Toyota Motorsports Notes - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - March 12, 2009

NOTES & NUMBERS: Toyota Camry drivers have recorded one win (Kyle Busch, Las Vegas), four top-fives and eight top-10 finishes through four 2009 NSCS races … This weekend marks the first NSCS off-weekend and many Camry drivers have distinctly different plans … Michael Waltrip will join actor Jason Lee and the cast of 'My Name is Earl' for a guest spot on the NBC hit series … Kyle Busch, who races just about anything with four wheels, is going to escape the urge to go to the racetrack and visit Park City, Utah -- home of the 2002 Olympic Games … Scott Speed will attend the NHRA event in Gainesville, Fla., with fiancé Amanda Mathis, to watch her brother Matt Smith and father Rickie Smith race. Matt is the 2007 NHR A Pro Stock Motorcycle champion, has 10 career NHRA wins and will be running for Don Schumacher this year. Rickie is a seven-time IHRA champion with over 50 race wins and will look to bring home a trophy this weekend in the NHRA Pro Modified class.

BRIAN VICKERS, No. 83 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team Are you happy with the way your team has performed to start the season? "The No. 83 team has gotten off to a good start this season. We are coming off three top-10 finishes in a row. Had we not been wrecked in Daytona, it would have been even better. We have overcome a tremendous amount of adversity so far to get to where we are. I'm so proud of this team -- they never give up. It's a relief to be sitting 11th in points going into the off-weekend. Next week it is back to work -- we don't want to lose focus or the momentum that is on our side right now."

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M's Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Do you think you've become the new face of NASCAR with all of your recent accomplishments? "Me being the face of NASCAR isn't what I'm looking for -- I'm just looking for reasons to fill up the record books and everything I guess, and put my name in it as many times as I can. It will still go on even when I'm not here later. We've proven that fact with a bunch of other drivers that have made this sport what it is today. I'm just fortunate enough to be another one of those guys to be a part of it."

MICHAEL WALTRIP, No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Are you excited about taping an appearance on 'My Name is Earl' this during your off-week? "I am proud to be a part of this show as it always tells a great story about Earl's need to do good things for people. How he gets to the resolution is absolutely hilarious. This experience is going to be a lot of fun for me. I play myself and I help Earl and his brother Randy get out of a big jam."

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing How will you spend your off-weekend? "It's something I'm certainly not used to having. The last two years I've run Nationwide races and stuff, and from the time you started Daytona there was never any time off until Homestead, so it's going to feel quite odd for me to have any kind of time off. We're going to go test at a couple small race tracks and try to get ready for Martinsville. We have a new generation car that we're going to try to run some laps on and see what it has to offer. Just because we won't be racing on the weekend doesn't mean we won't pick up the pace and run a couple places test-wise to try to evaluate our program in some different areas, sit down and see what we've got. As far as me having a weekend off, I'm thrashing around trying to get my dad's (Buzzie Reutimann) dirt car ready so he can start the season. I need this weekend off so I can finish his car so he can come get it and stop calling me every two days wanting to know where his car is."

MARCOS AMBROSE, No. 47 Kingsford Toyota Camry, JTG-Daugherty Racing What are your plans for the off-weekend? "I'm just going to hide for a while with the kids and try to have a good time."

SCOTT SPEED, No. 82 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team How will you spend your off-weekend? "Amanda (Mathis, fiancé) and I are going to Gainesville (Fla.) this weekend for the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) race. Amanda's dad (Rickie Smith) and brother (Matt Smith) are both racing down there so we are going to check out a different form of racing this weekend."

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) NOTES & NUMBERS: Toyota Camry drivers have recorded one win (Kyle Busch, California), five top-fives, 10 top-10 finishes and have led 188 laps through three 2009 NNS races … This weekend will be the second consecutive off-weekend of the season for the Camry teams and two Toyota drivers are enjoying time as new fathers … Michael McDowell and his wife Jami welcomed their first child, a son Trace Christopher McDowell on Feb. 25, who was named in honor of Michael's mother Tracey. Trace weighed in at 7 lbs., 7 oz. … Braun Racing's Burney Lamar and model wife Niki Taylor, welcomed daughter Ciel Taylor Lamar on March 4. She weighed in at 7 lbs., 8 oz.

