Four Toyota-powered teams and seven drivers participated in the Tundra’s first open test at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the program’s debut at the Feb. 13 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opening race. Toyota’s newest addition to its driver line up, Bill Lester of Bill Davis Racing, took to the track in his #22 Toyota Tundra to turn the trucks first official timed laps at the historic super speedway. In the first of three days of testing, David Reutimann was the fastest of the seven Toyota pilots in both the morning and afternoon sessions. The Darrell Waltrip Motorsports driver had a top speed of 176.672mph in the No. 17 Toyota Tundra, good for 13th overall. 1995 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Mike Skinner, driving the #42 Toyota Tundra for the new Bang Racing team, was the second quickest Toyota at 176.581 mph. The rest of the Toyota contingent included Lester, defending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil of Bang Racing, Robert Huffman and Hank Parker Jr. of Innovative Motorsports, and Shelby Howard of Bill Davis Racing.(Toyota Motorsports PR)(1-11-2004)
