Ickler Gears Up for First Truck Series Start

April 20, 2009
Filed under: News — admin @ 2:35 PM

Brian Ickler is gearing up for his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start Saturday, April 25, 2009 at Kansas Speedway.  Ickler 23, will pilot the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota Tundra.
Kyle “Rowdy” Busch has piloted the Tundra in the first four events and holds the 2009 Driver/Owner Points Lead after posting back to back wins at the Auto Club Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Due to scheduling conflicts with NASCAR national series events at Talladega, Busch is unable to compete in the fifth race of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opening the door for Ickler.

This will be the Ickler’s first start at the 1.5-mile Kansas City, Kansas track; he has one previous start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2008.  He has seven NASCAR Camping World Series victories, posting his latest win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in March 2009.  Ickler led 100 of the first 143 laps of the 2009 Camping World Series Toyota Allstar Showdown until involved in an in an incident late in the race.

“It’s my first time at Kansas Speedway and my first time in a NASCAR Camping World Truck,” Ickler said.  “We went to Rockingham Speedway to shake down the truck a little and get me comfortable with the feel.  They are definitely a different drive.  We had a great day, Doug (George, crew chief) and I already work well together so I know that will help.  I have to thank Billy Ballew, Miccosukee Resort and Kyle (Busch) for the belief in me to step in the seat for him while he is in Talladega.”

“I’m excited to see how it goes for the guys in Kansas,” Busch said. “They tested in Rockingham to give Brian a feel for the truck and it went really well.  He and Doug (George, crew chief) are working well together and I believe he is capable of a top-10 finish for Billy Ballew.”

Ickler looks to be a protégé of the young NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Superstar Kyle Busch and piloted the Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) Super Late Model entry at the Snowball Derby.  He is also slated to run the Rattler CRA Super Series, South Alabama Speedway event in April for KBM.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 (167 laps, 250.5 mile) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway is slated to begin at 6:00pm ET Saturday, April 25, 2009.  Live race coverage on SPEED begins at 5:30pm ET with MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio coverage beginning at 5:45pm ET.

For more information on Billy Ballew Motorsports and Brian Ickler visit  www.BillyBallewMotorsports.com and www.BrianIckler.com.