Toyota Preview: Texas

THIS RACE -- This will mark the 14th race at Texas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS).  There will be eight Toyota Tundras in the field.

TOYOTA TRIUMPHS AGAIN -- Toyota earned its third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory when Todd Bodine captured the checkered flag in the most recent race at California Speedway (Oct. 2) in his No. 30 Germain/Arnold Racing Tundra.  Bodine qualified ninth, ran among the leaders throughout the race, and took the lead with six laps remaining en route to the checkered flag.

TODD TALKS ABOUT HIS WIN -- Todd Bodine, who recorded his first career NCTS win at California Speedway in his 11th series start, battled back from a problem in the pits halfway through the race.  “We had a lug nut fall off the left front,” said Bodine, following the race.  “Those things happen in racing.  You just have to expect it and be prepared for it.  I knew we had a great truck -- good enough to run up front.  I just had to pace myself and pass one truck at a time.”  Following the pit stop, Bodine worked his way through the field, moving from 10th-place into the lead in 34 laps -- passing three-time California Speedway race winner Ted Musgrave for the victory.

TRAVIS TOOK TOYOTA’S WIN NO. 1 -- Toyota earned its first-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory when Travis Kvapil captured the checkered flag at Michigan International Speedway (July 31) in his No. 24 Bang Racing Line-X Tundra.

VICTORY NO. 2 FOR TOYOTA -- Toyota earned its second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win when Travis Kvapil drove his No. 24 Bang Racing Line-X Tundra to ‘Victory Lane’ at New Hampshire (Sept. 18).

LAST RACE -- In addition to a Toyota Tundra winning the most recent race on the schedule in California, two other Toyota drivers finished among the top-10.  Rookie David Reutimann was sixth in the No. 17 Darrell Waltrip Motorsports NTN Bearings Tundra and Johnny Benson was seventh in the No. 23 Bill Davis Racing Tundra.

KVAPIL CAPTURES POLE NO. 1 -- Travis Kvapil captured the first pole position of his NCTS career -- and Toyota’s third pole position this year -- when he was the fastest qualifier at California Speedway.  Unfortunately, Kvapil damaged his Tundra in the final practice session and had to start from the rear of the field.
 
TOYOTA’S TWO OTHER POLES -- Toyota earned its second NCTS pole position during its debut season in the series when Mike Skinner qualified first at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Sept. 25).  It was his 16th career NCTS pole position and his first since his last full season in the series in 1996.  In Atlanta (March 12), David Reutimann earned his first career NCTS pole position -- and Toyota’s inaugural pole.

POINTS RACE -- After 20 races, three Toyota drivers are among the top-15 in the NCTS championship standings.  Travis Kvapil is seventh in the standings with 2,623 points, 310 points behind first-place Bobby Hamilton and just 164 points from third-place Carl Edwards.  Other Tundra drivers among the top-15 in the standings are 11th-place Mike Skinner (2,482 points) and 14th-place David Reutimann (2,410 points).

ROOKIE RACE -- After 20 races, Toyota driver David Reutimann (No. 17 Tundra) remains atop the Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year standings with 209 points, 47 more than second-place Tracy Hines.  Toyota’s Robert Huffman (No. 12 Tundra) is fifth in the rookie race with 139 points.

REUTIMANN TOPS TOYOTAS IN TEXAS -- In the NCTS race at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year (June 11), David Reutimann crossed the finish line third -- the top finisher among seven Tundra drivers.  Toyota drivers following Reutimann to the finish line in Texas were Mike Skinner (11th), who led 41 laps, and Bill Lester (12th).

HUFFMAN TOPS TUNDRA TEXAS QUALIFYING -- Robert Huffman started on the outside of row one in the NCTS race in Texas earlier this season.  It’s Huffman’s best starting position this season in his No. 12 Innovative Motorsports Tundra.  Three other Tundra drivers started in the top-10 at Texas -- Bill Lester (third), David Reutimann (sixth) and Mike Skinner (ninth).

HUFFMAN LEADS FIELD -- Rookie Robert Huffman led five laps in the most recent NCTS race at California Speedway, the first time he has paced the field this season.  The former Dash Series champion led laps 31 to 35 in the 100-lap race at California.

