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PARTA, Kentucky – Travis Kvapil doesn’t mind being busy this weekend at Kentucky Speedway, especially at a track that is debuting their new asphalt surface.
But, anyone that knows Kvapil realizes that if he’s staying busy hopping back and forth between the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and XFINITY Series garages, not only does Kvapil want to be productive, but he wants to be competitive too.
Set to make his fifth XFINITY start of the season, Kvapil will drive the No. 25 CorvetteParts.net / Keen Parts Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing in Friday night’s Alsco 300.
However, if there’s a benefit to Friday night, Kvapil will be in select company as one of the few drivers to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race the night before. Joining Kvapil for company are most notably Cole Custer and reining Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch.
“I’m always thankful to have a chance at running in XFINITY,” said Kvapil. “Rick Ware Racing and B.J. McLeod Motorsports have done a great job putting good cars underneath me and it goes without saying that their hard work is paying off and we’re starting to see some results. Hopefully we can have a solid night and stay out of trouble with our No. 25 CorvetteParts.net / Keen Parts Ford Mustang.
“Kentucky will be tricky and I think it will be a game of survival, but we’ll see. It’s so hard to tell with a track repave what we’re actually going to get. The racing will be close and passing will be at a prime and that has the ingredients to put on very competitive race or the complete opposite. I guess it’s just the way it goes.”
Teresa Keen, owner of Keen Parts is equally excited to be back with Kvapil and the crew this weekend at Kentucky.
“Travis has always been a great ambassador for our brand for a long time and we’re glad he has another shot in XFINITY,” she said. “The team has welcomed us with open arms this season and we couldn’t turn down another opportunity to be a part of the action, especially for Kentucky’s new surface.”
One thing that Kvapil doesn’t want to repeat this weekend at Kentucky is contact with the Turn 4 wall. During Wednesday’s practice at the 1.5-mile speedway, a right front tire blew on Kvapil’s No. 50 MAKE Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado sending the veteran driver out of control and veering towards the outside wall.
Despite the heavy damage to the truck, Kvapil climbed from his battered machine uninjured and practiced later Wednesday.
“The truck accident was a bummer,” added Kvapil. “Didn’t have much warning. Hopefully, that’s a one and done thing for the rest of the weekend.”
Kvapil will be a teammate alongside Todd Peck who will drive the No. 15 Ford Mustang in a collaborative effort between Rick Ware Racing and B.J. McLeod Motorsports. McLeod competes full-time in his No. 78 Ford Mustang.
Before the 40-year-old shifted his focus on his ninth career XFINITY Series race, he finished 25th in his No. 50 MAKE Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado in the Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 Thursday night.
The Alsco 300 (200 laps / 300 miles) is the 16th of 33 NASCAR XFINITY Series on the 2016 schedule. Practice begins on Thursday, July 7 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:25 a.m. A second session is set for 1:00 p.m. – 1:55 p.m., a third from 4:00 – 4:55 p.m. while a final session is set for 7:00 p.m. – 7:50 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day, Friday, July 8 beginning at4:45 p.m. The 40-car field will take the green flag shortly after 8:30 p.m. with live coverage on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90).
About CorvetteParts.Net:
Corvettes are all they do, so whether you’re looking for a complete interior for your vintage ’58 Corvette or a performance accessory for your ’09, they have the Corvette part you need and the expertise you want. For your Corvette exterior, they got you covered bumper-to-bumper. They even have emblems, moldings, grilles, bumpers and brackets, fiberglass, exterior trim and weather stripping. For the interior, they have steering wheels, seats, dash pads, consoles, carpeting, door panels, seat belts, interior trim and fasteners. Under the hood, they’ve got it all from air cleaners to exhaust systems, air conditioning, radiators, and valve covers all the way down to the decals and correct fasteners to bolt it all back together. For more information, please visit corvetteparts.net or call 1-844-Tom-Keen.
About Keen Parts:
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.
For more information about Keen Parts, please visit corvetteparts.net, Facebook.com/KeenParts or find them on Twitter (@KeenParts).
