Toyota excited about what future brings in '08 season

RICHMOND, Va. -- They were lined up in the hinterland of the Richmond International Raceway infield, far away from the comfort of where the haulers of the top 35 teams in Nextel Cup Racing were permitted to reside Friday.

There was the No. 22 hauler of Bill Davis Racing, and just a few yards away resides one from Michael Waltrip Racing and another from Red Bull Racing. In addition to their profound distaste for not being in the top 35 in owner's points and assured the automatic qualification into Cup races that comes with that designation, they have one other thing in common -- they field Toyota Camrys.

Moving forward

In announcing its move to Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing identified itself as a team that was ready, is willing, and will be able to carry the manufacturer's banner in the Cup Series.

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Those running the Toyota this year in Nextel Cup have been running behind the rest of the field virtually the entire season. The No. 22 driven by Dave Blaney for BDR enters this Saturday night's Chevy Rock and Roll 400 as the top Toyota in owner's points, and sits just outside the coveted top 35 in 36th. The No. 83 Toyota driven by Brian Vickers is in 38th, the No. 44 of Dale Jarrett is 41st, and Waltrip's own No. 55 is 46th.

Other Toyotas are sprinkled even further down in the all-important standings.

But beginning next season, that all is supposed to change. Wednesday's historic announcement that Joe Gibbs Racing is switching manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota is expected to have a positive ripple-down effect on the other teams running the Camry, according to Lee White, vice president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development in the United States.

"And given the combined resources, I think it's going to be moved along quite quickly," White said.

White and J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing, made it very clear they expect JGR -- which this season has Chevys driven by Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin poised second and third in points -- to be competitive right off the bat in their new Toyotas next season.

Bill Davis, owner of Bill Davis Racing, said he had no doubts about that, either. And while he said he does not expect information to be flowing freely between his team and JGR even as they both begin running the Toyota brand, he added that he does expect the addition of Gibbs to the Toyota stable to help his operation.

"I don't know that we'll share a word," Davis said. "But it all just filters across the board with Toyota. If they help make Toyota stronger, everyone will benefit.

"I think it will be good to have that solid of a team, a championship-caliber team involved. It will just raise the level of information, and I think it will be good."

At the same time, no one should expect to compare the relatively quick success Toyota had in the Craftsman Truck Series with what will or won't happen at the Cup level. Davis has intimate knowledge of that because his Toyota truck teams have been very successful, but he pointed out that the set-up for exchange of information across the board with other Toyota teams on the Cup level is totally different. (Continued)