Travis Kvapil Phoenix International Raceway Race Report

Travis Kvapil

No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra

Phoenix International Raceway – Lucas Oil 150

February 25, 2011

After a flat tire sent him into the outside wall and set off the “big one” at Daytona International Speedway, Travis Kvapil and the No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra team had something to prove this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.  The group was looking forward to bouncing back with a strong run in the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday evening and making up ground in the championship point race. 

A one-day show for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and driving duties in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, made for a very busy day for Travis Kvapil at the one-mile oval in the Arizona desert.  The Janesville, Wis. native kicked off the day with a two-hour practice session for the NCWTS, where the International Truck/Monaco RVs team dialed in their Toyota Tundra.  With Kvapil happy with the handling of his truck, the team made a few more minor adjustments before qualifying later that afternoon. 

Kvapil went out 17^th of the 41 competitors to make a qualifying attempt at the one-mile track outside Phoenix, Ariz.  After taking the green flag, Kvapil sailed down into turns one and two and quickly realized that his truck was a lot freer than it had been during the practice session earlier that day.  Coming off the corner in turn two, the No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra hooked to the left and into a spin, but luckily the former champion was able to hold the truck low and keep it off the wall.  The spin resulted in flat-spotted tires, forcing the team to put on four fresh Goodyear Eagles and sending them to the back of the field to begin the 150-mile event at Phoenix International Raceway. 

Within the opening 20 laps, Kvapil had picked up 10 spots and moved into the 26^th-position; however, with the leader setting a blistering pace, Kvapil was lapped just four circuits later.  Despite being a little free, Kvapil held on and raced for the lucky dog position.  By lap 59, Kvapil was racing Ricky Carmichael for the “lucky dog” position when they made hard contact causing damage to the left side of Kvapil’s No. 5 machine.  As a result, the International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra cut the left rear tire sending Kvapil down pit road several times under caution for repairs. 

Just over 40 laps after his initial flat tire, Kvapil was sent hard into the wall in the middle of turns three and four as the International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra suffered a flat right front tire.  The damage was significant enough to send Kvapil immediately to the garage where the team assessed the situation and realized that their truck was damaged too severely to return to the track.  By the time the rest of the field took the checkered flag, Kvapil was scored in the 36^th position.

“That’s two weeks in a row that we’ve had some really horrible luck at the race track,” commented Travis Kvapil following the race.  “I don’t know what we have to do to turn our luck around, but we had a really fast International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra.  We put ourselves in a deficit qualifying toward the back, and in doing so we got bounced around with some other competitors causing us to have a flat tire.  We rebounded from the back and just blew a tire out again like we did last week at Daytona.  Nothing we could do about it; we must have just run something over.  It’s just bad luck, but we’ll shake it.  We go to Darlington next, which is probably my favorite track on the circuit, so we’ll go there and get a victory.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will return to Darlington Raceway on Saturday, March 12.  The Too Tough To Tame 200 will be broadcast on SPEED Channel, Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio and MRN Radio beginning at 5:00 p.m. EST.  Qualifying for the 200-mile event will be broadcast on SPEED at 3:30 p.m. EST on Saturday afternoon.  Two practices sessions will take place on Saturday morning, but will not be televised.  Fans can visit www.twitter.com/RMMRacing or www.facebook.com/RandyMossMotorsports for news and updates throughout the weekend.  

