In just his second-ever NASCAR Xfinity Series start, Carson Kvapil is taking on the Monster Mile with JR Motorsports. The young driver was impressive in his first stint back at Martinsville. Now, he’s back for another top-5 finish.
The two-time CARS Tour Late Model Stock champion has been slowly building up to this moment in his career. At just 20 years old, Carson Kvapil has won three total championships in the CARS Tour, the Carolina Pro Late Model Series championship, and has also been victorious in a number of high-profile short-track races.
His father, 2003 Truck Series champion, Travis Kvapil has put his trust in Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports. Together they have developed Carson into quite the racer. His debut at Martinsville showed he was more than capable.
Back again with Chevy Truck Season on the car, Kvapil switched it up for a blue paint scheme this time around.
Carson Kvapil has made one start each up to this point in the ARCA Menards Series, Truck Series, and Xfinity Series. His worst showing in those debuts was P12 in the trucks at Bristol last year. I’d say he has been more than impressive each time he’s taken the next step up.
Dover is a different kind of beast. The Monster Mile is waiting for him and 200 miles of racing on the high concrete banks. I think it will be a true test for Kvapil. He won’t be as familiar with Dover as he was with Martinsville.
Not to mention, it gets tricky at Dover. The surface can get slick in the sun. Concrete is tough to race on. Not to mention, you can get caught up in someone else’s mistake at higher speeds than Martinsville.
Expectations for Carson Kvapil at Dover
Based on what we have seen from him already, I think top-10 is a must for Carson Kvapil. Honestly, I believe he should have another top-5 run in him. Those JR Motorsports cars are so good and so fast. He is also a very talented driver.
But, Dover is tough. It’s not like other one-mile tracks. It’s so fast and sketchy at times. One bad pit stop can put Kvapil in a tough spot on the track and next thing you know, he’s caught up in a wreck. There’s also concern over qualifying.
It’s tough for these part-time drivers to qualify well. Most of the time they are one of the first to qualify, before the track really rubbers up, before you see the line anyone else is taking. All around, a tough situation to deal with.
If Carson Kvapil can qualify well, learn how to get around Dover in the first half of the race, then I think there is no reason why he shouldn’t have a top-10 finish or better.
If I’m a JR Motorsports driver full-time, I’m also getting a little worried if my own performances aren’t living up to expectations. Kvapil is on a fast track and that organization is a bit crowded at the moment. That’s just me thinking out loud, but something to keep in mind as the season progresses.
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