June 30, 2004
PRUETT/PAPIS TAKE FIFTH POLE IN SIX RACES WITH LEXUS
After seeing a streak of four consecutive poles snapped last race at Watkins Glen, the #01 CompUSA Lexus of Scott Pruett and Max Papis earned its fifth pole in six races this season in qualifying tonight for Thursday’s Paul Revere 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
It seems only fitting that Pruett, one of America’s greatest-ever sports car racers, earned the pole position to open up the July 4 weekend of racing. The CompUSA Ganassi Racing driver is coming off an impressive third-place finish at this past weekend’s NEXTEL Cup event in Sonoma, Calif.
With points leaders Pruett and Papis safely on the pole, the #02 CompUSA Lexus team car of Jimmy Morales and Luis Diaz made it two Ganassi Racing Lexus’ in the top three with a third-place qualifying showing. Morales and Diaz are coming off their best finish of the season – a third at Watkins Glen.
A third Lexus-powered entry would make it into Wednesday’s top-five in qualifying as the Michael Shank Racing (MSR) Lexus driven by Oswaldo Negri and Burt Frisselle took the fifth position. MSR made their sports car racing debut earlier this season at Daytona, earning a fourth-place finish in its inaugural race.
The Doran-Lista Racing team has a new look this weekend. With Fredy Lienhard unable to race due to a business conflict and the team’s third driver, Jan Magnussen, with a previous racing commitment in Europe, 22-year-old Swiss driver Benjamin Leuenberger will co-drive with Didier Theys. They’ll start from the 12th spot.
The Paul Revere 250 is tentatively scheduled for an 11 p.m. start Thursday evening after the completion of Nextel Cup qualifying. The race will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on SPEED, July 4 at 12 p.m.
FAST FACTS - ARGENT MORTGAGE INDY 300
July 4, 12:30 p.m. EDT
Kansas Speedway
250 laps on the 1.5-mile oval for 300 miles
CASTRONEVES CARRYING TOYOTA BANNER – It’s no surprise that Helio Castroneves (Marlboro Toyota) is the highest-placed Toyota-powered driver in the IndyCar Series points race in third place. The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner has been among the top-two finishing Toyotas in four of this season’s six races. Castroneves has three top-three podium finishes to his credit (Homestead-2nd, Motegi-3rd, Richmond-3rd) among his five top-10 finishes.
Through the season’s first six races, three different drivers have assumed honors as the top Toyota finisher. Castroneves (Motegi and Richmond), Marlboro Team Penske teammate Sam Hornish Jr. (Homestead and Texas) and defending IRL champion Scott Dixon (Phoenix and Indianapolis) have been the highest finishing Toyota in two races apiece.
BUSY RACING WEEKEND ACROSS THE USA FOR TRD – With racing action stretching from the Atlantic to the upper-Midwest and out into the Plains, this weekend may prove to be the busiest in history for Toyota Racing Development and its related racing programs. No less than four different Toyota-related series will be in action.
The Lexus-powered Daytona Prototypes will kick off the weekend’s activities in the Rolex Sports Car Series’ Paul Revere 250 at the Daytona International Speedway, set to begin on July 2 at 11 p.m. Scott Pruett and Max Papis have combined to win each of the last two Rolex Series events for Lexus and will lead an expected four Lexus-powered cars in this week’s race.
Heading north from Daytona to Cleveland, the Toyota Atlantic Championship continues on Saturday at the Cleveland Grand Prix. Jon Fogarty has won three consecutive races to take over the series point lead. He’ll battle with second-place Danica Patrick, who made history at Portland when she became the first woman ever to lead the points championship of a major open-wheel series, as well as the first woman to win a Toyota Atlantic Championship pole.
From Cleveland, it’s out to the great Plains and the Kansas Speedway, where the IndyCars and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will run in conjunction with one another for the second of five races this season. Six Toyota-powered trucks are scheduled to take the green flag on Saturday, with the weekend culminating with Sunday’s Argent Mortgage Indy 300.
FOND FAREWELL FOR A FRIEND – Former Toyota-powered driver Al Unser Jr. announced his retirement from racing on Wednesday. One of the greatest open-wheel drivers of his generation, Unser Jr. earned his final Indy car victory with Toyota power at Texas last season. In addition, Unser’s early professional racing resume includes a stint behind the wheel of a Toyota Celica GTU car campaigned by Dan Gurney and All American Racers.
