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Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003 | 9:34 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

Travis Kvapil, the 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, wasn't unemployed for very long.

One day after winning the championship for Steve Coulter's Xpress Motorsports, Kvapil announced he had signed a contract to drive a Toyota Tundra next season for Bang Racing. The new Truck Series team is owned by Alex Meshkin; TV analyst and former NASCAR Winston Cup crew chief Larry McReynolds is the team's vice president.

Kvapil will team with veteran driver Mike Skinner in Bang Racing's two-truck entry in 2004. Kvapil had been told before Friday's season finale in Homestead, Fla., that his contract with Xpress Motorsports would not be renewed.

Six of the eight drivers who will pilot the new Toyota Tundra next season have been announced. Robert Huffman and Hank Parker Jr. will drive for the two-truck Innovative Motorsports team and David Reutimann and Darrell Waltrip (two to three races) will compete for the new Waltrip Racing entry.

Bill Davis Racing, which is expected to field two Toyota trucks next season, has not yet announced its drivers.

"For one of the first times in my life, I was speechless," Gaughan said of receiving the award, which is voted by the drivers. "It's the one award I try to win every year and (winning it) means the world to me."

In addition to his race earnings, Busch will receive a check for $450,000 from the Winston Cup point fund as the 11th-place finisher in points.

Busch, who completed his third full season in Winston Cup, pushed his career earnings to $12,616,452 in 114 starts. By comparison, seven-time Winston Cup champion Richard Petty earned $7,755,409 in 1,185 career starts from 1958 to 1992.

Practice and heat races for the "Duel in the Desert" will begin at 6 p.m. Friday. IMCA Modified features will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. and the main event is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Thunderstocks will compete in a 15-lap feature on Saturday night.