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Texas: Toyota teams race notes, quotes

Kyle Busch won his record-setting fifth straight NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in Monday's rain-delayed event. Busch previously won Texas races in April '08, Nov. '08, April '09 and Nov. '09. Camry driver Joey Logano ...

Edited: Apr 21, 2010, 7:19 AM

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Kyle Busch won his record-setting fifth straight NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in Monday's rain-delayed event. Busch previously won Texas races in April '08, Nov. '08, April '09 and Nov. '09.

Camry driver Joey Logano finished second at Texas.

Since starting to field Toyotas in 2008, Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have earned first-place and/or second-place finishes in 50 races (36 wins, 14 runner-up-only results and eight sweeps of first- and second-place.)

Camry drivers Reed Sorenson (third), David Reutimann (eighth) and Steve Wallace (ninth) also had top-10 finishes.

Other Toyota drivers in the field included Jason Leffler (12th), Trevor Bayne (14th), Brian Scott (15th), Michael Annett (16th), Brendan Gaughan (21st), Justin Lofton (37th) and Kevin Lepage (40th).

Eight Toyota drivers are in the top-20 in the unofficial NNS driver points following the Texas race -- Busch (first), Logano (seventh), Gaughan (10th), Leffler (11th), Wallace (12th), Scott (13th), Annett (15th) and Bayne (16th).

***

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finished: 1st

How does it feel to win a fifth straight race here and add your name to the record books? "That's cool man. I said the 'late' Sam Ard earlier this week, I meant great. He's a friend of mine. I can't believe it. Such a great race car -- a great Z-Line Camry. Just a phenomenal day. We were able to just run around there all day and bide our time and there at the end we were going to try and save fuel and go the rest of the way if need be. But, a caution come out and we had to race Joey (Logano) for it. He kept me on my toes there. We were a little bit too loose to try to go real, real hard. I couldn't get away from him. Then it seemed like he got a little bit tight and I started moving away."

Why are you and the No. 18 car so unbeatable at Texas? "I don't know. It's a team effort. It's these guys -- all the guys at Joe Gibbs Racing -- the chassis guys, the body guys, the guys in the engine shop and everybody makes this possible. Joey (Logano) had a great race car today. I'm proud of him he ended up second -- I know he's probably upset. I would be too. We had a flawless race car so we had to make sure we got this one to victory lane. I drove my guts out there at the end after I made a miscue on pit road. Fortunately, I was able to come back."

***

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 GameStop/Read Dead Redemption Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finished: 2nd

How was your race? "We came up short again. We started the race and we were okay. We just kept losing the car and finally the last pit stop we got it right where we needed it. The guys had an awesome pit stop that got us out in front of the 18 (Kyle Busch). We had a good shot at it. I was able to pass the 38 (Jason Leffler) on the restart and was just too loose to start there, just a little bit. I had to be real loose to be decent at the end of the run. The car just changed a lot for some reason. I tried to hold Kyle (Busch) off and with a loose car and a car right behind you, you know you're really hanging on. He got underneath me and I tried to race him as hard as I can. Once he got by me, I tried to hang with him. I was hanging, I'd catch him a couple laps, he'd pull me a little bit. It started to make a little bit of a run at the end and then a lap car got in my way. I don't know who it was, but it wasn't enough at the end of a race for a lap car to be there. That lost another three, four car lengths and wasn't able to make it up. It stinks man. I don't know what we need to do to win one of these things."

What are your thoughts on racing both events today? "I guess I'll sleep good tonight. I'm fine. I feel like I'm in good shape after this race, even and pushing as hard as I can. I was fine, I didn't have any issues. My arms are a little sore, but that's about it."

What do you think of Kyle Busch winning five in a row at Texas? "I don't know. I came close but apparently he (Kyle Busch) has this place figured out -- it's his place for some reason. Even in the Cup car, he's always strong here. I felt like this was the best I've ever been here by far. The best I've ever finished here. I was happy with the way we ran, a lot better than last time. This car we ran here is my favorite race car and it showed itself again that it's real good. Kyle (Busch) is just good here. I don't know, Jason (Ratcliff, No. 18 crew chief) does a good job."

***

REED SORENSON, No. 32 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Braun Racing
Finished: 3rd

How was your race? "We were good all day and I think we made all the right adjustments, just near the end we couldn't catch the 18 (Kyle Busch) or 20 (Joey Logano). That seems to be the case in a lot of these Nationwide races. We just have to keep digging. I felt like we made the best adjustments to the car."

How are you feeling after racing both events? "Unfortunately, we fell out in probably 121 laps into the Cup race. I wish I was a little more tired right now, though. That would mean I ran all 500 miles. I was ready for it, excited about it. Our Cup car is good. We didn't have any notes on it. We just kind of rolled the dice and it drove pretty good. We had a wiring failure. But this Dollar General car was great and it was a good finish for us today."

***

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 10 Beringer Vineyards Toyota Camry, Braun Racing
Finished: 8th

STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing
Finished: 9th

JASON LEFFLER, No. 38 Great Clips Toyota Camry, Braun Racing
Finished: 12th

TREVOR BAYNE, No. 99 Diamond-Waltrip Racing Toyota Camry, Diamond-Waltrip Racing
Finished: 14th

BRIAN SCOTT, No. 7 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Braun Racing
Finished: 15th

MICHAEL ANNETT, No. 15 Pilot Travel Centers Toyota Camry, Germain Racing
Finished: 16th

BRENDAN GAUGHAN, No. 62 Loan Star Title Loans Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing
Finished: 21st

***

JUSTIN LOFTON, No. 71 WeekendWarriorsTV.com Toyota Camry, Red Horse Racing
Finished: 37th

What happened to take you out of the race? "I guess some people that run this series full time really need to learn how to drive. We had an awesome car -- the No. 71 WeekendWarriorsTV.com Toyota Camry was on a rail. It was unfortunate what happened to us in qualifying with me slipping and starting so far back. We were coming through the field. We definitely had a car to finish top-five in. I'm just really bummed for all the guys. Our truck season hasn't gone great, this hasn't started off great so I don't know what we're going to do now."

KEVIN LEPAGE, No. 56 Cattlemen's Steakhouse Toyota Camry
Finished: 40th

-source: toyota motorsports

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