A KANSAS HOMECOMING… – The return to the Kansas Speedway also marks a return home for Toyota vice president of motorsports and TRD President and CEO Jim Aust. A native of Ellis, Kansas, he attended Fort Hays (Kansas) State. Aust oversees all of Toyota’s racing activities in the United States, including both the IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series programs.
…AND A KANSAS DEBUT – Darren Manning (Target Toyota) will be the the only Toyota-powered driver to be making his first trip to the Kansas oval. With new testing restrictions in place, the Brit has yet to take a lap on the 1.5-mile track. Of course, the experience is nothing new for Manning, of the 16 races on the IndyCar Series schedule, Manning had previously raced upon only one – at Milwaukee, where he placed fourth in CART competition a year ago.
FOUR TOYOTAS IN TOP SEVEN IN POINTS – With Helio Castroneves leading the way in third-place, four Toyota drivers rank in the top seven heading into this weekend’s race at Kansas. Following Castroneves is defending IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon (Target Toyota) in fifth with a pair of Toyota drivers tied for sixth in Sam Hornish Jr. and Darren Manning (Target Toyota).
Toyota IndyCar Series Driver Line-Up and Position Entering Kansas
Car # Driver Car Season Points Standing
#3 Helio Castronves Marlboro Toyota (Dallara) 3rd
#1 Scott Dixon Target Toyota (Panoz/G-Force) 5th
#6 Sam Hornish Jr. Marlboro Toyota (Dallara) 6th (Won Homestead)
#10 Darren Manning Target Toyota (Panoz/G-Force) 6th
#12 Tora Takagi Pioneer Toyota (Dallara) 11th
#8 Scott Sharp Delphi Toyota (Dallara) 12th
#14 A.J. Foyt IV Conseco Toyota (Dallara) 18th
“Quotes”
Jim Aust, Toyota vice president of motorsports: “We seem to have had all the breaks go against us in the past few races. We thought we had the car to beat at both Indianapolis and Richmond, but we’ve been living proof of the old adage ‘the best car doesn’t always win’. I’d also be remiss not to mention the retirement of Al Unser Jr. He’s undoubtedly one of the greatest race car drivers in American history and it was a privilege to get a chance to work with him during the 2003 season. All of us at Toyota Motorsports and Toyota Racing Development wish Al the very best.”
June 28, 2004
LISTEN MY CHILDREN AND YOU SHALL HEAR OF LEXUS’ MIDNIGHT RIDE AT THE PAUL REVERE
When the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series heads to Daytona this holiday weekend, Lexus will attempt to make racing history with its own midnight ride on the way to a third consecutive Daytona Prototype victory at the Paul Revere 250, July 2 at Daytona International Speedway.
With consecutive victories by the duo of Scott Pruett and Max Papis in the #01 CompUSA Ganassi Racing entry, Lexus will try to extend its winning streak to three and in the process move into the series Manufacturer’s Championship lead. The manufacturer sits just three points out of the series lead heading into the mid-way point of the 2004 schedule. A third straight victory would give Lexus its first-ever Daytona Prototype Manufacturer’s Championship points lead.
With their most recent victory at Watkins Glen, Pruett and Papis and the #01 CompUSA Chip Ganassi Racing team have opened up a 14-point lead in both the Daytona Prototype driver and team standings with 151 points. In a show of strength, the Ganassi team placed two cars on the podium at “The Glen” with Luis Diaz and Jimmy Morales registering their first top-three finish of the season in the #02 CompUSA Lexus team car.
Two more Lexus-powered entries should be in the hunt for the victory. Doran-Lista Racing has a pair of runner-up finishes this season – at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and at Mont-Tremblant. Didier Theys and Jan Magnussen will pilot the #27 entry at Daytona. Theys currently ranks 10th in the driver’s championship.
Michael Shank Racing remains in the top-five in the team point standings in fifth-place in its first year of sports car racing. MSR sits just 24 points behind the series-leading Ganassi outfit after notching five consecutive top-eight finishes. Oswaldo Negri and Burt Frisselle will be behind the wheel for the fifth consecutive race.
This week’s Paul Revere 250 marks a return to Daytona International Speedway, where Pruett won the pole for the manufacturer’s debut race in the series – the Rolex 24.
