Jeremy Mayfield went to Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend in hopes of repeating Billy Ballew Motorsports’ victory from one year ago in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Unfortunately, a punctured radiator caused the No. 15 Quest Global/Red Top Auto Auction Chevrolet to overheat and end the day for the defending winners of the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200.

“I must have run over something out there with the late cautions we had,” said Mayfield. “There was a hole in the grill of the No.15 Quest Global/Red Top Auto Auction Chevrolet which also put a hole in the radiator. The truck started overheating and by the time I realized it, there were only 15 or so laps to go. We tried to ride it to the finish, but it didn’t quite work out. We were fighting a loose condition for most of the race and just couldn’t get the handle on it. I just have to thank Billy Ballew and all the guys on the No. 15 team for the two opportunities I had to drive for them. It was definitely a good time, and maybe there will be more in the future.” (more…)

This weekend’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway will mark the second time Jeremy Mayfield will pilot the No. 15 Chevrolet for Billy Ballew Motorsports. It also marks the second time Mayfield will drive at a track where the Billy Ballew Motorsports team has previously won, with the first time being at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last month. The No. 15 team won 2005’s Fall event at AMS in dramatic fashion with Kyle Busch behind the wheel. This year, they return in hopes of repeating with veteran Mayfield piloting the Quest Global/Red Top Auto Auction Chevrolet.

“I’m excited to be back in Billy’s truck, especially in front of his home crowd,” said Mayfield. “I enjoyed working with Billy, Richie (Wauters, crew chief) and all the guys in Las Vegas. I’m especially looking forward to working with such a competitive team. Hopefully, we’ll have a good run in Atlanta. They deserve one, especially returning as the defending winners of this event.” (more…)

Kyle Busch drove his No. 15 Sound and Speed Chevrolet for Billy Ballew Motorsports to a sixth place finish this past Saturday at Martinsville Speedway. Making his fifth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start in 2006, Busch started in ninth position, got as low as 28th place following pit stops and battled to regain his top-10 positioning by the end of the 200-lap race.

“There was plenty of beating and banging, it’s Martinsville though. I’ve got to thank Billy (Ballew) and Richie (Wauters, crew chief) and all the guys for letting me have some fun here on Saturday at Martinsville,” said Busch following the race.

Unlike the Billy Ballew Motorsports team, the No. 15 was low on the practice sheets during the two sessions held on Friday, but when it came for qualifying, Busch was able to jump high on the charts. “We never made a qualifying run so we weren’t sure what to expect,” Busch said after posting his qualifying time of 20.030 secs. “We hadn’t been all that great all day anyway. We’re just going to try to make the most out of what we’ve got.”

Characteristic of a race at Martinsville, the race went under yellow-flag conditions 12 times. Allowing the No. 15 Sound and Speed Chevy to bunch up to the rest of the field, Busch would capitalize and make the most passes of any driver during the race, at a track where passing is difficult. “There wasn’t much passing,” said Busch. “You could go up to the top groove for about one or two corners on a restart just as long as the bottom groove was all mixed up. You’d get shuffled out there. It’s too tight. You couldn’t do anything.”

“Kyle did a great job for us out there today,” said Billy Ballew, team owner. “To be able to make all his positions up following his last pit stop and get into the top-10 takes an incredible amount of talent. I appreciate all of Kyle’s efforts and thank Sound and Speed for being on board with us for the race.”

With the sixth place finish, Busch was able to catapult Billy Ballew Motorsports into the top-20 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Owners Points standings for the first time in 2006. The No. 15 team now sits in 18th place with four races remaining in the 2006 season.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway this coming weekend, where the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports team is the defending winners.

Kyle “Rowdy” Bush in the No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevy Silverado at Dover.

Kyle Busch returns to the seat of the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports entry for the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday. Adorning the No. 15 will be SunTrust Bank, along with associate sponsorship from Manheim Orange Co. Auto Auction and Manheim Central Florida Auto Auction. Busch is eager to get back to racing in the NCTS, especially when he has the full support of SunTrust Bank and the Billy Ballew Motorsports team.

Busch takes on the paper clip oval of Martinsville in what is only his fifth start at the track. While his experience may be limited, his statistics are fairly impressive. In his only other NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Martinsville, coming in last year’s event in the No. 15, Busch finished in fifth position. In his three previous NASCAR NEXTEL Cup starts, Busch has two top-10 finishes. Even though, Busch may be aiming for the victory, there is more to it than just picking up the win.

“Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is always fun for me,” said Busch, “and I do it for a few reasons. I need all the track experience at Martinsville I can get, because before my rookie season I had never seen the place. Running on Saturday is fun because Richie Wauters (Crew Chief) always gives me the best truck out there. We hope to get a win for SunTrust and also I can learn what I need to do for Sunday’s race. It’s mostly all about experience and fun. Martinsville is always exciting with the trucks because that place is so small it’s an action packed race with everyone beating and banging on each other. I can’t wait.” (more…)