Life will go on at Billy Ballew Motorsports after Kyle Busch. That was the message team owner Billy Ballew delivered on Monday, three days after his flagship driver announced plans to field a pair of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams under the Kyle Busch Motorsports banner in 2010. Ballew said he plans to run a full season in 2010 with Aric Almirola, one of several drivers to share time with Busch last season in the #51 Toyota. Ballew expects to name a sponsor for Almirola by the end of the week but isn’t sure which of the two trucks Almirola will drive. Ballew hopes to name a sponsor and driver for his other team by Jan 1, early enough to participate in a Toyota test at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida on Jan. 12 and 13. Richie Wauters, crew chief on the #51 Truck, will return to his post, but the team is waiting on sponsorship before filling the vacancy left by #15 crew chief Doug George, who is leaving for Kevin Harvick Inc. Ballew also said that Steve Wallace, who is expected to run a full season in the Nationwide Series for Rusty Wallace Racing, could also run a part-time Truck schedule for the organization.(SceneDaily.com) [Previous note on Musgrave’s possible series return is posted on the December Archive Page.](12-14-2009)
UPDATE: Waltrip/Wallace could run some truck races for Ballew: [Michael] Waltrip, who is scheduled to run only select Cup events in 2010 with the Michael Waltrip Racing team he co-owns with Rob Kauffman, has been in discussions with team owner Billy Ballew about a full-time ride in the Camping World Truck Series, Ballew said in a phone interview with www.SceneDaily.com on Monday morning. Waltrip, however, sounded less intent on a full Truck season when asked about his plans Monday afternoon. “He’s working on sponsorship, and if it comes through, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll run a couple races for him,” the two-time Daytona 500 champion said of Ballew. Ballew expects an announcement about Waltrip’s future with BMM by Jan. 15 and is still in the process of securing funding for Waltrip and a second driver, Aric Almirola. Ballew said that Steve Wallace, who is slated to return to Rusty Wallace Racing in the Nationwide Series, is also “still in the mix” for a part-time Truck ride for BMM.(SceneDaily.com)(1-4-2010)