The Paul Revere 250 is tentatively scheduled for an 11 p.m. start after the completion of Nextel Cup qualifying. The race will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on SPEED, July 4 at 12 p.m.
June 26, 2004
TOYOTA LOSES OUT ON FUEL ECONOMY RUN AT RICHMOND
- After leading the first 113 laps, crashes and ill-timed yellows kept Toyota out of the winner’s circle at Richmond tonight. Helio Castroneves finished second, but lost the victory when race-winner Daniel Wheldon ran 121 laps on a race-ending fuel economy run to win Saturday night’s SunTrust Indy Challenge.
- Helio Castroneves’ second marks his seventh top-three finish in his last nine IRL short oval events. Over that span, he’s registered two wins, five seconds and a third on ovals under 1.5 miles in length. Castroneves led the first 37 laps tonight.
- With his second-place finish, Helio Castroneves maintained his third-place standing in the points race. Scott Dixon moved up to fifth with an eighth-place finish, while fellow Toyota drivers Sam Hornish Jr. and Darren Manning are tied for sixth. An ill-handling race car forced Tora Takagi to retire early in 19th, dropping him to 10th in the points. Overall, five Toyotas currently rank in the top 10.
- Sam Hornish, Jr. (Marlboro Toyota) led 76 laps tonight and was running in the top four late in the race when he made contact while attempting to gain a position. Unfortunately, the incident dropped him to a 13th-place finish.
- Scott Sharp (Delphi Toyota) matched his best finish of the season in registering his third ninth-place finish of the season.
- A.J. Foyt IV (Conseco Toyota) matched a career-best finish with an 11th tonight.
Jim Aust, Toyota vice president of Motorsports: “We just can’t seem to get a break. We had the best car in both qualifying and in the race tonight, but it seemed like the yellows went against us. Had the race gone another two laps, Helio very well may have won.”
Driver, Start/Finish
Helio Castroneves 1/2
Scott Dixon 6/8
Scott Sharp 17/9
Sam Hornish 4/13
A.J. Foyt 21/11
Tora Takagi 9/19
Darren Manning 1120
Next Race: Argent Mortgage Indy 300, Kansas Speedway, July 4, 12:30 p.m., ABC
June 25, 2004
CASTRONEVES PUTS TOYOTA ON POLE AT RICHMOND
- Helio Castroneves (Marlboro Toyota) set a track record with a 171.202 mph lap to win the pole for Saturday night’s SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway.
- Today’s pole is Toyota’s 12th in 22 IndyCar Series races and its first of the 2004 campaign.
- Toyota-powered drivers took three of the top-six positions in qualifying today with Helio Castroneves leading teammate Sam Hornish Jr. (Marlboro Toyota – 4th) and Scott Dixon (Target Toyota – 6th). Tora Takagi (Pioneer Toyota) made it four Toyotas in the top nine with a ninth-place qualifying effort.
- All three Toyota-powered drivers who qualified in the top six tonight finished in the top four of last year’s SunTrust Indy Challenge at RIR. Scott Dixon is the defending champion after having won from the pole in dominating fashion – leading all 206 laps. This year’s pole-sitter Helio Castronves finished second last season, while Sam Hornish was fourth. Last year’s third-place finisher was the now-retired Gil de Ferran, racing for Marlboro Team Penske.
- In his last eight short-oval events (under 1.5 miles), Helio Castroneves has been on the podium six times with two wins, three seconds and a third.
- As impressive as Castroneves’ short-oval record is, defending RIR champion Scott Dixon has a record to rival the Brazilian’s. In seven short oval events, Dixon has won two, finished second in two and was leading in each of the other three events when he suffered a mechanical problem.
Helio Castroneves: Today I’ll enjoy it, but tomorrow we’ll be back to keep working to stay ahead of these guys. The test day here (a Toyota test on June 3) really helped us. Minimal details make a big difference at Richmond. It believe it will be a great race. There should be a lot more passing upfront.”