Tayler Malsam Phoenix International Raceway Event Preview

Tayler Malsam

No. 25 Iron Horse Jeans Toyota Tundra

Phoenix International Raceway – Lucas Oil 150

February 25, 2011

No. 25 Iron Horse Jeans Toyota Tundra News and Notes

• This Week’s Tundra… Tayler Malsam and Randy Moss Motorsports will compete with chassis MDM-109 at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday night.  MDM-109 is a brand new chassis that was built especially for Phoenix International Raceway and events at other short-tracks throughout the 2011 season.  The opening practice session on Friday morning will mark the first time MDM-109 has been on the track. 
• A Different Kind of Horsepower… Tayler Malsam and Randy Moss Motorsports will welcome Iron Horse Jeans back to the hood of their Toyota Tundra.  The California-based company made their debut with Randy Moss Motorsports at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Nov. 2010.  Iron Horse Jeans makes premium denim jeans affordable without sacrificing quality and guarantees them to last. Their line is vintage inspired because they take cues from the hard working jeans of past generations and update them with modern fits for today’s men and women.  For more information and retail locations, visit www.ironhorsejeans.com. 
• Quick in Qualifying… As the NCWTS works off the 2010 point standings to guarantee competitors a place in the opening four events of the 2011 season, Tayler Malsam must be fast in qualifying to earn a place to race on Friday night.  The 22-year-old from Seattle, Wash., does not have points to fall back on, and must therefore qualify into the race on time. 
• Follow Tayler… Fans are invited to follow Tayler Malsam, driver of the No. 25 Iron Horse Jeans Toyota Tundra, on twitter @TaylerMalsam and Facebook (NASCAR Driver Tayler Malsam).  Fans can also check out http://www.taylermalsam.com for news, updates, and photos throughout the week. 
• Get the Inside Scoop…  Follow Randy Moss Motorsports on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook to get real-time updates and behind-the-scenes content and photos.  Visit Facebook.com/RandyMossMotorsports or @RMMRacing  to see what you’re missing.    
• Watch and Listen…The Lucas Oil 150 from Phoenix International Raceway will be broadcast live on SPEED, MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio, channel 128, beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 25.  Fans can also watch practice live on SPEED at 11:00 a.m. EST on Friday, followed by qualifying at 5:00 p.m. EST. 

Tayler Malsam on racing at Phoenix International Raceway

“I’m excited to be back racing on the West Coast.  I’m really lucky to have such great sponsors behind me and I’m thankful for all of their support.  The No. 25 truck is going to have Iron Horse Jeans back on the hood, and I’m looking forward to hanging out with all of their guests at the racetrack.  The truck I had last weekend was one of the best trucks that I’ve ever taken to the race track, and we’re taking a brand new piece to the track this weekend.  I’m excited to see how it handles and how we do throughout practices and qualifying on Friday.” 

Crew Chief Dan Stillman on competing at Phoenix International Raceway

“Phoenix is a great little racetrack and one that we always look forward to racing at.  Our team has a lot of great supporters behind it, and we’re excited to have Iron Horse Jeans back with us this weekend.  We need to qualify into the race, so there’s a little more added pressure, but we have a great group of guys that are more than up to the challenge and a brand-new truck that we’re really excited about taking to the track.”

Travis Kvapil Phoenix International Raceway Event Preview

Travis Kvapil

No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra

Phoenix International Raceway – Lucas Oil 150

February 25, 2011

No. 5 Randy Moss Motorsports International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra News and Notes

• This Week’s Tundra… The No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra team and driver Travis Kvapil will race MDM-106 in Friday’s 150-mile NCWTS race at Phoenix International Raceway.  The chassis was last utilized by the No. 5 team at Phoenix International Raceway in Nov. 2010, where the team started eighth and went on to score a sixth-place finish. 
• Racing for a Championship… In 2011, NASCAR drivers are only eligible to race for one championship in the sport’s top three divisions.  Despite being an experienced NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Travis Kvapil opted to race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.  The Janesville, Wis. native won the series’ title in 2003, and hopes to record his second championship in the No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra in 2011.  Kvapil will also compete in nearly the entire Sprint Cup Series schedule, missing only a few events that conflict with his NCWTS schedule. 
• Daytona Flashback… Travis Kvapil made his debut with Randy Moss Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway last weekend.  After posting the second-fastest speed in final practice, Kvapil raced inside the top-10 for most of the night and was running in the sixth position on lap 74 when the International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra cut the left rear tire going into turn 1.  Kvapil was sent into the outside retaining wall and eventually to the garage after sustaining race-ending damage.  The No. 5 team was credited with a 29^th-place finish. 
• Follow Travis… Fans are invited to follow Travis Kvapil, driver of the No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra, on twitter @TravisKvapil and on Facebook (facebook.com/TravisKvapil).  Fans can also check out http://www.traviskvapil.com for news, updates, and photos throughout the week. 
• Watch and Listen…The Lucas Oil 150 from Phoenix International Raceway will be broadcast live on SPEED, MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio, channel 128, beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 25.  Fans can also watch practice live on SPEED at 11:00 a.m. EST on Friday, followed by qualifying at 5:00 p.m. EST. 