TK TOPS TX -- Travis Kvapil recorded his first career NCTS victory at Texas Motor Speedway (Oct. 5, 2001).

TRAVIS TOUGH IN TEXAS -- In addition to his victory at Texas Motor Speedway in 2001, Travis Kvapil has four other top-five finishes at the track.  The Janesville, Wis.-driver has finished second twice (2002 and 2003), as well as fourth (2003) and fifth (2002), at Texas Motor Speedway.

ALL-STAR TUNDRA -- At Texas, Travis Kvapil will be promoting the second annual ‘NASCAR Toyota All- Star Showdown’ on his No. 24 Bang Racing Tundra.  The ‘Showdown’ will take place this November (11th-13th) at California’s Irwindale Speedway.  More than $500,000 in prize money and live national television coverage on SPEED Channel await the 70 drivers who will be invited to compete in the one-of-a-kind NASCAR event.  The invitational event will once again feature the top 10 drivers from each of the four series that comprise the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division -- which includes NASCAR's Midwest Series, Northwest Series, Southeast Series and Southwest Series -- competing together in a single race.  Also on the racing card at Irwindale will be a combined field of NASCAR Grand National Division drivers, which includes the top 15 drivers from the Busch North Series and West Series. 

REUTIMANN WILL RETURN TO CA -- David Reutimann will return to California later this year to attend the second annual ‘NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown’ at Irwindale Speedway.  Reutimann competed in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division Southeast Series in 1997, winning Rookie-of-the-Year honors.  That year, the Zephyrhills, FL-native finished fifth in the point standings, recorded a pair of second-place finishes, and had eight top-10s.

TODD IN TEXAS -- During his racing career, Todd Bodine has made a total of 10 starts at Texas in the NASCAR Cup and Busch Series.  In his six Busch Series starts at Texas, Bodine has recorded three fourth-place finishes (1997, 2000 and 2003).

TODD’S NCTS RESUME -- In Texas, Todd Bodine will be making only his fifth NCTS start in the No. 30 Germain Arnold Racing Tundra.  The Chemung, N.Y.-native has put together an impressive record in just four races -- recording one win (California), a second-place (Las Vegas), and a fourth-place (Richmond), as well as leading 56 laps, and qualifying among the top-10 three times.

BILL STARTS FAST AT TEXAS -- Since the 2002 season, Bill Lester has made five starts at Texas, and he has started every race among the top-13 drivers.  In his first start driving a Tundra at the track earlier this season, Lester earned his best starting position at Texas when he qualified third.  The Oakland, Calif.-native has also started sixth (2002), seventh (2002), 12th (2003) and 13th (2003) at Texas.  His best result was when he crossed the finish line 12th earlier this season in a Tundra, as well as a 12th one year ago.

BENSON’S BEST -- Since he moved into the driver’s seat of the No. 23 Bill Davis Racing Tundra at Michigan (July 31) Johnny Benson has made eight NCTS starts.  In his eight races, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-native has five top-10 finishes, including a third-place (New Hampshire) and a pair of fourths (Las Vegas and Michigan).  He has also finished sixth (Nashville) and seventh (California).

SKINNER TOPS IN HALF -- Mike Skinner has led the field in half of the 20 NCTS races this season.  The former series champion has led laps at Las Vegas, New Hampshire, Bristol, Michigan, Texas, Dover, Charlotte, Martinsville, Atlanta and Daytona.  The most laps he has led in a race this year came at Bristol (129) and he led the fewest number of laps at Charlotte’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway (2).

HANK HANDLES QUALIFYING -- In the past three races, Hank Parker Jr. has bettered his best starting position three times.  At New Hampshire, Parker Jr. qualified seventh, equaling his best start of the season.  He improved upon that starting position by qualifying fifth at Las Vegas.  In the most recent race on the schedule at California, Parker Jr. earned the fourth starting spot in qualifying.

PARKER HAS FOUR -- This season, Hank Parker Jr.  has four top-10 finishes.  He has finished third (Dover), fifth (St. Louis), sixth (Bristol) and ninth (New Hampshire).