Toyota Richmond Qualifying:
1. Helio Castroneves
4. Sam Hornish Jr.
6. Scott Dixon
9. Tora Takagi
5. Helio Castroneves
11. Darren Manning
17. Scott Sharp
21. A. J. Foyt IV
SunTrust Indy Challenge, Richmond International Raceway, ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. EDT
June 21, 2004
FAST FACTS - SUNTRUST INDY CHALLENGE
Saturday, June 26, 7:30 p.m. ESPN2
Richmond International Raceway
250 laps on the 0.75-mile oval for 187.5 miles
DIXON, PENSKE’S DUEL FOR SHORT OVAL SUPREMACY IN RICHMOND – There’s never a sure thing when it comes to picking a winner in any IndyCar Series race, but the odds would definitely favor anyone casting their lot with either Scott Dixon or Marlboro Team Penske’s Sam Hornish Jr. and Helio Castroneves in this Saturday’s SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway.
DIXON…. - Few drivers have ever been as dominant on the short ovals as Scott Dixon and his Target Toyota were a year ago. In his seven career IRL short oval races, Dixon has won two, placed second in two and was leading each of the other three when he was beset by mechanical problems. Included among his triumphs last year was a record-setting performance in Richmond, where he became the first IndyCar Series driver ever to lead wire-to-wire as he led all 206 laps from the pole.
The 2003 Indy Car Series champion’s short oval prowess extends back to his CART days when he became the youngest driver to win a race in major open-wheel racing history when he took the checkered flag at Nazareth at 20 years, 9 months of age. He also won his first short oval race in Chicago in Indy Lights competition just days after his 19th birthday.
HORNISH…. – If Dixon isn’t the choice in Richmond this weekend, few would argue with the pre-race selection of Sam Hornish Jr. In three career starts at RIR, Hornish has finished first, second and fourth (a year ago). His 2002 victory at Richmond helped propel him to his second IndyCar Series championship. In addition, Hornish topped the time charts in last week’s open test on the short oval at the Milwaukee Mile.
CASTRONEVES…. – While Helio Castroneves can’t boast the series championships that his young Toyota adversaries can, they would be hard-pressed to better his record on the short ovals. In 11 short oval starts in 2002 and 2003, the two-time Indianapolis 500 champion has three victories, four seconds (including last year at Richmond) and a third.
THE PENSKE FACTOR… - When assessing any short-oval event, the “Penske factor” has to be considered. Over the last two seasons, Marlboro Team Penske has had at least one car finish in the top three in EVERY one of the 11 short oval events run. The team’s finishing record over that span reads an amazing six victories, seven seconds and five thirds.
RICHMOND 2003 REVISITED – The 2003 SunTrust Indy Challenge was a showplace for Toyota-powered cars with Scott Dixon leading a Toyota sweep of the top three spots. Dixon led all 206 laps of the rain-shortened event with Helio Castroneves finishing second and Gil de Ferran in third. Current Toyota driver Sam Hornish Jr. placed fourth.
FIVE TOYOTAS IN TOP NINE IN POINTS – Five Toyota drivers rank in the top nine in points heading into Richmond. Helio Castroneves leads the way in third place. A trio of Toyota-powered drivers rank fifth, sixth and seventh in Darren Manning, Scott Dixon and Sam Hornish, Jr. Tora Takagi (Pioneer Toyota) rounds out the Toyota top-10 contingent in ninth-place in the championship.
ELSEWHERE – While the IndyCars were enjoying a rare week off on Father’s Day, this past weekend was busy with Toyota and TRD activity elsewhere. In Portland, 2002 Toyota Atlantic Champion (TAC) Jon Fogarty swept a TAC double-header. While Fogarty was leading every lap of the two races, Danica Patrick was making the headlines. She became the first woman ever to lead the drivers’ championship points standing after a second-place finish on Saturday, and then became just the second woman ever to win a pole for a U.S. open-wheel racing series event when she took the top spot for Sunday’s event.
On Sunday, Scott Pruett and Max Papis teamed to win the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in a Lexus for the CompUSA Ganassi Racing team in Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series action. It was the duo’s second consecutive victory, extending both their lead in the Driver’s Championship, as well as Ganassi’s lead in the team points race.
