NASCAR Trucks: Chevy Rookies Run Strong in Daytona Testing
21 January 2001
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
CHEVROLET NOTES AND QUOTESNASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES TESTING
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2001
CHEVY ROOKIES RUN STRONG AT DAYTONA TESTS
Rookie TRAVIS KVAPIL (pronounced KWA-PUL), in the # 60 CAT RENTAL STORES CHEVROLET SILVERADO campaigned by Addington Racing, posted the second quickest lap of today's test session, 49.550 seconds at 181.635 mph, just three hundredths of a mile per hour slower than series veteran Rick Carelli's No. 1 lap. Kvapil is contesting his first Craftsman Truck Series, following a three-year stint in the NASCAR Re/Max Challenge Series and one season in the ARTGO Challenge Series.
KVAPIL: "It's fairly easy so far. I hate to say it, but it is. I think for the most part it's easy because I am with a really good team, a race-winning team -- they finished third in points last year. The only thing that changed this year (for them) from last year is having me. Everything else is still intact. Running on a bigger track like Daytona, that's just new to me. It's pretty easy being out there by yourself, but when we get in the pack (drafting) it's probably going to be a little tougher. Right now it's like driving down the straightaway by yourself." DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE THIS GOOD FIRST TIME OUT? "Not really. I thought there would be some teams like (Jack) Sprague's and (Bryan) Reffner's that probably would run a little better. It's good. I'm happy with the team, my Silverado and my performance. We're all happy and too excited for this coming year." ON RUNNING SUPER SPEEDWAYS: "I've raced at Gateway in St. Louis, Pikes Peak and Chicago. The one-and-a-quarter-mile track in St. Louis is the biggest race track I've raced on. We were at Talladega a week and a half ago. We ran real good out there too. It's been a fairly easy adjustment so far. I'm just kind of taking one step at a time." ON DRAFTING: "We just did a little bit at Talladega. I've got a lot to learn there. I only had a taste of it. We will have some time tomorrow afternoon (to draft, as NASCAR will allow drafting from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday). The main thing with the draft that I found is just to be careful, to be paying attention to what's going on. You can't lose your concentration."
RICKY HENDRICK, in the #5 GMAC/HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVY SILVERADO, another rookie contender, was fifth today, with a 49.602/181.444 lap. He was followed by non-rookie JACK SPRAGUE , in the #24 NETZERO.NET CHEVY SILVERADO, in sixth, 49.620/181.378.
LANCE NORICK (also not a rookie), #90 ABChoice CHEVROLET SILVERADO, was seventh today with a 49.723/181.003, but still holds the quickest lap of the weekend so far, 182.482/49.320, set yesterday.
Text Provided By Judy Stropus
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos
and art, visit
The Racing
Photo Museum and the
Visions
of Speed Art Gallery.