Toyota takes first win

Toyota's intent is to sell full-size pick-up trucks in the United States and to establish the fact that those trucks are built in the U.S.

Travis Kvapil, performing in Detroit's backyard, gave Toyota the first NASCAR victory by any offshore manufacturer Saturday, claiming the flag in the Line-X 200 Craftsman Truck race around the Michigan Speedway. Kvapil, 2003 series champ in a Chevrolet, won for the first time this year.

The Toyotas have come close on several occasions this season, notably in the opener at Daytona, where Kvapil led nearly half the laps, and at Atlanta, where Mike Skinner lost out to Dodge's Bobby Hamilton at the finish line.

Kvapil took the lead with 17 laps to go and survived a calamitous finish for the victory, beating Dodge's Ted Musgrave to the finish line. Kvapil had had to start near the end of the grid after an engine change Friday.

Toyota concluded a triumphant day by taking three of the top-four spots and four of the final 10. Skinner finished third, and Johnny Benson, fulfilling a last-minute request from Bill Davis (replacing rookie Shelby Howard), finishing fourth. Robert Huffman, former NASCAR Dash champ and Toyota loyalist, was ninth.