DOVER, Del. – After back-to-back solid finishes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) at Richmond (Va.) International and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway respectively, veteran Travis Kvapil remains in the No. 15 Ford Mustang this weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
The collaborative effort between Rick Ware Racing (RWR) and B.J. McLeod Motorsports (BJMM) provides another event where Kvapil, a former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) champion can continue to help evaluate and strengthen the team’s program in Saturdayafternoon’s Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200.
“It’s been a lot of fun and I’m glad I can keep doing it,” said Kvapil. “It’s been a pleasure working with Rick (Ware) and B.J. (McLeod) for the last two races. They haven’t been afraid to take my suggestions and put them into action and I think that has helped build a relationship quickly, one that we all agree is paying off on the track.”
With Kvapil’s guidance, the No. 15 Ford Mustang has qualified for the last two XFINITY Series races where Kvapil used his veteran experience to keep the car clean and earn back-to-back respectable 25th place finishes.
While both RWR and BJMM would certainly like to see the top-25 finish improve during Saturday’s race, both organizations agree that steps are being made to make the program stronger overall which has reeled CorvetteParts.net and Keen Parts to latch on again and support Kvapil in his eighth career NXS race.
“CorvetteParts.net and Keen Parts have always been longtime supporters of mine and I’m appreciative of them for continuing to show their support. Dover has always been a race track I’ve enjoyed. Hopefully, we can keep making steady progress throughout the weekend and bring home another solid finish.”
Kvapil will be plenty busy at “The Monster Mile.”
In addition to his obligations on the XFINITY Series side, Kvapil will also compete in Friday afternoon’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race for MAKE Motorsports. Undoubtedly, the extra seat time should pay some dividends for both the team and driver.
“Yeah, I think staying in the seat will help a bunch,” Kvapil added. “The two series are different, but there might be something I learn and feel on the truck side that I could work on the XFINITY side. B.J. is running this weekend in his No. 78 car, so I plan to bounce things off him from the practices and see if we can’t get both of cars handling well for the race.”
Saturday’s Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200 is also the third of four races in the XFINITY Series Dash4Cash bonus incentive program. While Kvapil and the organization realize it’s a longshot to be in the hunt for the win, the team plans to use the Dash4Cash heat races to better get a firm grip on what to expect for the actual race.
“Running the heat race has helped us dial in the car for the race,” Kvapil added. “These races aren’t easy to win, but we have our own agendas too. And as long as we meet those goals, anything after that is a bonus.”
Teresa Keen, owner of Keen Parts is excited to be back with Kvapil and the crew this weekend.
“Travis continues to be a great ambassador for our brand and we’re glad to be back on-board this weekend at Dover,” she said. “The team welcomed us with open arms a few weeks ago at Richmond and we couldn’t turn down another opportunity to be a part of the action.”
McLeod says it’s a great opportunity for both organizations to have the opportunity to work with Kvapil, who has heaps of experience at the 1.0-mile monster oval.
“I can’t begin to tell you how much it’s been productive to work with Travis,” said McLeod who drives the No. 78 Ford Mustang full time. “Not only can he bring a lot of ideas to the table, but he can take care of the equipment while still trying to get the job done. That’s a huge positive for us as we continue to build and grow our program. It’s my first time at Dover in an XFINITY car, so I know I’ll be leaning on Travis a lot for advice. I’m glad he’s on our side.”
The Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200 (120 laps / 120 miles) is the 10th of 33 NASCAR XFINITY Series on the 2016 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, May 13 from 10:00 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. A final practice has been etched in from 12:30 p.m. – 1:55 p.m. Qualifying to determine the starting positions for the heat races is set for race day, Saturday, May 14 beginning at 10:45 a.m. With two heat races (40 laps / 40 miles) which will set the “main” event lineup scheduled to start around 2:00 p.m., the 40-car field will take the green flag for the main event shortly after 3:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are Eastern.
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Keen Parts is small enough to give personalized service and assistance with your project, yet large enough to supply you with those hard to find specialty parts. They strive to go the extra mile to help you get your project done, be it a complete interior for your vintage ’58 Corvette or a performance accessory for your ’09 – They’ll have the Corvette parts you need and the expertise you want.
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