Travis Kvapil on driving at Phoenix International Raceway

“I’m really looking forward to running with Randy Moss Motorsports and the International Truck/Monaco RVs team this weekend at Phoenix [International Raceway].  We had a great truck in Daytona and likely would’ve come home with a top-five finish if we didn’t cut that tire.  We’re taking another strong truck to race at Phoenix [International Raceway]; it’s a truck that the guys put a lot of time and hard work into preparing, and one that has run very well there in the past.  I’m excited to see how everything comes together.” 

Crew Chief Rick Viers on racing at Phoenix International Raceway

“The race at Phoenix [International Raceway] is always an exciting race and a great show for the fans.  The track itself is like a big short track—it has a mix of characteristics that you’d see at both a short-track and an intermediate track, which makes it like no other track on the circuit.  In order to run well there, you have to have every piece of the puzzle—brakes, downforce, and handling—to be successful.  The group with the right package is likely the team that you will see in victory lane at the end of the night on Friday.”  

Travis Kvapil Daytona International Speedway Race Report

Travis Kvapil

No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra

Daytona International Speedway – NextEra Energy Resources 250

February 18, 2011

Travis Kvapil made his debut with Randy Moss Motorsports in the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday night.  The driver of the No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra ran as high as the third position and was scored inside the top-10 when the No. 5 machine cut a left rear tire entering turn one and sent Kvapil up the track and in to the top line of traffic.

After rain pushed back on-track activities for most of the day Wednesday, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) finally got in an abbreviated two-and-a-half-hour practice session under the lights late Wednesday evening.  The No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs team methodically worked through their planned adjustment strategy to measure each change’s effect on the handling of their Toyota Tundra.  After posting the 18^th quickest time of the day, Kvapil and the team knew they had some work to do before final practice. 

The NCWTS drivers participated in a 50-minute final practice session on Thursday afternoon.  Kvapil partnered with teammate Tayler Malsam throughout most of the session to gain speed in the draft and see how his truck would handle during the actual race.  The No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra was ranked second at the conclusion of the session after posting a 47.116-second lap and topping 191 mph. 

Kvapil lined up in the 24^th position to start Friday’s 250-mile event and kick off the 2011 season.  The former NCWTS champion knew that his truck ran well in the draft and picked up 12 positions in the opening two laps.  The team planned their first green-flag stop on lap 30, and Kvapil called into the International Truck/Monaco RVs crew asking for help getting his Tundra to turn better on exit.  With two fresh Goodyear Eagles, a chassis adjustment and a tank full of Sunoco fuel, the team sent Kvapil back to the track. 

The driver of the No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra visited pit road on three other occasions taking fuel each time and making adjustments to help the veteran driver navigate the turns.  By lap 70, Kvapil crossed the line in the fourth position and raced as high as third-place before deciding to fall back and log laps. 

On lap 74, the No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra was lined up in the sixth position in the low groove of the race track.  Just past the start/finish line Kvapil felt his truck shake and soon felt tread hitting the inside.  The Janesville, Wis. native waved off his competitors and hoped to pull out of line, but just as they entered turn one, the left rear tire went flat and the No. 5 machine was sent spinning toward the outside retaining wall.  With nowhere else to go, Kvapil collected several competitors in the outside line putting an early end to the team’s evening at Daytona International Speedway. 

“I’m just really disappointed,” commented Travis Kvapil, driver of the No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota Tundra, following the lap 74 incident at Daytona International Speedway.  “Everybody at Randy Moss Motorsports built me a really fast truck and it was just a track position game.  We were just kind of taking our time being patient.  The left rear tire just went flat.  I felt it just past the start finish line. It was starting to shake and vibrate.  I stuck my hand out the window to wave those guys off behind me and before I knew it the thing just spun around.  It’s just disappointing.  I’ve come close to winning here a few times. We’ve got great sponsors with International Trucks and Monaco RVs.  I just wanted to have a good showing for those guys, but we’ll be back strong at Phoenix [International Raceway].”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will return to Phoenix International Raceway on Friday, February 25.  The Lucas Oil 150 will be broadcast on SPEED Channel, Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio and MRN Radio beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST.  Practice for the 150-lap event will be broadcast at 11:00 a.m. EST on Friday and will be followed by qualifying at 5:00 p.m. EST., with both broadcasts being aired on SPEED Channel.  Visit www.twitter.com/RMMRacing or www.facebook.com/RandyMossMotorsports for news and updates throughout the weekend.