Kyle “Rowdy” Busch took to the track at the Michigan International Speedway for the running of the Michigan 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in fourth place position in the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota Tundra.

From the beginning of the event Busch went three-wide racing using the high and low grooves on the race track taking over the top spot by lap 8. When the caution on the 2-mile track came out on lap 10 Busch came down pit road to fuel the Miccosukee Resort Tundra.

The Billy Ballew Motorsports team got off pit road in the first place position for the restart on lap 13. The driving Phenom continued to lead reporting to the team that he hadn’t lifted off the gas pedal since the restart, holding the throttle of the Tundra wide open the 2-mile aero-dependent racetrack.

Busch continued to pace the field when caution returned to the track on lap 27 where he reported the truck becoming tight through the turns. Crew chief Doug George brought Busch down pit lane on lap 28 putting a spring rubber in the left rear to free the truck up.

The stop was lengthy with the adjustments placing the Tundra in the fourth place position on the restart on lap 32 but Busch picked up the point position running three-wide before a complete circuit was made on the Michigan International Speedway.

Busch, the clear dominator of the Michigan 200 continued to lead until the next pit stop on lap 60. The team packed the race truck full of fuel keeping putting him back out on the track in the second place position for the restart on lap 63. Busch again picked up the top spot holding it until he went low on the racetrack to pass a lapped truck. The truck came down the track allowing Colin Braun in the No. 6 to get past him.

Without a caution on the track Busch was unable to regain the lead bringing home a second place finish for the Billy Ballew Motorsports team.

“I saw a lapped truck running a lane up off the bottom and I had been liking to run on the bottom,” Busch said. “I went into the corner underneath him and he kept coming down and coming across. Unfortunately, I lost all the momentum and all the speed that I had. Colin (Braun) just drove right by on the top. I lost the race for us – my fault. The team deserved it – they had great Tundra out there. The guys did an awesome job preparing this thing. It was the fastest I have ever been here and the most laps I’ve ever led here in a truck. It was fun while it lasted.”

Billy Ballew continues to lead the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owners Points by 70 points as the team heads to the 10th race of the 2009 season.

Brian Ickler returns to the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Tundra next week as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to the Milwaukee Mile. The Camping World RV Sales 200 is slated to begin at 9:00ET Friday, June 19, 2009.
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‘Young Driver Raybestos Rookie of the Race’

Brian Ickler in his fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start posted the No. 15 Samsung Instinct Toyota Tundra on the pole and brought a third place finish home for the Billy Ballew Motorsports team Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.

Ickler was fast since the No. 15 Samsung Instinct Toyota Tundra was unloaded from the transporter posting the second fastest time in practice and went on to pick up his first career Keystone Light Pole start after posting a time of  40.839 seconds at a speed of 176.302 miles per hour for the running of the Michigan 200 Saturday afternoon. 

Ickler, on the point position, at the start of the 100 lap race had just taken the green flag when the beginning of three-wide racing broke out.  The No. 30 got into the corner quicker sending Ickler to the second place position on lap one.  The young rookie continued running three-wide all the way around the 2-mile racetrack in veteran style not lifting off the throttle.

Under the first caution on lap 10, crew chief Richie Wauters brought Ickler down pit road for fuel and a round out of the track bar. 

Ickler returned to the track restarting in the 10th-place position on lap 13 quickly advancing to the eighth place position on lap 19.  He reported that the Toyota Tundra was loose asking for adjustments on the next stop.

On lap 34, Ickler was running side by side with another competitor when they got loose sending Ickler gently into them bringing out the second caution.  Ickler received no damage to the No. 15 Samsung Instinct but came down pit road for four fresh Goodyear tires and fuel.

The 100-lap race restarted on lap 37 with Ickler in the seventh place position quickly advancing to the fourth place position running four wide on the race track.  Both Ickler and teammate Kyle Busch were running in the top times on the racetrack.

