Aric Almirola in the No. 15 Zaxby’s NASCAR Camping World Truck took to the Milwaukee Mile Saturday, June 20, 2009 for the rain delayed Copart 200.  Due to inclement weather in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area qualifying was canceled setting the field by 2009 Owner Points placing Almirola in the 18th-place position for the 200 lap race.

Almirola, who was fastest in Friday’s final practice continued as he moved through the field picking up positions advancing to the ninth place by lap 13 of the 200 lap race.

Almirola reported in to the crew that the truck was just a little free in, and off the corners and tight in the center of the corners calling for adjustments on the first pit stop.  The caution flag flew on lap 37 with Almirola in the seventh position coming down pit road on lap 40 and returning for fuel on lap 41.  When Almirola was leaving his pit stall another truck pulled out causing an accordion effect damaging the front and rear of the No. 15 Zaxby’s Toyota.  Almirola stayed out on the track restarting in the 13th-place position.

A long green flag run in the Copart 200 started the cycle of green-flag pit stops.  The team planned on bringing the No. 15 Zaxby’s Camping World Truck down pit road on lap 129.  Unfortunately, Almirola’s truck ran out of fuel a few laps short, losing two laps waiting for a push back to pit road for fuel service, ending the thoughts of victory at the Milwaukee Mile.

Despite the adversity Almirola was still one of the fastest trucks on the race track running times as fast as the leader but was relegated to a 20th-place finish.

Almirola will return to the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports entry at Memphis Motorsports Park for the running of the O’Reilly 200 Saturday, June 27, 2009.

Brian Ickler piloting the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota Tundra in his first start at the Milwaukee Mile posted a 15th-place finish Saturday afternoon in the rain delayed Copart 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

Rain in the Milwaukee area canceled qualifying setting the 36-truck field up by 2009 Owner Points putting the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota Tundra on the pole for the 200 lap, 200 mile race.

Ickler held the point position leading the lap one, but his race truck was too free loosing spots on the ¾-mile racetrack. Ickler reported in that the truck was having a large rotation in the corners, feeling like the truck was sending him off the corner sideways.

The team brought Ickler down pit road on lap 37 for four fresh Goodyear tires, trackbar and wedge adjustments to help the free conditions. Ickler restarted in the 11th-place position and reported that the longer the run the better the truck would become.

A long green flag run on the racetrack forced teams to come down pit road under the green for fuel. Ickler reported he needed more “lateral grip” and came down pit road for service on lap 127 when caution came out trapping the young driver a lap down.

Ickler in the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota Tundra continued to persevere, despite the ill-handling race truck, posting a 15th-place finish for the Billy Ballew Motorsports team.

We were pretty tight after we unloaded and threw a lot of stuff at the truck to make it race ready,” Ickler said. “Having to delay the race till the day we weren’t sure how the truck would be.
“We struggled a little in practice but thought we had the truck pretty race ready,” Ickler said. “With the change to a day race we had to chase the truck. We made some adjustments and were headed in the right direction until we got caught a lap down when we came in for fuel and the caution came out. We’ll go see what we can do in the Miccosukee Resort Tundra next week in Memphis.”

Billy Ballew maintains the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Points Championship lead as the series heads to the Memphis Motorsports Park Saturday, June 27th.

Aric Almirola will take to the track at Milwaukee Mile Friday, June 19, 2009 in the No. 15 Zaxby’s NASCAR Camping World Series truck for the running of the Camping World RV 200.

Almirola piloted the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports entry at Texas Motor Speedway finishing in the 16th place position and will step in for Brian Ickler who will drive the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota Tundra.

Almirola has one previous NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the Milwaukee Mile. The Tampa, Florida native also posted two pole starting positions in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at the one-mile short track.  

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to get back behind the wheel for Billy Ballew Motorsports and to be able to race at The Milwaukee Mile,” Almirola commented. 

“I’ve had pretty good runs at Milwaukee and have collected a couple poles there in a Nationwide car. I’m going to be running a double-header weekend, running both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on Friday followed by the Nationwide Series race on Saturday night. I can’t ask for much more than two nights of racing back-to-back.”   

 Billy Ballew Motorsports has 13 previous starts at the Milwaukee Mile with a best finish of ninth place position in 1996 posted by Mark Gibson.

Richie Wauters from nearby Green Bay, Wisconsin will serve as the crew chief on the No. 15 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra.    (more…)

 Brian Ickler will take to the track in the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort / Samsung Instinct Toyota Tundra at Milwaukee Mile Friday, June 19, 2009 for the running of the Camping World 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

Ickler has five career starts in the Camping World Truck Series starts for Billy Ballew Motorsports posting one pole start (Michigan) and two top-five finishes (Kansas, Michigan). 

This will be the 23 year-old driver’s first start at the flat mile track in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Billy Ballew Motorsports has 13 previous starts at the Milwaukee Mile with a best finish of ninth place position in 1996 posted by Mark Gibson.

“I’m looking forward to going back to a short track,” Ickler said.  “It is easier to learn what these trucks do on the short tracks. From what I understand Milwaukee is a race track that you need to have a truck that turns well.  It is the complete opposite of the last short track we were at in Dover.  Dover has lots of banking and is a fast mile track whereas Milwaukee is probably the slowest short track we go to.  You have to have a truck that unloads well and I know that Doug George, Richie Wauters and the rest of the Billy Ballew Motorsports team has done everything they can to get us the best truck we can have when we get there.”

Miccosukee Resort will serve as the primary sponsor on the No. 51 Camping World Truck with Samsung Instinct as the associate sponsor.  (more…)