Toyota IndyCar Series Driver Line-Up and Position Entering Richmond
Car # Driver Car Season Points Standing
#3 Helio Castronves Marlboro Toyota (Dallara) 3rd
#10 Darren Manning Target Toyota (Panoz/G-Force) 5th
#1 Scott Dixon Target Toyota (Panoz/G-Force) 6th
#6 Sam Hornish, Jr. Marlboro Toyota (Dallara) 7th (Won Homestead)
#12 Tora Takagi Pioneer Toyota (Dallara) 9th
#8 Scott Sharp Delphi Toyota (Dallara) 13th
#14 A.J. Foyt IV Conseco Toyota (Dallara) 18th
“Quotes”
Jim Aust, Toyota vice president of motorsports: “We're optimistic heading into Richmond. Our teams and drivers really seem to like the shorter ovals and we had a very good test there earlier in the month. Richmond is a terrific facility and it’s a sight to behold when the IndyCars circle that three-quarter mile track under the lights. It’s definitely one of the highlights of the season."
June 20, 2004
PRUETT/PAPIS RALLY FROM TWO LAPS DOWN TO GIVE LEXUS SECOND STRAIGHT GRAND AM WIN
After a dominating win from the pole in the last Rolex Series race at Mont Tremblant, the #01 CompUSA Lexus driven by Scott Pruett and Max Papis had a much more difficult time this weekend at the Sahlen’s 6 Hours of The Glen, but the end result was the same – another Daytona Prototype victory for the team and Lexus.
After seeing the team’s streak of four consecutive pole positions snapped on Saturday after suffering a broken axle, the team’s fortunes worsened when the green flag fell on Sunday. Just a handful of laps into the event, Papis was forced to pit when the #01 suffered throttle problems. The early mechanical woes dropped the team two laps down and well back in the pack.
The duo was down, but certainly not out. After Papis started climbing his way back up through the grid, a combination of a thrilling drive, well-planned strategy and strong fuel mileage put the team back on the lead lap. Finally, Pruett took the lead with just under an hour left in the six-hour event and went on to win by more than 30 seconds.
“The way it started was crazy and we didn’t know if we could get the two laps back,” said Pruett. “That was just a great effort from the whole CompUSA Ganassi team and Lexus gave us a great engine today.”
The Pruett/Papis effort wasn’t the only highlight of the day for the CompUSA team. After leading the event in the early going, Luis Diaz and Jimmy Morales combined to put the #02 CompUSA Lexus on the podium with a third-place finish – their top showing of the 2004 season.
All four Lexus-powered entries finished in the top-eight today. Jan Magnussen, Didier Theys and Fredy Lienhard placed fifth overall in the Doran-Lista Racing Lexus, while Oswaldo Negri and Burt Frisselle combined to place eighth in the Michael Shank Racing (MSR) Lexus. In addition, three of the four Lexus entries also led today’s race with Doran-Lista joining the two CompUSA Ganassi cars in taking a turn at the point position. MSR ran as high as second.
With their second straight victory, Pruett and Papis have opened up a lead in the 14-point in the driver’s championship, while their CompUSA Ganassi team continues to lead the team points race.
The Rolex Series returns to action on July 20 for the Paul Revere 250 at Daytona International Speedway. SPEED will provide coverage.
June 15, 2004
LEXUS EYES SECOND CONECUTIVE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE WIN
After a dominating one-two finish at Mont-Tremblant, the Lexus Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series program heads to the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen looking for a second consecutive Daytona Protoype victory.
Series points leaders and Mont-Tremblant winners Scott Pruett and Max Papis (#01 CompUSA Lexus) headline a five-car Lexus contingent intent on continuing the manufacturer’s recent dominance. In the three races since the season-opening Daytona 24 Hours, Lexus-powered cars have led 339 of the 452 laps contested – an amazing 75.2 percent of the laps run in those races. In addition, Pruett and Papis have combined to put Lexus on the pole for all four races this season.
“The first win is always the best, especially when it's for the team and the manufacturer,” said Pruett, one of the winningest sport car racers in U.S. history. “Hopefully, that will be the beginning of a streak that continues this weekend at Watkins Glen.”
For Pruett, Papis and the CompUSA Ganassi Racing team to continue their streak, they’ll have to contend with some formidable competition inside the Lexus camp, including the #27 Doran-Lista Racing team that finished second at Mont-Tremblant. Didier Theys, Jan Magnussen and Fredy Lienhard will handle the driving chores. The team has a pair of seconds this year and will look to move up one rung on the podium at Watkins Glen.