Ickler made the pass for the second place position behind his teammate Busch when the caution came out.  The yellow flag was displayed before the race trucks passed the next scoring loop sending Ickler back to the third place position. 

Again, Ickler reported that the No. 15 Samsung Instinct was loose.  He came down pit road on lap 63 for air pressure and track bar adjustments.

Ickler restarted in the third place position on lap 67 but fell back to the fourth place spot.  The young driver continued to battle back picking up the third spot with less ten laps remaining in the race posting his career best finish of third place.

“We had a pretty good truck all weekend,” Ickler said.  “It was a great qualifying effort by the whole team. Both Richie Wauters and Doug George work closely on these trucks and get us to be where we need to be.  Billy Ballew has an open book policy and it is a true team effort.  We started off our run a little free and just tried to learn everything with all the air – aero on these trucks around this two-mile race track. We got shuffled to the back a little there and had some help from Kyle (Busch) to get back to the front.  I’m just so happy to post a great finish for Billy Ballew, Samsung Instinct and to build on a great momentum booster for next week.”  (more…)

Kyle “Rowdy” Busch will return to the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota Tundra at Michigan International Speedway for the running of  the Michigan 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday, June 13, 2009.

Busch who lasted piloted the Billy Ballew Motorsports entry at Dover International Speedway looked to be the clear victor until a tire went down relegating him to a 9th-place finish.

Busch has three previous starts at the 2-mile D-shaped track in Brooklyn, Michigan for Ballew posting second place finishes in 2005 and 2007.    The young driving Phenom has eight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts posting one top-five finish and three top-10 finishes and two NASCAR Nationwide Series starts posting one win, one top-five and one top-10 finish at the Michigan International Speedway.

Michigan is known for the three and four wide racing,” Doug George, crew chief said.  “The wide track has many lines to race on and I’m sure Kyle (Busch) will use all of them in the race.  We had some body damage on Chassis 11 after Dover but she is back and ready to roll this weekend.”

Billy Ballew continues to lead the 2009 NASCAR Camping World /Truck Series Owners Points by 50 points.

Kyle Busch will also be racing his No. 51 Super Late Model car Wednesday, June 10, 2009 in Berlin, Michigan.  The children from the St. John’s home which is supported by the Kyle Busch Foundation will be in attendance for the race.

The Michigan 200 (100 laps, 200 miles) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is slated to begin at 2:00pm ET Saturday, June 13, 2009 and will be broadcast live on SPEED.

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NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie, Brian Ickler will play double duty next weekend at Michigan International Speedway piloting the No. 15 Samsung Instinct in the Michigan 200 and the No. 51 Toyota Camry in the Racing for Wildlife 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series race.

Ickler will be making his first start at the 2-mile D-shaped racetrack in Brooklyn Michigan.  He has two previous ARCA RE/MAX Series starts in 2009 with a best finish of fourth place position.  He has four starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Billy Ballew Motorsports with a best finish of fifth at Kansas Speedway.

“I was able to go to MIS and run in the open ARCA RE/MAX Series test to prepare for the races next week,” said Ickler, “The track definitely changes a lot with the weather.   I’m just getting used to how big this place is all its different lines and finding the right rubber on the track. Hopefully the extra time we spend in the ARCA car will help us prepare for the truck race.  Samsung Instinct is onboard this weekend and I’d like to give them a solid up-front finish.”

Billy Ballew Motorsports has nine previous starts at the 2-mile racetrack with best finishes of second place position in 2005 and 2007.

Samsung Instinct will be the primary sponsor of the No. 15 Camping World Truck. In conjunction with the sponsorship they are running a promotion where one lucky person will become an Honorary Samsung Instinct Pit Crew Member for the day at the upcoming NCWTS race at Michigan International Speedway.  Visit www.BillyBallewMotorsports.com or www.samsunginstinct.com/nascar for complete contest rules and entry requirements.) (more…)