The Toyota team does not have the necessary quality for top results this season. They struggled in almost all the races, and it is clear that they will have a difficult job. And in the Phoenix race, the situation is identical.
Toyota faced many problems, the drivers failed to realize their strategies, and the only one who was satisfied was Kurt Busch, who at the beginning of the race did not look like he would achieve a good result, but in the end, he still finished in the top 5.
Kurt Busch on the Turn 2
Turn 2 seems to have been crucial, but the tires suited Busch as well "That Turn 2 was a battle – a couple of guys spun right in front of me over there. We gave it our best,” Busch said, as quoted by motorsport “Once we got that sorted out in Turn 2, some of the other parts of the track got tight for us, but my car really surprised me on the re-fires.
“We were okay on older tires – usually, I’m a sticker (new tire) guy. My crew chief, Billy Scott, said ‘No, you are going to stay out, buddy.’ I need sticker tires and this car reacted really well to scuffs today, so that’s good for our notebook at 23XI”.
Although they did not have big ambitions, they seem to have exceeded their expectations, and in the end, they can be satisfied with the top 5. Busch has shown maturity and quality. We will see if he can continue at the same pace in the rest of the season “We were just trying to get to 10th, but we will take a top-five.
It’s really cool for our program,” he said. “This was a good West Coast swing. Not so much on points with Stage 1 and Stage 2, but our finishes were there, and we will keep chiseling away”.
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