Michael Shank Racing heads to Watkins Glen just eight points out of the team lead. Burt Friselle and Oswaldo Negri have combined for three consecutive top-six finishes and a victory this weekend could vault the team into the series lead. Overall, the team has yet to finish below sixth in their first season of sports car competition.
The #02 CompUSA entry has yet to enjoy the success of their teammates in the #01 car, but Jimmy Morales and Luis Diaz have displayed their ability to run upfront. They led late in the race at Homestead and have shown consistent speed throughout the season on the first-year team.
Cegwa Sport once again will feature team drivers Darius Grala and John Lloyd in the OzEXE/Lexus. The team earned its first-ever podium finish in Daytona Prototype competition at Watkins Glen last season.
SPEED will provide four hours of live coverage for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. The coverage will take place in two parts, with the first running Sunday from 11-12:30 and then returning for the conclusion of the race from 3:00-5:30 p.m. (EDT).
June 12, 2004
HORNISH, MANNING LEAD TOYOTA AT TEXAS
- Toyota-powered drivers Darren Manning (Target Toyota) and Sam Hornish Jr. (Marlboro Toyota) were battling for the lead with 20 laps to go before a three-car incident shelved their hopes for victory. Manning was passing on the inside for second-place when another car came down on him, damaging Manning’s car, while forcing the then-fourth-place Hornish high on the track causing him to brush the wall and lose a number of positions in the process. Both Toyota drivers recovered to register strong finishes with Hornish driving back up to fourth and Manning placing eighth in the Bombardier 500 Saturday night.
- Sam Hornish Jr.’s fourth –place finish was his best showing since his season-opening win in the Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead. The strong effort came despite finishing the race with a bent rear suspension suffered in the late-race incident.
- While falling short of challenging for his first IndyCar victory, Darren Manning’s eventual eighth-place finish was his fourth top-10 finish of the season. Manning has registered a fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth in his first five races in the series.
- Tora Takagi (Pioneer Toyota) earned his fourth top-10 finish of the season. Takagi now has a fourth, an eighth and two tenth place finishes.
- Despite running out of fuel late in the race an falling to 12th overall, Helio Castroneves (Marlboro Toyota) moved up to third in points in the series and currently is the highest-placed Toyota driver in the points standings. A trio of Toyota drivers rank fifth through seventh with Darren Manning in fifth, Scott Dixon (Target Toyota) in sixth and Sam Hornish Jr. in seventh. Tora Takagi moved up to ninth to give Toyota five of the top-nine drivers in points.
Jim Aust, Toyota vice president of Motorsports: “Both Darren Manning and Sam Hornish Jr. drove terrific races tonight and it’s unfortunate that they both lost an opportunity to win in the same incident. Sometimes you get the breaks and sometimes you get caught out. Tonight they went against us.”
Driver, Start/Finish
Sam Hornish 11/4
Darren Manning 14/8
Tora Takagi 18/10
Helio Castroneves 6/12
Scott Dixon 16/14
Scott Sharp 21/18
A.J. Foyt 17/22
Next Race: SunTrust Indy 200, Richmond International Raceway, June 26, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
June 08, 2004
VICTORY JUNCTION GANG CAMP TO BENEFIT FROM eBAY AUCTION -
Three-time NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip’s Toyota Tundra pickup truck, an exclusive VIP trip to the Toyota Tundra 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race Aug. 14 in Nashville, a “Do-It-Yourself” Dream Garage of more than 500 Craftsman tools and a $1,000 gift certificate to Bass Pro Shops will go to the highest bidder in an online eBay charity auction hosted by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS).
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the winner’s bid will go to the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a retreat for children living with chronic or life-threatening illnesses, established by Kyle and Pattie Petty. More information on the charity auction on eBay can be found at www.DarrellsTundra.com, with the online auction running June 14-24. The Victory Junction Gang Camp is a designated charity of NASCAR.
Highlighting the auction package is Waltrip’s 2004 phantom gray pearl Toyota Tundra Double Cab with less than 1,000 miles on it. This Limited 4x4 model is loaded with features including a 240-horsepower i-FORCE V8 engine, automatic transmission, air conditioning, oak leather seats, a six-disc CD changer, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, moonroof and the TRD Off-Road Package. When new, it carries a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of about $39,227.00.
