Watkins Glen: Toyota Motorsports previews

HISTORY CONTINUES: This weekend also marks the second trip to Watkins Glen for the Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS). In 2007, three Camrys competed in the race, with Reutimann (25th) registering the best finish behind race-winner Kevin Harvick. Camry drivers Jason Leffler (27th) and John Graham (31st) were also in the field. BACK FROM THE BORDER: The race at Watkins Glen will be the second-consecutive road course race for the Nationwide Series. Last Saturday, six Camrys competed at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, with Leffler scoring a Toyota-best seventh-place finish in the rain. Toyota drivers Mike Wallace (15th), Jacques Villeneuve (16th), Joey Logano (17th), Reutimann (18th) and Justin Marks (33rd) also competed in Montreal. For Villeneuve, it was his first-career NNS start and his first race on the track named after his father since his days participating in Formula 1.

RACING IN THE RAIN: For the first time in NASCAR competition, the Nationwide Series cars used Goodyear rain tires for grip to race in the rain at Montreal last weekend. "It was fun," said Villenueve, following the race. "It was slippery, but it was the same for everyone so it was good racing. As long as we were running in the front it was fun. With some speed it was clearing the water a little bit but as soon as we got behind the safety car, the water and oil stayed on the windshield and I couldn't see a thing."

READY FOR RIGHT TURNS: With only two road course races on the Sprint Cup Series schedule, and three in the Nationwide Series, the schedule doesn't offer many opportunities for drivers to hone their skills on the left and right turns. "It's (a situation) where you go all year and you don't have many road course races and then you have two right in a row," says Reutimann, driver of the Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) No. 99 Aaron's Dream Machine in the NNS.

D'HONDT DEBUT IN 2008: Busch has won Nationwide Series races for two different teams in 2008 -- five with Joe Gibbs Racing and one with Braun Racing. The Las Vegas-native hopes to add a third team to that list this weekend at Watkins Glen. Busch will drive the No. 92 D'Hondt Motorsports Zippo Toyota Camry in the team's season debut.

DOUBLE DUTY: Camry drivers Busch, Hamlin and Reutimann are set to compete in multiple NASCAR series events during the Watkins Glen race weekend. All three Toyota pilots will compete in the NNS race Saturday and the NSCS race on Sunday at the 2.45-mile road course. Busch will drive the No. 18 JGR Camry in NSCS competition and the No. 92 D'Hondt Motorsports entry in the NNS race. Hamlin will drive the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing entry in the NSCS race and the No. 32 Braun Racing entry during Saturday's NNS race. Reutimann will once again compete for MWR in both events, pulling his regular Toyota 'double-duty.'

CAMRY COUNT: Camrys have won 15 of the first 23 NNS races this year. Busch has six wins, including three consecutive at Texas (April 5), Phoenix (April 11) and Mexico City (April 20), along with victories at Charlotte (May 24), Chicagoland (July 11) and most recently Indianapolis (July 26). Stewart has five NNS wins at Daytona (Feb. 16), California (Feb. 25), Talladega (April 26), Darlington (May 9) and New Hampshire (June 28). Hamlin has recorded three victories at Richmond (May 2), Dover (May 31) and Daytona (July 4). Logano scored his first-career victory at Kentucky (June 14).

CAMRY CONSISTENCY: Four Camry drivers currently hold positions in the top-10 in the NNS point standings after 23 of 35 races. Reutimann is fourth in points (319 points behind leader Clint Bowyer), followed by Busch (seventh), Wallace (eighth) and Leffler (ninth).

-credit: toyota motorsports