Kvapil has accumulated two top-fives and three Top-10’s this season in only five races. He’s also accumulated one Top-five and three Top-10 starts. Kvapil currently sits in 7th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver’s point’s race, only 142 points out of the lead. In his second running at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Kvapil brought home an eighth place finish moving up three positions in the truck standings.

The Nutzz.com team is taking Velveeta to Dover. The chassis has seen laps at Atlanta, Martinsville and Mansfield this year and has tested at Carroway, South Boston and Texas and was aptly named for its ability to serve many purposes after seeing laps at numerous different tracks. The last time Velveeta was on track, Kvapil finished 32nd after an on-track incident caused a kink in the radiator hose and consequently a blown engine. It was his first DNF in 35 consecutive races and only the second DNF for the most consistent driver in NASCAR. Keeping with the wine and cheese theme this season, teammate Mike Skinner is taking Dolce (Italian for ‘Sweet’) to the Monster Mile.

Team owner Alex Meshkin celebrated his 24th birthday on June 2. As the youngest owner in NASCAR, Meshkin’s two drivers, Travis Kvapil and Mike Skinner, sit comfortably inside the Top-10 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with manufacturer Toyota.

Travis Kvapil on the Monster Mile: The first time I visited Dover, it was a little bit intimidating because it’s very fast and high-banked. It takes some time to get used to. It’s a track that I really like racing at because if you have a good truck, you can run well there. The last couple of years, I’ve had good trucks there. I haven’t had the best finishes in the three times I’ve been there, but last year and in 2002 I ran really well. I feel comfortable with the truck and really confident going back to Dover. I just can’t wait to get back on the race track.

Why do you consider Dover to be a “Monster” of a track?  The characteristics of the race track have a lot to do with it. There seems to be a bump getting into Turn 1. And you can get tight off of Turns 2 and 4, and you carry a lot of speed off the corners there. The biggest thing is that it’s a race track where it’s really tight in the center of the corners. There’s a fine line getting your truck to turn good through the center of the corner and still be able to stay in the gas off the corner. It’s definitely a tricky track, but if you hit the setup, you can really fly around there and run in the front.

Is your confidence back after your eighth place finish at Lowe’s?  I go into every race with a positive attitude. Pretty much every race track I’ve been to, I might not have won, but I’ve had consistently good runs and Top-fives. There’s not a track out there that I don’t like. I’m excited to get back on track with my team, and I’m looking forward to the summer stretch right now. I know our Bang Racing team is right where we need to be. Our communication is perfect. I’m fired up.

Crew Chief Eric Phillips on the “Monster Mile”   I’ve been there seven or eight times with Nemco Motorsports. Dover’s a fun place where you carry a lot of speed. It’s an extremely fast, high-banked track that I’ve run well at in the past. Just last fall, I won as the Car Chief for Joe Nemecheck, so I feel very comfortable going back there. I’m pretty confident with our setup going into the weekend, and I think we’ve got a package that will put us at the top of the board.

Travis Kvapil’s Dover Appearances:  Travis Kvapil will be joining other Craftsman Truck Series drivers at an appearance at Dover Air Force Base on Thursday, June 3 from 7-8 p.m. The drivers will sign autographs for military personnel and their families and take a tour of a C-5 and the air traffic control tower. The event is closed to the public.

Kvapil will also be signing autographs on Friday, June 4 at the Dover International Speedway’s Hospitality Village from approximately 1:30-2:15 p.m.

Military Ties Run Deep On No. 24 Nutzz.com Tundra Crew  The Bang Racing team will feel right at home in the military town of Dover, Delaware, as several of the team members as well as their families have served in the Armed Forces. Gasman and Hauler Driver David “Cowboy” Burrow served in the Army’s 114th Field Artillery Division and father was a Marine and veteran of the Korean War. Crew Chief Eric Phillip’s grandfather served in the Navy and brother spent time in the Army. Front Tire Changer Mark Presnell’s has several veteran family members. His father served in Vietnam in the Air Force, his two uncles also served time in Vietnam in the Army and Navy and his brother-in-law was a Marine. Catchcan man Hunter Sullivan’s great grandfather served in the Army in WWII and grandfather and uncle served in the Navy. His uncle most recently saw action in the Persian Gulf War.