KBF'S Truck Thread !

[Tyyrus]

Any chance that ticket is for Sept 25th at the vegas stand alone event? Already making plans here! I'm also looking to see what my schedule next year can support the fall races at Phoenix.

Most likely the June Michigan or August Chicago Race ! Both only a few hours away ! 

[DougS]

Lots of news on Jayski and listening to Sirius on the way home.

Rick Ren confirmed that he's had several offers but will return to KHI for 2010.

HT motorsports owner of #24 and #25 trucks had to layoff several employees starting today. There is a rumor that HT will merge with RMM and Randy Moss will separate from David Dollar.

Ray Dunlap is reporting that Kyle Busch Motorsports will happen. Rumored driver to KBM is Tayler Malsam who currently drives for RMM. It was earlier believed that Brian Ickler would be filling a seat at KBM.

[PlanoHarvickFan]

And let's not forget first career wins for Brian Scott, Colin Braun and Johnny Sauter as well.  It truly has been a great year in the trucks when the Cup side has been mediocre at best.  If you missed it Friday night, be sure to check out the burnouts following the race...probably one of the coolest things I've seen in a while.

And Timothy Peters too

[KurtBuschFan]

And Timothy Peters too

Yeah...Doug mentioned him in his first post, and I was just adding others

How does everyone feel about Ricky Carmichael winning most popular driver?

[DougS]

Having met and spent time with RC I'm fine with it. I'm surprised that a part time driver got the award but he has 100,000's of fan from his supercross career that still follow his twitter and KHI fan page.

These guys that make the pro level at supercross are VERY fan friendly making themselves available twice or three times a day for an hour or two at EACH event. He's probably used to doing more fan interaction than most NASCAR drivers are.

Now my votes still went to Johnny even though he was also a part time driver. He's a class act like MM and was very pleased for him last year.

[Tyyrus]

RC has shown that even great conditioning and reflexes do not provide great success on 4 wheels ! However I agree that Ricky is a Class Act who has shown steady improvement . Hopefully he will eventually be provided good equipment and support staff !

[20forLogano]

I think that Taylar could be a great fit for Kyle though I thought for sure Ickler would get the nod.  I am surprised Moss would not pay Taylar and let him grow his truck program.

[DougS]

Looks like this KBM will be won't be sotry keeps getting tossed around. The lastest rumor on Jayski is Rick Ren HAD his desk cleared out for him and KBM will happen and it's now going to be a three truck team.

And I thought the Danica saga was going to make me loose hair.

[KurtBuschFan]

I don't know what to think about the whole KBM thing.  I haven't been able to find a whole lot of anything on the web about it, and this back and forth stuff with Rick Ren is driving me nuts.  If Rick Ren heads to KBM, that might change the championship picture dramatically next season.

[Chris]

"And above all else NASCAR is finally going back to normal pit stops and we'll see the double file restarts next year in the CWTS."

Yep.. series is ALREADY a crash fest... this will make it even more so..
Good for the fans I suppose,.. but being with an underfunded teaam.. it sucks.  Just don't have big dollars like in NNS and CUP series to get trucks back together..  NOR the people.
SO I look for truck attendance to be up and down next season.. down especially when the get into a stretch where they run every week... have crashes because of double file restarts, .. IMO ths start and park teams will be safe,.. They'll just start and head for the garage.  It's the OTHER mid-level teams that'll end up having to miss races because of lack of enough equipment / dollars

[DougS]

Offical from KHI KHI and Rick Ren have separated. An announcement is expected within a week on the crew chief opening on the #33 KHI Chevy driven by Ron Hornaday Jr.

Personally, it's sucks, I was hoping those two would do something like JJ and Knuas and go on a tear together. But it's also good that Rick is getting the recognition and respect that he's earned over the years and can "move up" to a new challenge and oppertunity.

[KurtBuschFan]

Rick Ren must have gotten a heck of a deal to walk away from KHI.  He and Hornaday were truly an amazing combination and definitely had the potential to go on a JJ/Knaus-like tear.  The only thing I can think is that KBM must be going along better than Kyle is letting on.

[DougS]

Rick Ren finally tells his story:

Rick Ren told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody Friday that he will serve as Director of Operations for the new Kyle Busch Motorsports beginning in 2010, overseeing a three-truck NASCAR Camping World Truck Series operation. "It was a multi-fold decision," said Ren. "I've been on the road a lot these last few years, doing lots of driving back and forth to work. This new package works well for my wife and I. I can be closer to home, spend more time with her and still oversee the structure of this new company." Ren said the team will hold a press conference next Friday to lay out more of its plans. He said the team's new facility is not yet completed, but promised that it will be state of the art. He confirmed that Busch will purchase the Xpress Motorsports building, its inventory of trucks and all its contents, giving KBM one complete team almost immediately. Trucks are currently being built to field up to two more entries, if funding comes through. Ren said he and Busch "have had a really good friendship for the last three years. We have talked at the tracks and hung out a little bit away from work. We have a mutual admiration for each other, and one thing kind of led to another. I'm trying to help a young man who has a natural ability to drive racecars to build and own his own race team. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Hopefully thier will be someway to get a trans script of that press conference.

[DougS]

Well tomorrow is the press conference for KBM. I'm more interested in that than the bikini model that had one earlier in the week.

Still can't nail down whether or not it's two or three teams. Heard this morning that Kyle Busch has taken Mikosukee as a sponsor from Billy Ballew, that was out of the mouth of Ted Musgrave so please don't quote me.

Hearing that KBM has has discussions with Exide Batteries. I really hope he's not pulling a sponsor from Skinner.

Also hear Johnny Benson is in the mix and Brian Ickler's name keeps floating around.

[DougS]

Okay well today's press conference was pretty telling.

First off it's a two truck team, for now.

Truck #18 with sponsorship from Mickosukee will be a part time effort by both Kyle Busch and Brian Ickler. Kyle will race at events held in conjunction with NSCS events. Brian will take the wheel at all other races.

Truck #56 With Tayler Malsam driving the Activewater Toyota for the entire year. Activewater is a sponsor that Tayler brought with him to KBM. They are headquatered out of Washington State and have had a previous relationship with Tayler.

Johnny Benson was at the press conference and KBM is looking for sponsorship to run JB in a third truck. Exide wasn't mentioned today.

Rick Ren has been placed as Director of Competition. KBM will for now operate out of the former Express Motorsports building in Moorseville NC until KBM's building is finished also located in Moorseville.

Listening to the aftermath of the press conference today, alot of people have ripped Kyle for taking Mikosukee away from BBM. Kyle announced today that he brought that sponsor to BBM and they wanted to continue a relationship with Kyle. If that's the truth then BZ to Mikosukee for maintaining some sort of loyalty to a driver / owner.