Former RGM Driver Brian Ickler to drive for Kyle Busch Truck team in 2010

Kyle Busch Motorsports announces two full-time teams; possibly a third: In a press conference held live on SPEED, Kyle Busch announced today that he will enter two Toyota Tundras full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series beginning in 2010. Busch will pilot the #18 Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Toyota Tundra whenever the Camping World Truck Series runs in companion with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. For the non-companion races, the #18 Tundra will be driven by 24-year-old Brian Ickler. Running the full schedule for KBM will be 20-year-old Tayler Malsam in the #56 Toyota Tundra. Busch recently purchased the assets of Xpress Motorsports, the Camping World Truck Series team that won in June at Dover International Speedway and finished the 2009 season among the top-10 in points. KBM will operate from the Xpress Motorsports shop in Mooresville, N.C., until its new shop, also in Mooresville and currently under construction, is completed. Overseeing the three-driver, two-Truck outfit will be Rick Ren, who will serve as the team's director of competition. The 52-year-old from Tilton, Ill., is a NASCAR veteran who won two Camping World Truck Series championships as crew chief for Ron Hornaday Jr., (2007 and 2009) while at Kevin Harvick Inc.(Kyle Busch Motorsports PR) [During the interview, Busch also noted that KBM is also trying to pull enough sponsorship together to bring Champion Johnny Benson into the mix and make it a three-truck operation. It was reported earlier this week that talks are underway with Exide Batteries and at least one other sponsor about backing Benson -- see the December Archive Page.]

Footnote: Brian Ickler drove for Robby Gordon Motorsports in the Nationwide Series at Phoenix in 2008 in the #55 Dodge

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Permalink Reply by NIKAL on December 15, 2009 at 2:55pm

When Brian drove the RGM #55 car, that was a buy a ride deal. End of story. That was not RGM looking at possibly supporting Brian, or taking him under his wing. There's another story about Robby, Brian and the Baja 1000, but that is a whole other topic. Just remember Andy McMillin was not just handed over the RGM TT to race. Deals are made and Robby is not paying.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Plowman on December 15, 2009 at 4:36pm

Yeah, that's what I said...

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Permalink Reply by NIKAL on December 14, 2009 at 12:38pm

Here is a little bit of what I understand what happened with JB and Red Horse. I'm sure what I know or understood was a very small part of it, but this is how it was told to me.

For personal reasons JB did not want to stay at Bill Davis racing. Even though he just won the Championship with them. He told Bill Davis racing that he was looking to take a break from racing or to see what else was out there. Bill Davis was very unhappy with JB. One month after telling Bill Davis he was leaving he signed with Red Horse. Red Horse is pretty much an unproven team, which made the JB announcement even more surprising. To my understanding how the JB deal was going to work was Red Horse would get the financing to race the truck and JB salary would be paid by Toyota. Also Toyota would give Red Horse money to help pay Triad for R&D.

For some reason Toyota decided it could not or would not fulfill their end of the deal and Red Horse could not afford to pay JB salary. So without the Toyota money Red Horse and JB had to split ways. And then Traid's support to the truck series teams changed and several teams including Red Horse moved their engine programs over to Joey Arrington Engines this year. I'm sure there is more to it then just this, but this is what I understood happened.