Busch's success a boon for independent Ballew team (cont'd)

"I guess really from a personal relationship, even though I'm twice as old as these guys, I'm always friends with them. And they believe in our program and they believe in our equipment."

The biggest believer is Busch.

Aside from Lester's initial 15 races with the team, Busch was the only thing close to consistent in terms of driver arrangements. He made 11 starts for Ballew, including the final six races of the season and eight of the last 10. Nobody else made more than three starts.

His average finish during his part-time schedule in the team's second truck was 13.7 and included four top-10 finishes -- as well as his two victories.

Four other drivers combined for six starts in Ballew's No. 51 truck. Their average finish was 24.8. The seven drivers that shared Ballew's primary truck, the No. 15, had an average finish of 23.1 and collected just two top-10 finishes.

"The situation with Kyle Busch is very unique," Ballew said. "I very much respect and deeply believe in what he's done for our team. I'd love for him to drive every race for us, but that's not possible. He's got a very hectic schedule."

This past season the calendar included a full slate in the Cup Series that ended in a Chase position and all while he won the first Car of Tomorrow race, announced his departure from Hendrick Motorsports and ultimately signed to drive next season with Joe Gibbs Racing. It included a 19-race Busch Series schedule in which he won four races, lead more laps than any other driver and finish 16th in the standings.

And it also included making time for Ballew.

"I am so glad to be a part of this Billy Ballew Motorsports team," Busch said. "All the guys on this team work so hard -- they work from 7 in the morning until 11 at night every day, I swear. It is unbelievable the dedication they put in."

That's Ballew's sentiments toward Busch, too. The relationship between driver and owner began in 2005 when they tested a truck at Charlotte. Wauters had previously worked with Busch in the Snowball Derby -- a late-model race run during the offseason -- and gave Busch a call. The test went well. Busch wanted to drive the truck and brought his sponsor to Ballew's team for the Charlotte race that May. Together for the first time, they won the race.

Busch drove Ballew's truck to Victory Lane again the very next week at Dover. In 11 starts that year, he earned nine top-10s and one more victory -- at Atlanta -- with a 6.5 average finish.

In 2006 Busch drove seven races for Ballew -- all top-10 finishes including another victory at Charlotte. Busch hasn't driven a Truck Series race for any other owner since.

"Richie and I have taken over the No. 51 deal, kind of a startup thing," Busch said. "It has been good. All the trucks are the same. We share trucks. They are different truck numbers, and you just never know who is going to get which one. I picked two of them for myself and Billy is OK with that."

Ballew is OK with just about anything Busch does. But it's not all trophies and champagne sprays in the black truck with a Days of Thunder-like paint scheme. The speed bumps of an independent Truck Series team continue -- Ballew said he still is in search of sponsorship dollars to fund Busch's schedule with his team for 2008, which is yet to be determined. "That's my biggest obstacle and biggest job I have, trying to get sponsorship to offset the cost in this series," Ballew said, "even with high-profile drivers."

The results Busch provides in a part-time schedule, Ballew said, are better than he could ask for from a full-time cast of drivers on his team. And he's not willing to trade that just yet.

"It's just that our success we've had with Kyle is second to none with this team," Ballew said. "Words cannot define how much I think of Kyle Busch."