Kyle Busch sees potential ownership role in future endeavors
MADISON, Ill. – Kyle Busch says he would like to be a car owner somewhere down the road in one of NASCAR’s top three series and that he would likely choose Brian Ickler as his driver.
Busch and the 23-year-old Ickler compete for Billy Ballew Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series, with Ickler driving the team’s No. 51 Toyota on weekends when Busch can’t because of his Sprint Cup and Nationwide series duties.
Ickler, who has driven a Late Model for Kyle Busch Motorsports in select short-track events, has also made three starts this season in Billy Ballew’s No. 15 entry.
“My role with Billy Ballew Motorsports isn’t a team owner, but it’s sort of a driving consultant [per se], I guess,” Busch said at Gateway International Raceway, where he’ll compete in tonight’s Nationwide race. “ I talked highly of Brian and talked [team owner] Billy [Ballew] into allowing him to drive my races that I’m not running in the 51. And we’ve been really proud of him where we’ve been able to fill him in the 15 a little bit more and more, too.
“For me to own a team in the near future, that’s tough [with] the way the economy is, the way the manufacturer support has been. I’m with a great manufacturer with Toyota. They’ve really helped us out at Billy Ballew Motorsports this year.”
While Busch doesn’t have any immediate plans to join the ownership ranks in one of NASCAR’s national touring series, it’s an idea he would entertain at some point in years to come. More than one of Busch’s fellow Cup competitors, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. (JR Motorsports/Nationwide team) and Kevin Harvick (Kevin Harvick Inc./Nationwide and Truck teams), have taken that step.
“You look at Harvick and it’s tough for him,” Busch said. “He wants to give these young guys a shot, but sometimes the sponsors are willing to pay for his name. They don’t want a Kelly Bires. They don’t want a Cale Gale. They don’t want to take a chance on those guys, which is really sad to see because I like Kelly and I like Cale.
“I think those guys have really done a lot for the Super Late Model ranks and deserve a shot up here, but they just can’t get it. For me, I’d love to own a team if the right situation came about. Then I feel like it would be a great thing to do and I feel like my first choice for a driver would probably be with Brian Ickler.”
