Travis Kvapil will make the move from trucks to Cup cars once again in 2008. (VPS Motorimages Photo)

After a successful return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2007, former series champion Travis Kvapil will make his return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2008. Kvapil, a three-time winner in the NCTS so far in 2007, has been named to drive the No. 88 Ford for the newly named Yates Racing team. Kvapil will replace the retiring Ricky Rudd.

"It all came together really quick," Kvapil said speaking from his home on Friday evening. "Yates Racing, I think they will get it turned around. They will utilize Roush Fenway cars and engineering. I think it will be a big plus for us."

With a Cup ride in the future, Kvapil won't take his eye off the ball for the remainder of the 2007 season. He said his goal continues to be bringing home the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship trophy for the Roush Fenway Team.

"We're definitely not giving up on getting the championship this year," Kvapil said. "We need the guys in front of us to have a little trouble, and Mike (Skinner) hit a little bump in the road last week. You know racing Ron (Hornaday) and Mike that even when they have a bad day, they are still going to be in the top ten so it's going to be hard to make up points on them. But Jack Roush hired me to come in and win races and fight for championships. We're going to do all we can to make that happen."

The new Yates organization will receive technical and marketing support from Kvapil's current team, Roush Fenway Racing. Additionally, the two organizations will continue with the Roush Yates Engines program that supplies engines to various Ford teams in the Cup, Busch, and Truck series.

Yates Racing will be headed by Doug Yates, son of current team owner Robert Yates. The elder Yates will retire from NASCAR racing after a career spanning five decades following the 2007 season.

Kvapil spent two full seasons in the Cup division, first with the Penske South Racing team in 2005 and then with the now-defunct PPI Motorsports team owned by Cal Wells III. In 70 career Cup starts, Kvapil's best finish was seventh at Bristol in March 2005.

"I really thought that going to Penske Racing that the sky was going to be the limit," Kvapil said. "But it's hard to go in to a situation like that. There wasn't a lot of information being exchanged and when you're just a little off there, it might as well be a mile. With the Roush support, cars, and engineering, I think it's going to bring Yates Racing back in to being one of the top teams in the Cup Series."

Travis Kvapil will not let up in the fight for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck championship. (VPS Motorimages Photo)

He returned to the NCTS in 2007 with Roush Fenway Racing, driving the No. 6 Ford that Mark Martin drove to six wins in 2006. Kvapil has not disappointed, nearly winning the season opener at Daytona before picking up wins at Michigan, Memphis, and Nashville. Kvapil has seven top-five finishes and eleven top-ten finishes in 17 starts and currently ranks third in the series championship standings. Kvapil made his NCTS debut in 2001, earning rookie of the year honors driving for Addington Racing. He won the series title in 2003 driving for Xpress Motorsports, and earned Toyota's first-ever NASCAR win at Michigan in 2004 driving for Bang! Racing. He has eight career wins in 113 starts, and has a total of 47 top-five and 75 top-ten finishes.

Kvapil's departure opens up one of the most competitive rides in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Roush Fenway Racing officials have indicated they intend to continue to field three teams in the NCTS in 2008. The only driver confirmed in one of those three rides is 2006 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Erik Darnell. Roush Fenway Racing has several development drivers under consideration, including Danny O'Quinn, Peter Shepherd, and Colin Braun. It is likely that a development driver will be named to one of those open seats, but team officials also indicated they would consider hiring a veteran driver to anchor the team next year.