Travis Kvapil has scored Toyota's lone win in 2004.

Bang considers suit after Toyota removes support

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Bang Racing officials are considering litigation to resolve its dispute with Toyota, the team said Monday afternoon after the manufacturer terminated its support agreement.

Toyota and its racing arm, Toyota Racing Development, began its initial season in NASCAR with seven Craftsman Truck Series teams: two for Bang Racing, two for Bill Davis Racing, two for Innovative Motorsports and one for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports.

Mike Skinner

But after last week's O'Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway, that number may be down to five.

Diana DeJoseph, Toyota's senior motorsports public relations administrator, confirmed Monday that the manufacturer as ended its contract with Bang Racing and its two drivers, Travis Kvapil and Mike Skinner.

"What we can say at this point is that we have exercised our right to terminate our support agreement with Bang Racing," DeJoseph said. "We notified Bang after the Bristol race."

DeJoseph said Toyota wouldn't provide any more details.

"We don't discuss the details of any of our team contracts or ongoing discussions, so Bang Racing's contract is no exception," DeJoseph said.

But Bang Racing, through a statement, disputed Toyota's position.

Travis Kvapil

"According to Bang Racing's sponsorship and support agreement with Toyota, Bang was and continues to be entitled to receive full factory support for our two Tundra teams," said the statement, attributed only to the team. "Bang is currently in discussions with litigation counsel regarding the legal ramifications of TRD/Toyota's position."

Kvapil scored Toyota's first -- and to date, its only -- NASCAR victory at Michigan on July 31.

Kvapil stands fifth in the Craftsman Truck Series points standings, with Skinner 10th. Kvapil and Skinner are the only Toyota drivers in the top 10 in points.

In the statement, Bang lauded its accomplishments as a first-year team. Owner Alex Meshkin started the team late last year, with former Cup crew chief Larry McReynolds as one of the team's principles.

But McReynolds left earlier this year.

"Bang Racing has strived to provide Toyota a premier team and have worn the Toyota banner with pride and dedication," the statement said. "In just over six short months, our team has helped Toyota garner numerous 'firsts' in motorsports and NASCAR.

"Both Travis Kvapil and Mike Skinner are currently top-10 contenders in this year's points' race, and Travis is just 89 points out of third place and is the highest ranked Toyota driver for the manufacturer.

"From our Daytona debut, Bang Racing put Toyota in the history books with Travis' phenomenal second-place performance and broke the highest finish for a new team at the track.

"Our team's recent win at Michigan helped continue Toyota's winning legacy in motorsports.

"Therefore, we are very saddened and disturbed, considering our competitive level of performance, that Toyota has taken its current position with Bang Racing."

Jennifer Jaudon, media relations manager for Bang Racing, said the team plans to race in the Kroger 200 at Richmond on Sept. 9.

"We'll work through it," Jaudon said. "Our plans are still to be at Richmond. Alex is moving forward with everything."

Jaudon, like DeJoseph, wouldn't comment on why Toyota took this action. And while the team plans to be in Richmond, it is unclear whether Kvapil and Skinner will be driving Toyotas.

Asked if Bang Racing can continue to use Toyota products, DeJoseph said, "Well, no, we terminated our support agreement. Getting into the details of that isn't something we can do."

Bang's statement, however, indicates that the team wants to continue using Toyotas. Whether Bang can could be up to the judicial system.