Toyota's first test at Daytona

No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing crew chief Brandon Thomas meets with his new driver J.J. Yeley in the garage at Daytona International Speedway.
Sam Greenwood/Getty Images for NASCAR

Toyota drivers J.J. Yeley, pictured at left, and A.J. Allmendinger were among those testing at Daytona International Speedway. For Allmendinger, it was his second year with the Red Bull Racing Team.
Yeley is in his first year with Hall of Fame Racing, a satellite team of Joe Gibbs Racing. He was in the No. 18 car for Gibbs last year, but was moved to the No. 96 car for Hall of Fame Racing, in part to make room for Kyle Busch, who is the new driver of the No. 18 car.
Two of the big three for Joe Gibbs Racing were not part of the test. Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin will have their first test sessions on Jan. 14. Busch was part of the test Monday, one of five Toyotas on the track.
Yeley didn't offer too many details about his test, but said it was good for his team.
“We’re pretty happy with how things went," Yeley said. "We were playing with some things during the first session, but so far, I’m real impressed with the Toyota engine and the car here at Daytona.”
Allmendinger said he was encouraged by his first test. It was quite a difference from last year's first tests in the Toyotas.
“We weren’t bad this morning," said Allmendinger, driver of the No. 84 Toyota for Red Bull Racing. "Our guys did a lot of work to get the bodies right in the off-season and Toyota has stepped up their game. It’s a combination of everything. We’re only three hours in to a long process, but last year at this time, I don’t think we were ahead of anyone after the first session. We’ve definitely had a better start and that gives us something to build on.”