TORRANCE, Calif. -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and Daytona International Speedway announced Tuesday the 2012 Toyota Camry will serve as the official pace car for next year's Daytona 500.

Toyota will showcase the new Camry -- the best-selling car in America for the past nine years -- at Daytona in "The Great American Race," on Feb. 26, 2012. The race annually kicks off the Sprint Cup Series season.

"We're thrilled to be able to feature the new Camry in Daytona at the season's biggest race," said Ed Laukes, TMS corporate manager of motorsports marketing. "We think the Daytona 500 is the perfect place to showcase the all new Camry -- which will go on sale this fall. We knew when the opportunity arose to partner together with Daytona that it would be an extraordinary way to highlight our new Camry, as well as reinforce Toyota's commitment to NASCAR and its fans."

"NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway provide a uniquely American platform for manufacturers to display their technology, innovation and overall automotive excellence," said Daytona International Speedway president Joie Chitwood III. "After nearly eight years of competing at NASCAR's highest level, I'm pleased to have the 2012 Toyota Camry pace the Daytona 500."

Toyota has previously provided pace vehicles at several NASCAR tracks, including Auto Club Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kansas Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, Richmond International Raceway, Road America and Watkins Glen International.