Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) and Daytona International  Speedway (DIS) announced the all-new 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 nine years  running -- at Daytona in 'The Great American Race,' Feb. 26, 2012. The  race annually kicks-off the NASCAR 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 Toyota 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."
Toyota  Camry went on sale in 1983 and since then more than nine million have  been sold in the U.S. Camry has been the best selling car in America for  13 of the past 14 years.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of  Camry production in Georgetown, Ky. Toyota began manufacturing the  Camry in Georgetown in 1986 and the vehicle is now also built in  Lafayette, Ind.
The 2012 Camry debuts a bold, sophisticated new  design with a more spacious interior, improved driving dynamics and an  even quieter ride than before.  The new model features class leading  safety, fuel economy and multi-media technology.
"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 of Southern CaliforniaSM, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chicagoland  Speedway®, Dover (Del.) International Speedway, California's Infineon  Raceway, Kansas Speedway®, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway®, Nashville  Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Phoenix International  Raceway®, Richmond (Va.) International Raceway®, Wisconsin's Road  America and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International®.
In 2004, Toyota  began participating in NASCAR competition by fielding Tundras in the  NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). Three years later in 2007,  Toyota began competing in the NSCS and the NASCAR Nationwide Series  (NNS) with the Camry.
Toyota has won three consecutive  manufacturer's titles in the NNS (2008-2010) with the Camry, and Toyota  racers have earned one driver's title (Kyle Busch in 2009) and  registered 60 race victories in the NNS. In NSCS competition, Camry  drivers have earned 36 first-place trophies.
In seven seasons  participating in the NCWTS, Toyota has captured five consecutive  manufacturer's championships (2006-2010), and Tundra drivers have won  driver's titles with Todd Bodine (2006 and 2010) and Johnny Benson  (2008), and have earned 88 race wins.
At Daytona International  Speedway, Toyota drivers have recorded eight NASCAR wins across NASCAR's  three national touring series, including one NSCS win (Kyle Busch in  2008), two NNS wins (Denny Hamlin in 2008 and Tony Stewart in 2008) and  five NCWTS wins. In 2008, Hamlin claimed Toyota's first-ever NSCS  victory in a non-points qualifying event to determine the Daytona 500  starting lineup.
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