Kvapil gets full-time ride in truck series

(By Greg Engle)

Posted: Saturday,January 29th, 2011

Travis Kvapil, the 2003 truck series champion, will compete for the 2011 Camping World Truck Series title with Randy Moss Motorsports. Kvapil will drive the team’s No. 5 Toyota and will be paired with crew chief Ricky Viers.

Kvapil has 132 career starts, nine victories and 50 top-five finishes in the series. It will be his first full season back in the trucks since 2007.

He will continue to compete in the Sprint Cup Series in the No. 34 Ford fielded by Front Row Motorsports. However, because he is competing for the truck title, he will not be eligible to earn driver points when racing in Cup. The No. 34 team will earn only owner points in those events.

Travis Kvapil speaks with the media during NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest at Daytona International Speedway on January 15, 2010 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)

Kvapil told SceneDaily.com on Friday that the Randy Moss Motorsports team and sponsor (International Truck/Monaco RVs) wanted someone to run for the truck title. As a result, he will miss four Cup races to run the full truck season. He likely will miss the June Pocono race, the July race at New Hampshire and the October races at Dover and Charlotte.

“It’s the best of both worlds really,” Kvapil said. “The downside is not getting the points (in Cup). The only downside in our mind was if you were going to be a Chase contender. That’s really the main thing the drivers’ championship points are for. The reality is at Front Row Motorsports, even though we are making some great changes in the offseason, we’re realistically not in position to be a Chase-contending team just yet.

“I don’t feel we’re missing out on anything not taking drivers points.”

With Front Row fielding Fords and Randy Moss Motorsports fielding Toyotas, both manufacturers and Front Row officials had to approve Kvapil’s competing for the truck title while maintaining his Cup ride.

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