02-14-2004 | Daytona Beach, FL

Toyota indicated it will be a contender in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series right front the start as Travis Kvapil led seven Toyota Tundras with a second place in the Florida Dodge Dealers 250 behind winner Carl Edwards.

Kvapil, the defending series champion, put Toyota in the lead for the first time ever on lap eight. Kvapil led a total of four times for 15 laps in the No. 4 Line-X Toyota Tundra and edged Mike Wallace at the finish line for second. David Reutimann finished ninth and had his No. 17 NTN Bearings Toyota Tundra in the lead for seven laps. Mike Skinner also led for six laps in the No. 42 Toyota Tundra before being knocked out by a 15-truck accident just past the race's halfway point. Skinner finished 28th overall.

"We definitely had a truck that was capable of winning," Kvapil said. "I was doing alI could to stay in line and pick up one place there at the end, and that's the way it worked out. I'm disappointed we didn't win, but we're focused on capturing the championship again, and it looks like we have the team, the manufacturer and the sponsor to make it happen."

It was Toyota's first-ever race in the Craftsman Truck Series after capturing the NASCAR Goody's Dash Series Championship in 2002 with Robert Huffman. The Tundra race trucks did their first full tests at Daytona in January.

"If you had told me six weeks ago that we would come down here and qualify two trucks in the top 10, lead the race and finish second, I wouldn't have believed you," said Jim Aust, President of TRD, U.S.A., Inc. "This is a great start and we can't wait to go to Atlanta."

Bill Lester finished 16th on the lead lap in the No. 22 LidRock Tundra despite suffering front and rear body damage. Hank Parker, Jr., finished 18th in the No. 21 Daytona U.S.A. Tundra after suffering ignition troubles. Shelby Howard was knocked out in the same wreck that claimed Skinner and finished 29th in the No. 23 Toyota Tundra.

Robert Huffman, the defending Dash Series champion who is moving with Toyota into the Craftsman Series this year, slammed the wall hard on lap 25 when he checked up for a caution flag and bumped from behind. He was examined and released unhurt from the infield care center.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series resumes on March 13 at the Easycare 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel.