Kvapil, Xpress team celebrate title in style

BAL HARBOUR, Fla. -- Travis Kvapil was honored Saturday night at the Sheraton Bal Harbour as the ninth champion of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

The event, held in a packed Grand Ballroom, had a much more light-hearted atmosphere than Friday's contentious Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which featured torn fenders, name-calling and plenty of hurt feelings.

The ceremony's format featured an impromptu interview between the second- through ninth-place drivers, emcee Mike Joy and comedian Tom Cotter. However, no extraneous comments were offered and the evening focused on Kvapil, his team and other appropriate award-winners.

	Travis Kvapil with the championship trophy. Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP

The 27-year-old Kvapil, a native of Janesville, Wis., is the youngest driver to claim the truck title and joins Matt Kenseth as Wisconsin natives who won championships in two of NASCAR's three national touring series this season.

"This has, by far, been the best year of my racing career," Kvapil said. "I never expected to be here (because) I never thought finishing sixth (at Homestead) would win the championship. It's pretty amazing.

"I'm still kinda taking it in. I'm in shock and it's kinda cool."

Like Kenseth, Kvapil won only once, but prevailed over his competition with consistency. He had 13 top-five finishes and 22 top-10s in 25 starts in the No. 16 IWX Motor Freight Chevrolet.

Xpress Motorsports owner Steve Coulter was feted in absentia for his second consecutive owners' championship, the first to do so among a group that includes multiple Truck Series champion owners Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt.

"You can't do it without a great team," Kvapil said of his group, led by crew chief Chris Showalter. "And these guys have done it two years in a row with two different drivers."

Dave Fuge Jr., who is two days younger than Showalter, was the youngest champion chief last season when he worked at IWX with driver Mike Bliss.

	The winning team poses with the winning car. Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP

Kvapil, who set another series standard when he completed all but a single lap in 2003 -- and that on the half-mile Mesa Marin Raceway short track -- won $872,395 in awards.

Ironically, Kvapil won the title after being told his contract would not be renewed, leaving him out of a job at the end of the season.

"They weren't going to lay down on me so there was no way I was going to lay down on them," said Kvapil, who is being replaced by former three-time truck champion Jack Sprague. "I thought the best thing I could do was dig in, put a championship on my resume and that might help me get a job."

Kvapil announced in his closing remarks that he would drive a Toyota next year for newly-formed Bang Racing.

The most emotional part of the evening occurred when driver Brendan Gaughan was called to the podium to accept the series' Most Popular Driver Award, which was voted by the competitors.

"This means almost as much to me as the championship would have," Gaughan said. "This is pretty special (because) we had a helluva run -- a helluva race team. It's an honor to win this award. I won it once in Winston West and I never thought I'd win it."

Later, when he accepted his fourth-place award, Gaughan apologized for using foul langauge during an interview Friday after being involved in a crash which erased any chances of winning the title. When Gaughan left the stage, the entire IWX team, seated at the front of the room, stood to applaud him.

The evening's lightest moment came when Raybestos Rookie of the Year winner Carl Edwards removed his tuxedo jacket on stage and performed one of his trademark back flips.

"I think I split my pants," Edwards said when he sat back down. "I really have to thank Jack Roush for believing in me (but) I think it's the first time I've driven for someone that's crazier than me."