BURNEY LAMAR, No. 32 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Braun Racing What is it like being a new father? "This past week has been just great. I love everything about my daughter. She smells so good. And, this is going to sound funny, but even her breath smells good when she cries. And her crying is the cutest thing ever. She makes the sweetest faces. She is absolutely perfect. I just love everything about her. I know you hear about some dads not changing diapers, but not me. I am trying to just spend as much time with her and do everything I can right now -- even the diapers! She has been a great baby. She sleeps well so far, only up two of the five nights. We actually have to wake her up to feed her. Well, my wife does actually. I have to admit, she has the night shift. And the clothes! Putting clothes on a couple day old child is the coolest thing! She is so small and the clothes are so tiny. It is just amazing!"

MICHAEL MCDOWELL, No. 47 Tom's Toyota Camry, JTG-Daugherty Racing What is it like being a new father? "The best way to describe it was when I came home from Vegas, when I had left for that race they were still in the hospital, and when I came home they were already home. It was like I got home and there was an addition to our family that's cut into some sleeping time. It was a little surreal, but my wife Jami and I are enjoying spending time with Trace. Actually, the timing couldn't be better with having two weeks off because I can spend time with them and then come next week, go back to the track to go racing again."

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) NEWSWORTHY: Toyota Tundra drivers have recorded three wins (Todd Bodine, Daytona; Kyle Busch, California and Atlanta), 11 top-fives, 18 top-10 finishes and have led 203 laps through three 2009 NCWTS races … Busch's win at Atlanta marked his 25th victory in a Toyota (nine NSCS wins, 11 NNS wins and five NCWTS wins) … In each of the first three events of 2009, there have been six Tundras finishing among the top-10 … Bodine (first and two seconds) and Busch (second and two firsts) have the best results in 2009 … Later this week, Tundra driver Mike Skinner will host the third annual 'Toyota Skinner Round-Up' in Daytona Beach, Fla. … The event will include a golf tournament, poker tournament, auction and concert with appearances by NFL stars Randy Moss and Jim Kelly, musical artists Stacy Mitchhart and Edwin McCain, daredevil Robby Knievel, NASCAR's Betty Jane France, and NASCAR drivers A. J. Allmendinger, Boris Said, Rick Crawford, Ron Hornaday and Steve Park.

MIKE SKINNER, No. 5 Exide Batteries Toyota Tundra, Randy Moss Motorsports Are you looking forward to your charity event this week in Daytona? "We are really excited about it, especially with everyone struggling right now and trying to get back to normal life and we've been very, very blessed. Halifax Health is helping and of course Toyota is our biggest supporter. We are blessed to have people like Lee White (Toyota Racing Development, president and general manager) and Ed Laukes (Toyota Motor Sales, corporate manager of motorsports marketing) come down. As much traveling that these guys do to take time out of their busy schedules to come and be a part of it just means a whole lot to us."

How did you start this charity event? "We participated in it for years and it was somebody else putting the golf tournament on and they hung my name on it. It was neat and Angie (Skinner, wife) just decided she wanted to do it and take it in so that way we were in control of where the money went and what charities get the money. We're very much into helping the elderly, helping animal rescue, education and the local hospitals. It's a feel good thing for us. We're very blessed that we get to live the life that we do and get to do what we do for a living. It's pretty awesome to be able to give something back. Halifax Health helps a lot and the (Daytona International) Speedway -- Robin Braig (president) has given us his speedway basically to do this. We also get the Fan Zone which we will have one of the Exide Tundras there in victory lane for people to get their picture taken and an autograph. The boss, Randy Moss is even coming."