Reaching New Heights: Kyle Busch accomplishing 500th NASCAR start for Toyota

No other driver has as many Toyota NASCAR starts, wins or accomplishments to his credit as driver Kyle Busch. 

Kyle Busch made his 500^th NASCAR National Series start in a Toyota when he got behind the wheel of his No. 51 ToyotaCare Tundra for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. Busch finished fifth, leading 14 of 100 laps.

Busch's resume also includes 114 wins in a Toyota across all three major NASCAR series. He joined Toyota family in 2008.

“I’m excited about it,” said Busch.  “It’s obviously a bit of a milestone to reach 500.  There’s been a lot of success in-between those 500 starts.  It’s exciting to have as many wins as I do across all three series of NASCAR with the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series.”

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“Toyota has been a huge part of my career here in the Sprint Cup Series,” 29-year-old Busch said. “I was obviously at Hendrick Motorsports with Chevrolet in the early days and won a little bit but never won as often and as much as I have in a Toyota vehicle.  That success has been awesome.”

 

In 2009, Busch didn't waste time and set the Nationwide Series on fire en route to earning the first NNS driver’s championship for Toyota while maintaining full-time driving duties in the top-tier Sprint Cup Series and winning races in the NCWTS.  The Las Vegas-native registered several NNS records that season, including 20 first or second-place finishes in 35 races, 10 straight finishes of first or second-place from June through August and leading the most laps (2,698 total) during the season. Busch has been unstoppable in the NCWTS, earning victories in all five races he’s entered this year.

“A huge part of what Toyota does is help Kyle Busch Motorsports be successful,” said Busch.  “All of the hard work has been since 2010 with its inception of being a race team in the Truck Series and being able to win two Owner’s Championships and continue to win races year in and year out.”

Kyle hoped to continue his winning when he made his 500^th Toyota NASCAR start in August. 

“I think it’s pretty neat to be as successful as we’ve been in these NASCAR series, but also behind the wheel of a Toyota” he said. “Toyota pours a lot of heart and soul into this sport and being an instrumental part of helping the sport evolve with the cars and everything else. So it’s been pretty good.”