Travis Kvapil piloting the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Billy Ballew Motorsports NASCAR Camping World truck posted an 11^th-place finish in the running of the Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville Superspeedway Saturday night. Kvapil, the 2003 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion made his return to the trucks and his first start for the independent team Billy Ballew Motorsports. 

Kvapil placed the No. 51 truck in the 11^th-place position for the 150-lap race after struggling with a tight race truck in both practice and qualifying at the 1.33-mile race track in Lebanon, Tennessee. 

From the start of the race, the troubles continued.  Kvapil reported in that the truck was tight in and through the corners.  The Miccosukee Resort team brought Kvapil down pit road under the competition caution on lap 38 for tires, fuel and track bar adjustments.  Kvapil cycled out of the pits in the fifth-place position for the restart on lap 41 advancing to the fourth place position until the truck again became tight sending the former Series Champion to the six place position by lap 44. 

The team brought the driver back down pit road on lap 85 for four tires and additional adjustments to free up the Camping World Truck cycling out of the pits in the 14^th-place position for the restart on lap 89.

The adjustments seemed to help Kvapil as he drove under trucks gaining two positions in three laps but it quickly faded with when he reported the truck was once again tight.  Kvapil was unable to keep the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Tundra on the bottom of the race track, the optimal place to run, but held onto the 11^th-place position until the caution on lap 102 for precipitation in the area. 

The rain diminished and the race restarted on lap 105.  Kvapil continued to battle for positions on the track, running three-wide around the racetrack but again the truck became tight sending the team to its lowest position of the race, 16^th-place.  Kvapil did not give up despite the handling issues and was able to advance to an 11^th-place finish in the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort NASCAR Camping World truck.

“We were tight from the time we unloaded the truck but we thought we were close to where we needed to be after practice,” Travis Kvapil said.  ”The truck would take off on the restart and then go tight again after a few laps.  We learned what we should have done but unfortunately we didn’t have enough for the race tonight.  Everyone on this Billy Ballew team did a great job all weekend trying to dial the truck in and I know it is frustrating to all of us.  Hopefully, the opportunity will present itself again and we’ll get another run in the trucks for Billy (Ballew)”.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is off until Wednesday, August 19, 2009 where Kyle “Rowdy” Busch will return to the No. 51 Tundra at Bristol Motor Speedway.