NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Racer Travels from Las Vegas to Texas Motor Speedway
- 6 Nov 2007
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returned to action at Texas Motor Speedway
Friday with lots of drama. The No. 6 K&N Filters Ford F-150 was a top contender
heading into the race. Driver Travis Kvapil traveled to Texas from Las Vegas,
Nevada.
He signed autographs in Vegas for a long line of fans on his K&N hero cards at SEMA
(Specialty Equipment Marketing Association) 2007 in the K&N booth.
Travis Kvapil in K&N booth at SEMA
Travis Kvapil is third in overall point standings
At Texas, Kvapil was confident he could have win number five. Kvapil raced
up front at the start of the race, leading laps and chasing down the
competition. As the laps wore on a mechanical problem, fuel gamble and
a blown tire ultimately resulted in a 26th place finish for the Wisconsin native.
K&N Filters Ford F-150 and K&N Team
Travis Kvapil escaped unharmed on pit road
Mike Skinner took the pole position and led the 37 truck field at the start. The inside line started to pull past the outside line but as the trucks rounded the 1.5 mile track for the first time the No. 6 K&N F-150 emerged in sixth. The first of several cautions flew on lap two and Kvapil reported that the K&N Filters F-150 had a lot of speed but was tight behind traffic.
Crew chief Mike Beam called for Kvapil to stay on track and put together a strategy for the K&N Filters team’s first pit stop on lap 39. The K&N team serviced Kvapil’s truck at a quick pace by changing four tires, re-fueling and making a wedge adjustment to help the tightness. Kvapil went from fifth to first for the re-start on lap 44.
On lap 66, Kvapil radioed that he might have a cylinder going down. He continued to run in second but when the fourth caution flew on lap 69, Beam called for him to come to pit road. Kvapil returned to the track in 20th place for the re-start on lap 75. Kvapil took it up a notch and by lap 114 was 12th.
The No. 6 K&N Filters Ford continued to move towards the front of the pack hitting third by lap 131. Kvapil was confident he saved fuel by running in the draft. The K&N Filters team mulled over the decision of whether to go for the win, or play it safe and pit to finish 10th or 11th. Beam left the decision up to Kvapil who said he’d go for the win.
Two laps later Kvapil hit the wall as a right front tire went down. As Kvapil rolled back to the garage the truck caught on fire causing a moment of panic. Kvapil escaped unharmed but ultimately finished 26th.
“I knew it was on fire on pit road and I was looking for somebody,” said Kvapil. “We had an awesome K&N Ford and we definitely were contending for the win, but we had a bad chain of events. It was just a bad set of circumstances for us to end up like this.”
Kvapil maintained third in the overall point standings but now sits 401 points behind the leader. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to action at Phoenix International Raceway.
Follow Travis Kvapil's progress throughout the racing season at the K&N news site. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.
Travis Kvapil in K&N booth at SEMA
Travis Kvapil is third in overall point standings
K&N Filters Ford F-150 and K&N Team
Travis Kvapil escaped unharmed on pit road
Mike Skinner took the pole position and led the 37 truck field at the start. The inside line started to pull past the outside line but as the trucks rounded the 1.5 mile track for the first time the No. 6 K&N F-150 emerged in sixth. The first of several cautions flew on lap two and Kvapil reported that the K&N Filters F-150 had a lot of speed but was tight behind traffic.
Crew chief Mike Beam called for Kvapil to stay on track and put together a strategy for the K&N Filters team’s first pit stop on lap 39. The K&N team serviced Kvapil’s truck at a quick pace by changing four tires, re-fueling and making a wedge adjustment to help the tightness. Kvapil went from fifth to first for the re-start on lap 44.
On lap 66, Kvapil radioed that he might have a cylinder going down. He continued to run in second but when the fourth caution flew on lap 69, Beam called for him to come to pit road. Kvapil returned to the track in 20th place for the re-start on lap 75. Kvapil took it up a notch and by lap 114 was 12th.
The No. 6 K&N Filters Ford continued to move towards the front of the pack hitting third by lap 131. Kvapil was confident he saved fuel by running in the draft. The K&N Filters team mulled over the decision of whether to go for the win, or play it safe and pit to finish 10th or 11th. Beam left the decision up to Kvapil who said he’d go for the win.
Two laps later Kvapil hit the wall as a right front tire went down. As Kvapil rolled back to the garage the truck caught on fire causing a moment of panic. Kvapil escaped unharmed but ultimately finished 26th.
“I knew it was on fire on pit road and I was looking for somebody,” said Kvapil. “We had an awesome K&N Ford and we definitely were contending for the win, but we had a bad chain of events. It was just a bad set of circumstances for us to end up like this.”
Kvapil maintained third in the overall point standings but now sits 401 points behind the leader. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to action at Phoenix International Raceway.
Follow Travis Kvapil's progress throughout the racing season at the K&N news site. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.
