Kvapil switching to Toyota, Bang Racing in 2004

BAL HARBOUR, Fla. -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil announced Saturday evening he would drive a Toyota Tundra truck in 2004 for new series entry Bang Racing.

In his closing remarks after receiving his championship trophy, a point fund check for $320,000 and $40,000 in bonus awards, Kvapil said he was looking forward to testing with Toyota on Monday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The test, which Toyota opened to the other three Truck Series manufacturers in order to get a head-to-head evaluation of their respective 2004 models, will be the first opportunity for Toyota to evaluate its recently approved pushrod V-8 engine on a racetrack.

"I'm really looking forward to running with Toyota for Bang Racing, with Larry McReynolds," Kvapil said. "With our owner, Alex Meshkin and with Mike Skinner as my teammate I think we can win another championship."

With Kvapil's announcement, six of the eight drivers for Toyota's factory-affiliated teams have been announced. He and Skinner join David Reutimann and Darrell Waltrip at Waltrip Racing and Robert Huffman and Hank Parker Jr. at Innovative Motorsports.

Bill Davis Racing, which will handle Toyota's chassis construction from a shop in High Point, N.C., has yet to name either of its drivers, though Shelby Howard has tested a Davis Racing truck at Atlanta Motor Speedway.