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 11, 2009 at 5:13pm
Brain and Kyle have become good friends. The reason Brian was able to drive for Billy Ballew this year was because of Kyle. It will be pretty cool to see both Brian Ickler and Justin Lofton both San Diego boys racing in trucks next year.
Permalink Reply by Sherri Fryer on December 11, 2009 at 5:55pm
I hope he can find the sponsorship to put Johnny Benson in a truck .
Permalink Reply by JoCo on December 12, 2009 at 3:35am
Why? Bring in the new blood, they're better for the sport than the good old boys--not a knock on Benson, but it's a perception, and that is as good as reality.
Permalink Reply by Keith on December 12, 2009 at 7:22am
"New Blood" seldom brings a sponsor.

Since JB and Robby are not too far apart age wise, should Robby make way for "New Blood" too?
Permalink Reply by JoCo on December 13, 2009 at 12:47am
You and I both know there's a huge difference between Robby and Johnny, both in terms of style ("bad-ass" or "coolness" factor) and marketability; Johnny has neither.
Permalink Reply by Lance on December 13, 2009 at 9:18am
That's what racing is all about...style and marketability......
Permalink Reply by JoCo on December 13, 2009 at 11:43am
Unfortunately, yes. Look no further than the Danica-to-Nationwide Series mediastorm.

Even in Formula1, which the Euro-snobs view as the purest racing in the world (hah!), pay-for-ride drivers routinely get seats over perhaps otherwise better-qualified individuals. It's the reality we need to face; that feasibility is the buzzword of these times and no team with a non-marketable driver, no matter how many championships he's won, will be getting by on the financial front.
Permalink Reply by Mike Kenyon on December 13, 2009 at 12:37pm
Joco, Toyota loves JB. JB can drive a stock car ( result's speak for them self ) his technical knowledge is huge.Rick Ren just won another championship with an old less marketabile and stylish driver Ron Honaday ( another old guy with stock car knowledge ) So team JB with Rick, I fully expect Scrub to be 2010 Truck series championship owner,and Brian to be more impressive with JB's mentoring.
Permalink Reply by JoCo on December 13, 2009 at 7:17pm
I also fully expect that truck to not have enough sponsorship to run a whole season.

Remember that Johnny Benson was not able to attain sponsorship at Red Horse Racing, as the reigning Truck champion, last season.

Clearly the fact that there is a difference between winning races and marketability is lost on some of those here. Though marketability often correlates with winning, they are independent of one another at the end of the day.

Never once have I said that Johnny Benson isn't immensely talented or smart, but I don't think that putting him in a truck is as smart of a business decision as Brian Ickler.
Permalink Reply by Mike Kenyon on December 13, 2009 at 10:06pm
So does that mean every/most attractive woman drivers are race/championship winner's and the only person's worth of advertising partners?! Marketability does'not equal race wins! Maybe Red Horse's marketing staff sucked? I'm think'n they did as all of the other driver's for the team paid for their ride and I don't remember any signage.
Permalink Reply by JoCo on December 16, 2009 at 7:54pm
No you need to learn how to comprehend what you read. I'm saying that marketability, while at times contains the element of winning, is not restricted to just winners. Look at Danica Patrick. She's done jack with her IndyCar career, and yet her sponsorship is far and away worth more than the rest of the IndyCar field's combined. Opposite holds true for Johnny Benson, whom I would compare to Paul Tracy if we're going to just use Indy as an example; PT is a fantastic driver with a resume a mile long, and yet can't get sponsorship for a season in Indy. Same thing goes for Benson in Trucks.

If Busch wanted his team to be financially solvent, he would not put Benson in a truck. The ship would sink.
Permalink Reply by GrayAntiMatter on December 16, 2009 at 6:42pm
Truth

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