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Yates To Close Kvapil's Unsponsored Team

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 22, 2009

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Travis Kvapil had a decent day at Bristol Motor Speedway, but it might have been his final event for Yates Racing.

A lack of sponsorship is forcing the team to suspend operations this morning on the No. 28 Ford, team general manager Max Jones said before Sunday's race. Kvapil finished 18th and his team is 39th in the owner standings.

"It's not exactly a surprise," Jones said. "We said all along we'd do five races and try to find something, and we just haven't found anything yet to run another five."

Jones did not rule out reviving the race team if funding eventually comes through.

Kvapil has been without proper funding for more than a year. Yates and partner Roush Fenway Racing had to piece sponsorship together on a race-by-race basis, and the team finished a commendable 23rd in the standings without ever having full funding.

It's not immediately decided what will happen to the crew members who work on Kvapil's team. Many could simply be shuffled into new roles with Yates or Roush.

MORE ENGINE WOES: Greg Biffle, already nursing bruised ribs all weekend, couldn't do the same with his motor.

Biffle's car suffered its second engine failure this season and exited Sunday's race after 326 of the 500 laps. He finished 39th.

"I would have never thought you'd have engine trouble at Bristol. It never crossed my mind," he said.

Biffle also had an engine failure at Las Vegas in the third race of the season. The pair of DNF's have dropped him to 18th in the points.

BACK ON TOP: Robbie Loomis returned to the top of the pit box for the first time since 2005 when he filled in as crew chief for Elliott Sadler.

Loomis stepped in for Kevin Buskirk, who was feeling ill all weekend and left Bristol on Saturday night. Loomis, vice president of Richard Petty Motorsports, last worked as a crew chief for Jeff Gordon in 2005.

The Associated Press

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