Kvapil's future dependent on sponsorship

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HAMPTON, Ga. – Travis Kvapil still needs sponsorship to keep racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beyond the upcoming race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Yates Racing co-owner Max Jones said Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kvapil, who finished 23rd in the points in 2008, was left without a full-time ride when Hall of Fame Racing brought Bobby Labonte and sponsor Ask.com to Yates and Paul Menard brought his family sponsorship (Menards) to the team. Points swaps among the group left Kvapil without a locked-in position in races this season.

Yates Racing had pledged to run at least five races with Kvapil and then reevaluate.

“Right now it’s still five,” Jones said. “We’re still talking to people. Hopefully it can be more, but we don’t have any firm commitments for more than five right now.”

Kvapil finished 42nd after an accident at Daytona and was 18th in California but failed to qualify for the race last week at Las Vegas by 0.008 seconds. He will start 22nd today.

“Last week, I don’t want to say it took us by surprise, but we felt confident that we had plenty of speed,” Kvapil said. “We approached this week a little bit different. We worried about Sunday [after qualifying].”

The team has had Golden Corral as a sponsor the last two races.

“They’re very interested and they’re looking at it,” Jones said. “If we can go out here and run really well today, that would surely help. … We threw that [team] together in the last minute, and I think they’ve run really well.”

Kvapil’s team is 38th in owners points, 29 points out of the top 35. Obviously getting in the top 35 in owners points would help because Kvapil would not have to worry about missing the race.

“We’ve still got a chance to get in the top 35 and hopefully get us some optimism for the rest of the season,” Kvapil said.

Would a top-35 position help in sponsorship?

“Yes, but I need money to run that,” Jones said. “And so we’re doing everything we can. We want to run it for the whole year.”

One thing that gives Kvapil optimism that he might race beyond Martinsville is that the team has plans to test the new Martinsville-style track next to Rockingham Speedway.

“I know we’re going to test ‘Little Rock,’ and the only reason to test Little Rock is to go to Martinsville,” Kvapil said. “We haven’t made any announcements what our plans are, but Golden Corral came aboard for here [at Atlanta] and they’re an associate for more races, so it’s important to run good for them. If there is going to be any future with them, we’ve got to run good and this is a start.”

Jones can sell Kvapil’s success from last year as well as the team’s strength in having Bobby Labonte 10th in points entering Atlanta. He said Menard has run well, though he is 39th in points.

“He’s run in the top 15 in every race and was going to have a top-10 last weekend and got wrecked,” Jones said. “Paul has done an outstanding job of driving and [new crew chief] Larry Carter has done a great job. That team is really strong. I feel good about them, we just need a little bit of luck.”

~Scene Daily~

Sure hope they find something. Kvapil has run well this year, just has no luck.

I knew Menard had run well this year, his points standing is a result of bad luck, but I didn't know he had run in the top 15 in each race. Look at Vegas, it was partially his own doing, but man to be taken out with under 20 laps to go while running in 11th - that just bites.

At least we know that team is capable of running at the front.

I sure hope that something changes and he gets to stay for the full season!

TK /Yates Fan here just checking out this site.
Hoping and praying TK and the 28 survive.

Glad to have you.

Hope you'll join and continue posting with us.

eehwkram wrote:

I knew Menard had run well this year, his points standing is a result of bad luck, but I didn't know he had run in the top 15 in each race. Look at Vegas, it was partially his own doing, but man to be taken out with under 20 laps to go while running in 11th - that just bites.

At least we know that team is capable of running at the front.

The team definitely is, but for them to do it on a regular basis they need another driver that is more like Bobby Labonte.