hearing that Toyota has pulled their supprt of BANG Racing after the race at Bristol, supposedly BANG is talking to Chevy and Dodge about taking over support.(8-27-2004)
UPDATE – Yep: Toyota officials confirmed Monday they have withdrawn factory support from Bang Racing, which fields the Toyota Tundras of drivers Mike Skinner and Travis Kvapil in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. “We have exercised our right to terminate our ‘Support Agreement’ with Bang Racing and notified Bang after the Bristol race,” said Toyota spokeswoman Diana DeJoseph. “We do not discuss the details of any of our team contracts or on-going discussions. Bang Racing’s contract is no exception.” This season Bang was one of four factory supported teams — Innovative Motorsports, Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Bill Davis Racing are the others — that began Toyota’s first season in the Truck series. Bang also has Toyota’s only series win this season, when Kvapil won the July race at Michigan in the No. 24 Tundra. Kvapil is currently fifth in points, and teammate Mike Skinner is 10th in the No. 42 Tundra. A Bang Racing spokesperson said the team was working on a press release Monday afternoon, but did say the team planned to compete at the series’ next race Sept. 9 at Richmond, Va. Bang Racing was founded by owner Alex Meshkin in 2003 and competing in its first Truck series season. Meshkin, an Internet entrepreneur and marketing businessman, teamed with long-time NASCAR crew chief and Fox Sports analyst Larry McReynolds to form the two-truck organization. McReynolds, however, left the organization in July.(ThatsRacin.com)
AND Bang Racing officials are considering litigation to resolve its dispute with Toyota, the team said Monday afternoon after the manufacturer terminated its support agreement. Diana DeJoseph, Toyota’s senior motorsports public relations administrator, confirmed Monday that the manufacturer as ended its contract with Bang Racing and its two drivers, Travis Kvapil and Mike Skinner. “What we can say at this point is that we have exercised our right to terminate our support agreement with Bang Racing,” DeJoseph said. “We notified Bang after the Bristol race.” But Bang Racing, through a statement, disputed Toyota’s position. “According to Bang Racing’s sponsorship and support agreement with Toyota, Bang was and continues to be entitled to receive full factory support for our two Tundra teams,” said the statement, attributed only to the team. “Bang is currently in discussions with litigation counsel regarding the legal ramifications of TRD/Toyota’s position.” Jennifer Jaudon, media relations manager for Bang Racing, said the team plans to race in the Kroger 200 at Richmond on Sept. 9. “We’ll work through it,” Jaudon said. “Our plans are still to be at Richmond. Alex is moving forward with everything.” Jaudon, like DeJoseph, wouldn’t comment on why Toyota took this action. And while the team plans to be in Richmond, it is unclear whether Kvapil and Skinner will be driving Toyotas. Asked if Bang Racing can continue to use Toyota products, DeJoseph said, “Well, no, we terminated our support agreement. Getting into the details of that isn’t something we can do.” Bang’s statement, however, indicates that the team wants to continue using Toyotas. Whether Bang can could be up to the judicial system.(NASCAR.com)(8-30-2004)
UPDATE 2: An Internet report cited Toyota officials as saying that the manufacturer’s support agreement was contingent on participation by former NASCAR crew chief Larry McReynolds, now a broadcaster for Fox. McReynolds left Bang Racing in July and said Tuesday that he was legally precluded from discussing the situation regarding Toyota. But McReynolds did say that philosophical differences with Meshkin, 23, led to his departure. “I’ll just say that the business practice of Alex Meshkin wasn’t right. I just couldn’t and wouldn’t fight it anymore,” McReynolds said. “I worked 25 years to gain respect in this business. I wasn’t about to let this kid throw that out the window in one year’s time. There’s been 50 owners who have come through this sport and haven’t made it. Alex Meshkin is No. 51. I feel very bad (for Kvapil) because I’m the one who sat with him for 4 hours last year and convinced him to drive for Bang Racing.”(Wisconsin State Journal – NOTE, looks like they removed the link from the site from some reason, no luck using their search feature)(9-2-2004)
UPDATE 3 – even more: The future of Bang Racing, which fields Toyota Tundras for drivers Mike Skinner and Travis Kvapil, remains clouded heading toward the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ next event, Sept. 9 at Richmond, Va. Earlier this week, Toyota officials announced they were ending their factory support of the Bang operation, effective immediately. Bang responded with threatened litigation, claiming its support agreement remained intact through the end of the 2004 season.
On Thursday, Angie Skinner, Mike Skinner’s wife, responded to a reporter’s question as to whether Skinner would run in the Richmond race by saying: “We don’t know if we’re going to Richmond. Alex (Meshkin, team owner) won’t return our phone calls.” Notified of Skinner’s response, Bang Racing spokeswoman Jennifer Jaudon sent the following statement via email: “Bang Racing and Toyota are currently in private negotiations. No comment can be made to anyone until next week when details are finalized between those two entities. Both drivers will be at Richmond racing Toyota Tundras.”(ThatsRacin.com), hearing BANG, if they show at RIR will run one truck, the #24 and Travis Kvapil.
UPDATE 4: hearing that #42 driver, Mike Skinner is no longer with Bang Racing effective immediately and will no longer drive for Bang Racing. Bill Davis Racing together with Toyota will field an entry for Skinner for the remaining nine Truck Series races. BANG RACING will finish the year with the #24 Tundra and Travis Kvapil. Supposedly Toyota and BANG will go their seperate ways after the 2004 season(9-3-2004)
UPDATE 5: also hearing the entire crew from Skinner’s #42 team will go along with Bill Davis to Bill Davis Racing.(9-5-2004)
UPDATE 6: Bang Racing and Toyota jointly announced today that Bang Racing will remain with Toyota for the balance of the 2004 season. Toyota will continue support of Bang Racing’s #24 Line-X team with driver Travis Kvapil. As Bang Racing prepares for its full-time entrance in the NASCAR Busch Series for 2005 with Kvapil, Mike Skinner will join Bill Davis Racing after indicating his desire to remain a successful competitor in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
“This has been an incredible first year in NASCAR,” said Alex Meshkin, CEO and owner of Bang Racing. “As a new team with a new manufacturer, it was and is an honor and a privilege to provide outstanding on- and off-the-track performances for Toyota and Line-X. Our achievements have been etched in NASCAR and Toyota history, but most importantly, they have been etched into the hearts and minds of every Bang Racing member,” said Meshkin. “Our successful record this season is proof of our dedication and teamwork. However, my plans have never wavered from the beginning of the season when we made clear our intentions to enter into NASCAR’s other premier series. Our team and current sponsors are looking forward to advancing Travis Kvapil’s career — his talent and accomplishments since entering the truck series are proof that he has a very bright future ahead.”
“Bang Racing gave the Toyota Tundra its first win this season at Michigan, said Jim Aust, president of Toyota Racing Development, Inc. The team also provided Toyota a strong entrance into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with superlative performances at both the season-opener at Daytona and at Atlanta. We wish Bang Racing and Travis continued success for the balance of 2004 and beyond.”
“We love the Craftsman Truck Series and the people and the teams,” Meshkin said. “We have made many friends there, and depending upon the relationship we create with a new manufacturer, we hope to continue to run the #24 truck next year with them. Our goal is to continue our dominating force in 2004 with Toyota and compete for the championship with Travis for our sponsors, Line-X and eBay. In the weeks ahead, we look forward to developing a relationship with a new manufacturer, and wish Toyota and Mike Skinner much success in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2005.”(BANG Racing PR)(9-9-2004)