“It’s time for me to get a new Toyota hot rod and if this helps raise money for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, I’m all for it,” Waltrip said. “Kyle and Pattie Petty have worked extremely hard to make the camp a reality and I’m proud DW and Toyota are able to help. I even promise to get the ding in the driver’s door fixed.”
Along with Waltrip’s Tundra, the highest bidder will be treated to an unforgettable weekend at the Toyota Tundra 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, August 12-15. The package includes first-class roundtrip airfare and three nights of luxury hotel accommodations for two in Nashville. Before the start of the race, Waltrip will personally present the keys of the Tundra to the highest bidder. The VIP package also includes:
• Two suite tickets to the Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville Superspeedway August 14.
• Chauffeured transportation -- in a one-of-a-kind Toyota Tundra limousine -- to and from the racetrack and to and from the airport in Nashville.
• Craftsman-sponsored VIP tour of Nashville Superspeedway, including the garage area and “Victory Lane.”
• Craftsman “Do-It-Yourself” Dream Garage featuring more than 500 tools and the tool chests to hold them.
• $1,000 Bass Pro Shops gift certificate.
• Autographed photo with Darrell Waltrip.
“Toyota has a strong commitment to charitable organizations and this auction is an opportunity to combine that dedication to charity with the inaugural season of the Toyota Tundra participating in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series,” said Les Unger, TMS national motorsports manager. “The Victory Junction Gang Camp is an extremely worthwhile charity and having Darrell Waltrip involved makes it even more special.”
Waltrip, the winner of 84 NASCAR races during his career, is a commentator for NASCAR races broadcast by Fox television, as well as a race team owner. His team, Darrell Waltrip Motorsports, fields the No. 17 Toyota Tundra of rookie driver David Reutimann in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Later this season, Waltrip will return to the driver’s seat when he races a Tundra in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in Indianapolis (Aug. 6) and Martinsville, Va. (Oct. 23).
The Victory Junction Gang Camp, located in Randleman, N.C., is a retreat for chronically ill children and their families. It was founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty to honor their son Adam, who died tragically in an accident at the track in May 2000. The goal of the Victory Junction Gang Camp is to enrich the lives of children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses by creating camping experiences that are memorable, exciting, fun, empowering, physically safe and medically sound. Activities at the camp include boating, fishing, swimming, arts and crafts, and horseback riding.
“I can’t wait until June 20th when we welcome our first group of campers to the Victory Junction Gang Camp,” said Kyle Petty. “Seeing all those happy faces will be a reminder that this is just a beginning and that there are thousands of kids we want to help. I want to thank DW and Toyota for supporting these efforts.”
Bidding opens June 14 at www.DarrellsTundra.com and runs through June 24. All bidders will be required to pre-qualify for the auction. To find out more, you can also go to ebay.Toyota.com.
June 07, 2004
FAST FACTS - BOMBARDIER 500
June 12, 8 p.m. EDT on ESPN
Texas Motor Speedway
200 laps on the 1.5-mile oval
TOYOTA LOOKS FOR THIRD STRAIGHT TEXAS VICTORY – After a pair of victories in 2003, Toyota will be looking for its third straight victory at the Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday night. Al Unser Jr. took a popular victory in his Kelley Racing Toyota last June, while Gil de Ferran won his final IndyCar Series race at Texas last October in his Marlboro Toyota for Penske Racing.
In addition to winning both races it has competed in at Texas, Toyota-powered cars swept the front row in qualifying for both events. It was a Target Chip Ganassi Racing qualifying sweep last June with Tomas and Scott Dixon taking the two spots. In October, de Ferran took the top spot with Dixon once again sitting on the outside of the first row.
NO LONE STAR HERE – TOYOTA DRIVERS, TEAMS EXCEL AT TMS – Not only did Toyota-powered cars win both starts at Texas last year, but current Toyota-powered drivers or teams have won the last six IndyCar Series races run at TMS and seven of the last eight.
No team has had more success here than Kelley Racing, which has won three Texas races in the last four years. Al Unser Jr. won here last year, while Scott Sharp (Delphi Toyota) won on the 1.5-mile oval in both 2000 and 2001. Marlboro Team Penske won the fall race last year at Texas, while current team driver Sam Hornish Jr. (Marlboro Team Penske) won the Fall events on the way to his titles in 2001 and 2002.
