Travis Kvapil

Travis Kvapil (pronounced kwah -pil ) (* March 1, 1976 in Janesville, Wisconsin) is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the Ford the # 34 for Front Row Motorsports in the Sprint Cup. His greatest success was winning the championship in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2003.

Career

Early years

Travis Kvapil began in 1992 with the car racing at the age of 16 years at the Rockford Speedway, when he competed in the NASCAR Whelen All- American Weekly Series. In 1994, he was track champion of the American Short Tracker Division in Rockford. In 1995, he got into the class of Super Late Models on the Madison International Speedway and was in his first season Rookie of the Year. A year later he also won this distance championship. After joining in the Artgo series he finished the championship 1999 season in tenth place in the 2000 season, he was fourth.

2001-2004

In 2001, Kvapil made ​​his debut in the Craftsman Truck Series for Addington Racing in the # 60 Chevrolet in his 21 races, the Silverado 350 at Texas Motor Speedway, he took his first win. Overall Kvapil scored in his rookie season 18 top 10 results, so he took fourth place in the championship at the end of the season. In addition, he was named Rookie of the Year. In addition to his involvement in the Craftsman Truck Series Kvapil also went for a race in the Busch Series at the start and finished the Outback Steakhouse 300 at the Kentucky Speedway Square 28

In the 2002 season, Kvapil won the O'Reilly Auto Parts 200 at the Memphis Motorsports Park. However, he scored during the season compared to last year, only 14 top-10 results, which he finished ninth in the championship standings.

For the 2003 season, Kvapil joined the Chevrolet with the # 16 for XPress Motorsports. In 2003, he was able to record a victory in itself, this time at the O'Reilly 200 Presented by Valvoline Maxlife. Together with 22 top-10 results in a total of 25 races, Kvapil was in the championship against Brendan Gaughan and enforce Ted Musgrave and became champion of the 2003 season. Additionally, he completed the whole season except one each driven round.

For the season 2004 Kvapil changed again the team and drove the Toyota with starting number 24 for Bang! Racing. In the 13th race of the season, the Line -X spray-on truck bedliners 200 at Michigan International Speedway, he picked up his first win of the season and the first for Toyota in one of the top divisions of NASCAR. Two months later won Kvarpil again, this time on the New Hampshire International Speedway during the Sylvania 200 A short time later, he secured the American Racing Wheels 200 at California Speedway and the first pole position of his career. Still, he could his success in the championship last year not repeat and finished at the end of the season in eighth place. Towards the end of the season Kvapil also made ​​his debut in the Nextel Cup for Penske Racing in the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway, where he was 21. He took part in two other races, for the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway which he could not qualify.

Since 2004

Before the start of the 2005 season, Penske Racing Kvapil chose to replace Brendan Gaughan and new full-time driver for the race number 77 in the Nextel Cup, after which he moved to the Nextel Cup from the Craftsman Truck Series. His first top- 10 finish in the Cup Series, he scored during the Food City 500 in Bristol, which he finished in seventh place. Another top -10 finish of the season, he managed the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. In his rookie season in the Nextel Cup Kvapil finished the season ranked number 33 in the championship. As in the 2001 season, Kvapil went to a race in the Busch Series and came in at number 25 in the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen to the finish.

After the end of the 2005 season as left Kodak sponsor of the race number 77 so that Penske was forced to dissolve it. Kvapil had to look for a new team and changed for the 2006 season in the # 32 Chevrolet for PPI Motorsports. The best result of the season were three ninth places respectively at the Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway, the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway and at the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. At the end of the season Kvapil finished 36th in the championship standings. As a year before he had to look around for a new cockpit, as his contract was only for one year at PPI Motorsports.

For the 2007 season, Kvapil therefore returned to the Craftsman Truck Series, replacing Mark Martin and David Ragan in the # 6 Ford for Roush Racing. In the course of the season Kvapil won four races, including the Toyota Tundra 200 at the Nashville Superspeedway and the Smith 's Las Vegas 350 Las Vegas, and scored a total of twelve top -10 results. At the end of the season he was ranked sixth in the championship. He also went to two races in the Busch Series with a 21st place as best result.

After a year in the Craftsman Truck Series Kvapil returned for the 2008 season for Yates Racing back in the Cup series and drove the start number 28, which was without sponsors support first. However, during the UAW - Dodge 400 he succeeded in Las Vegas an eighth place. His best result to date in the Sprint Cup Kvapil scored the Aaron's 499 at Talladega with a sixth place. Another result within the top 10, he managed the Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway.

In addition to the Sprint Cup Kvapil occurred also in selected races in the 2008 season of the Craftsman Truck Series for Roush Fenway Racing. 2009 Kvapil had no full-time place in one of the highest divisions of NASCAR. In the 2010 season, Kvapil approached for Front Row Motorsports in the Sprint Cup.