MARTINSVILLE, Va. (October
21, 2007) -- When Mike
Skinner’s Tundra crossed the
finish line first in
Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS)
race at Virginia’s
Martinsville Speedway, it
enabled Toyota to clinch its
second consecutive NCTS
manufacturer’s championship.
The performance of six
teams fielding nine
full-time Tundras -- Bill
Davis Racing, Darrell
Waltrip Motorsports, Germain
Racing, HT Motorsports, Red
Horse Racing and Wyler
Racing – all contributed to
the second straight
Craftsman Truck Series
manufacturer’s title. Tundra
drivers have combined to
produce 11 victories, 51
top-five finishes and 81
top-10 results in the first
21 events of 2007.
“Winning a second
manufacturer’s championship
is a testament to the
outstanding race teams that
Toyota has been associated
with in the NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series, as well as the
extremely talented Tundra
drivers,” said Jim Aust,
vice president - motorsports,
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.,
Inc. “Although we’ve
expanded our NASCAR
involvement to include the
Nextel Cup Series and Busch
Series this season, we
recognize the popularity and
value of the Craftsman Truck
Series and our commitment to
the series has never
wavered. Winning this
manufacturer’s title during
the same month as Toyota’s
50th anniversary in the
United States makes it even
more special.”
Skinner, driver of the
No. 5 Bill Davis Racing
Tundra, has been Toyota’s
top performer in the series
this season. The Daytona
Beach, Fla.-driver has
recorded five wins --
California, Atlanta,
Martinsville-1, Kentucky and
Martinsville-2 -- and
currently sits first in the
championship point
standings. Skinner, the
inaugural Craftsman Truck
Series champion in 1995, is
the only Tundra driver to
have competed in all 96
races that Toyota has
entered since 2004.
“It’s an honor to race a
Toyota and to be part of the
Tundra family,” said
Skinner. “I’ve driven a
Tundra since Toyota joined
the Craftsman Truck Series
in 2004, and I know the
tremendous amount of hard
work and effort that has
gone into winning these
championships. Now, that
we’ve helped Toyota win one
championship, our focus is
on the driver’s title -- and
driving these Tundras
undoubtedly gives us a great
shot at that.”
Along with Skinner’s five
wins this year, several
other Tundra pilots have
visited victory lane.
Skinner’s Bill Davis Racing
teammate, Johnny Benson, has
three wins this season in
his No. 23 Tundra
(Milwaukee, Bristol and
Gateway), while defending
series champion Todd Bodine
has a pair of victories
(Texas and Talladega) in his
No. 30 Germain Racing entry.
In the series season-opener
at Daytona, Jack Sprague
crossed the finish line
first in the No. 60 Wyler
Racing Tundra.
In addition to the 11
wins this year, Tundra
drivers have combined to
capture 15 pole positions.
Skinner has a series-leading
eight poles (Atlanta,
Martinsville-1, Kansas,
Charlotte, Dover, Milwaukee,
Indianapolis, Nashville and
St. Louis), and Bodine has
started ahead of the field
twice (Texas and Talladega).
In addition, Sprague
(Martinsville-2 and
Daytona), Brad Keselowski
(Memphis) and Ryan Mathews
(Kentucky) have started on
the pole.
Skinner, Benson, Bodine,
Sprague and Terry Cook have
participated in every race
this season. Other drivers
to sit in Tundras this year
include AJ Allmendinger
(nine races), Ken Butler
(two races), Aaron Fike (12
races), David Green (seven
races), Justin Labonte (two
races), Jason Leffler (two
races), Michael McDowell
(one race), Ted Musgrave (19
races), Jacques Villeneuve
(three races), Tyler Walker
(six races), Mike Wallace
(one race) and Josh Wise
(eight races).
Since joining the
Craftsman Truck Series in
2004, Tundras have won 36
races and captured 47 pole
positions.
Toyota in North America
Toyota (NYSE:TM)
established operations in
North America in 1957 and
will operate 15
manufacturing plants in
North America by 2010. There
are more than 1,700 Toyota,
Lexus and Scion dealerships
in North America which sold
more than 2.8 million
vehicles in 2006. Toyota
directly employs over 41,000
in North America and its
investment here is currently
valued at more than $18.6
billion, including sales and
manufacturing operations,
research and development,
financial services and
design. Toyota's annual
purchasing of parts,
materials, goods and
services from North American
suppliers totals more than
$28.5 billion. According to
a 2005 Center for Automotive
Research study, Toyota,
along with its dealers and
suppliers, has generated
nearly 400,000 U.S. jobs,
including jobs created
through spending by direct,
dealer and suppliers
employees. For more
information about Toyota,
visit www.toyota.com.