Here’s a look at current Toyota-powered teams and drivers Texas victories:
2003: Kelley Racing (June); Marlboro Team Penske (Oct.)
2002: Target Chip Ganassi Racing (June); Sam Hornish, Jr. (Oct.)
2001: Scott Sharp/Kelley Racing (June); Sam Hornish, Jr. (Oct.)
2000: Scott Sharp/Kelley Racing (June)
1999: Kelley Racing (Oct.)
1888: Foyt Racing (June)
TOYOTA DRIVERS OCCUPY FIVE OF TOP NINE IN THE POINTS STANDINGS – Five Toyota-powered drivers currently rank in the top 10 in the IRL IndyCar Series points standings heading into Texas. Helio Castroneves currently sits fourth, followed by reigning IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon and his Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Darren Manning in fifth and sixth, respectively. Tora Takagi and Sam Hornish, Jr. round out the Toyota contingent in eighth and ninth.
DOUBLE-DUTY AT TEXAS – For the first time in Toyota history, the manufacturer will power entries in both the IRL and NASCAR in the same weekend. Seven Toyota-powered starters are expected at both the IndyCar Series event on Saturday, as well as in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on Friday evening.
TEXAS MEANS TOYOTA TRUCKS – Friday night’s race will mark Toyota’s first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event in Texas, an event that gains significance as Toyota begins preparation to open its new truck plant in San Antonio in early 2006. This weekend’s “double” will be the first of five events this season that the IndyCar Series will run in conjunction with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Toyota IndyCar Series Driver Line-Up and Position Entering Texas
Car # Driver Car Season Points Standing
#1 Scott Dixon Target Toyota (Panoz/G-Force 5th
#3 Helio Castronves Marlboro Toyota (Dallara) 4th
#6 Sam Hornish Jr. Marlboro Toyota (Dallara) 9th (Won Homestead)
#8 Scott Sharp Delphi Toyota (Dallara) 12th
#10 Darren Manning Target Toyota (Panoz/G-Force) 6th
#12 Tora Takagi Pioneer Toyota (Panoz/G-Force) 8th
#14 A.J. Foyt IV Conseco Toyota (Dallara) 16th
“Quotes”
Jim Aust, Toyota vice president of motorsports: “We had our shots, but didn’t get it done at Indianapolis. I expect Texas to be just as difficult. The competition in this series is enormous. We have a lot of challenges in front of us and everyone at TRD is working hard to address those challenges.”
June 04, 2004
FAIVRE, REED NAMED TRD VICE PRESIDENTS
With the continued growth of Toyota’s motorsports program, Toyota Racing Development (TRD), U.S.A., Inc., has promoted John Faivre and Gary Reed to vice president positions within the Costa Mesa, Calif.-based company.
Faivre was elevated to vice president, Indy Racing League Program Manager. He is responsible for TRD’s role in the Toyota IRL Program, interfacing with the sanctioning body and teams and overseeing track support.
Faivre has been with TRD since 1997, most recently as Senior Manager, Track Support. He previously served as an electronics engineer and later the electronics manager at Penske Racing from 1988-1997. He has been an integral part of four Indianapolis 500-winning efforts. Faivre also was involved in a number of the electronic innovations now commonly used in American open-wheel racing today.
Reed, who has been with TRD since 1995, moves from Senior Manager, Special Projects to vice president, Special Racing Projects Program Manager. He oversees Toyota’s production-based racing programs including Grand Am Daytona Prototypes, the Toyota Atlantic Championship, CORR Off-road racing, NHRA and SCCA.
Reed previously served as Toyota Motorsports competition manager, where he worked closely with Toyota’s IMSA, SCCA, and Toyota Atlantic Championship programs. He also served as the president of Fast Lane Racing School, the official racing school of Toyota Motorsports.
“Both John and Gary have played integral roles in championship-winning efforts with Toyota-powered race teams,” said Lee White, senior vice president and general manager of TRD. “Each has been a valuable resource in TRD and we’re thrilled to see both continue to be recognized for their efforts. We look forward to their contributions and more championships in the future.”
About TRD: A subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. TRD serves a dual capacity for Toyota. In addition to being the North American racing arm for design, development and assembly of Toyota’s factory racing engines, TRD also functions as the source of high-performance aftermarket products for Toyota and Lexus vehicles.