Ickler, Kyle Busch Protégé, Pulling Own Weight In NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
06-23-2009 4:48 pm

A little bit of Kyle Busch is rubbing off on his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teammate, Brian Ickler … the good parts, that is …

Ickler, part-time rookie driver of the No. 51 and No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyotas, has scored two top-five finishes and two pole positions in six Truck Series starts this season, with a career-best third two weeks ago at Michigan, and he takes that record to Memphis Motorsports Park Saturday (6 p.m. ET on SPEED; NCWTS Setup with Krista Voda at 5:30 p.m. ET) with the No. 51 leading the NCWTS owner points.

Despite the well-publicized pressure Busch places on himself in his quest for 200 career NASCAR victories and championships in each of the top three divisions, that mantle hasn't been passed on to Ickler.

"I don't really feel any pressure," Ickler, 23, said. "Once you start trying to compare yourself to Kyle Busch … that's pretty much impossible. I really think it's an advantage because Kyle has run in the truck and the truck has run up front. It's a huge boost for my confidence to know it can be done."

But the rest of the garage can't help but judge Ickler by a different standard, even if ever so slight.

"Brian Ickler's run so far this year has been impressive because, in my mind, he's done it under a bigger microscope," said Krista Voda, host of NCWTS Setup. "By substituting for Kyle Busch, he not only shares the truck but also the responsibility of driving an owner's championship contender. Any slip or slide on his part and the microscope he's under casts a glare, possibly eliminating him from the radar of others."

Not only does Busch's performance give Ickler a goal to shoot for, he says Busch's role and success with the team grease the skids for him.

"Every change we make on the truck, you can text or ask Kyle what you think about it and he can tell you what he would do," Ickler explained. "I think it's a big advantage since things are already in place and he's already run well in it."

And Busch is doing everything in his power to ensure Ickler has the right opportunities and equipment to make a name for himself as well, beginning with Busch's placement of Ickler in his Late Model car. The San Diego native is also running a sampling of ARCA and NASCAR Camping World East Series races this year and already has an East win to his credit in 2009.

"He's got a plate full this year," Busch said. "We took him out of the full Grand National (NASCAR Camping World East) schedule because we wanted him to work around and get some different races under his belt. We're trying to get him seat time now. I believe in him and hopefully if he carries himself this year in that truck, top-10s, top-fives, can contend up front, then hopefully next year he'll be a full-timer."

Since Busch was well-established in the No. 51 truck, his input weighed heavily when it came time to bring another driver on board.

"It was all Kyle (helping him get the No. 51 ride)," Ickler said. "We raced the Snowball Derby in Kyle's Late Model and became closer friends. He talked about how he'd like to help me move up the ladder more and drive some more. He texted me one day and told me he got me in his 51 truck when he's not driving it. It was mostly Kyle."

From an owner's perspective, Ballew has enjoyed watching his drivers mesh on and off the track and notes similarities between the two.

"Kyle serves as a mentor but also they are good friends and have raced together in other series," Ballew said. "They have a great relationship - Kyle is a great mentor to Brian on tracks he hasn't been to before. Both Kyle and Brian share the same setups and are comfortable doing so. Their driving techniques are similar and competitive spirit is the same."


"Anytime we've been at a track where both Kyle and Brian are around, they are, at least for a good chunk of the day, together," Voda said. "Kyle had a lot to do with putting Brian in this position and he's doing everything he can to make sure his recommendation has staying power. I think Kyle not only respects Brian as a driver but genuinely likes him as a person."

It's not surprising then that Ickler says Ballew, Busch and he are cut from the same racing cloth.

"Billy is a unique owner," he stated. "He and Kyle are the perfect fit because they have same mindset in racing - do whatever it takes to win. If there is a question of where the funding comes from to run next week, somehow Billy comes up with it. He wants to win as bad, if not more, than Kyle. He's a true racer at heart."

Takes one to know one …

"Based on what he (Ickler) has achieved in other series, it isn't surprising he has done so well," Ballew said. "Our expectation is, with the combination of Brian and Kyle, to win the 2009 Truck Series owners' championship."