Toyota reveals truck attack
Toyota has announced its line-up for its Craftsman Truck series NASCAR debut in 2004, which is expected to lead to Busch Series and Nextel Cup assaults in years to come. It is the first non-American manufacturer to enter NASCAR racing at this level
Four owners will field up to eight entries. The owners are Bill Davis, George deBidart, Bang Racing and Darrell Waltrip.
Davis, Toyota's technical partner, will have two trucks with drivers to be determined. Davis tested last month at Atlanta with young ARCA star Shelby Howard, who is the likely choice. DeBidart will enter two trucks, for Robert Huffman and Hank Parker Jr.
Bang Racing is the brainchild of Alex Meshkin, who has teamed with television commentator and former NASCAR crew chief Larry McReynolds and will field a truck for veteran driver Mike Skinner. A second team also is in the works.
Former NASCAR champion Waltrip, will be front man for a Toyota team featuring rookie driver David Reutimann. Waltrip will also drive the truck himself in four or five short-track events next year.
Toyota will test its new truck/engine combination at Miami-Homestead Speedway on Monday. It had reserved the track, but cooperated with NASCAR in inviting other manufacturers to participate.
"It will be the first time we'll be in a situation to run the trucks together," said Lee White, TRD vice president. "We had the track, so we accommodated NASCAR and invited the other manufacturers. It's going to be really interesting."
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