Joe Gibbs and Barney Visser speak with the media at Daytona International Speedway Photo – Getty Images
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Toyota Racing executive Ed Laukes sat alongside the make’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team owners Joe Gibbs and Barney Visser to address the racing media Saturday morning eager for the group to step right in where it left off in 2017 – a lot of victory circles and on stage hoisting the championship trophy. Continue reading
Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, leads Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER BOATS Toyota, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway on February 23, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
A new, sleek Camry race car isn’t likely to change the Toyota teams’ approach to the Daytona 500.
Neither is the success Fords had in breaking up the Toyota monopoly in last Saturday’s Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona.
Last year, Camry drivers dominated the Great American Race, with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin edging Furniture Row’s Martin Truex Jr. for the win by 0.010 seconds, roughly six inches. Toyotas swept all three podium positions and put four cars in the top-five. Continue reading
HOMESTEAD, FL – NOVEMBER 19: (L-R) U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, Jim Campbell, Director of Ford Performance Dave Pericak and Toyota Vice President of Marketing and Media, Incentives & Motorsports Edward Laukes speak with the media at a press conference during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 19, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Competition between NASCAR manufacturers isn’t confined to the race track. In a press conference featuring executives from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, Ed Laukes of Toyota couldn’t pass up an opportunity to needle Chevy’s Jim Campbell.
“Let me apologize for those 16 Monday mornings,” Laukes quipped, referring to Toyota’s 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories this season.
“Let me apologize for last night,” retorted Campbell, referring to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship Chevrolet driver Johnny Sauter won on Friday.
Stephen Baldwin, Brian Austin Green, Alfonso Ribeiro and Al Unser Jr. will lead the field of past winners to the FINAL checkered flag wave in Long Beach.
Grand Prix Association of Long Beach and Toyota announced actors Stephen Baldwin, Frankie Muniz, Brian Austin Green and last year’s overall winner, Alfonso Ribeiro, are among the 21 participants from film, television and sports, who will return to compete in the 40th Anniversary of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.
This announcement heralds the 40th and final edition of the longest-running corporate-sponsored charity race in the U.S.A., which will take place April 16 on the 1.97-mile street course in downtown Long Beach, Calif., as part of the 42nd Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend. Continue reading
Fan Fest Will Feature All 16 Challengers, Concert By 3 Doors Down and More
Chicago will once again host the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with one of the biggest NASCAR® themed parties of the season, NASCAR Chase Fest™ sponsored by Toyota. The free outdoor fan fest will feature all 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™ Challengers and culminate with a live concert by Grammy-nominated band, 3 Doors Down. NASCAR Chase Fest will take place on Weed Street between Fremont and Kingsbury streets from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. CDT on September 17. Continue reading