, No. 15 Pilot Flying J Coffee Toyota Camry, Germain Racing
Finished: 16th

RICKY CARMICHAEL, No. 10 Monster Energy Toyota Camry, Braun Racing
Finished: 18th

JAMES BUESCHER, No. 11 Great Clips Toyota Camry, Braun Racing
Finished: 35th

REED SORENSON, No. 32 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Braun Racing
Finished: 36th

-source: toyota motorsports

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